A Level GeographyThe Synoptic Paper Three

LO: To understand what makes the synoptic paper different from the other examinations.

What is Paper Three like?

• 2hrs 15mins, 70 marks, 20% of the A Level.

• Designed to draw together your knowledge, understanding and skills from the 2 year course.

• Short, open response and resource-linked questions, and extended written questions worth 8, 18 and 24 marks.

What is Paper Three like?

• Focuses on your ability to handle unseen geographical material. Relatively few marks given for knowledge recall.

• Time is generous – 135 mins for 70 marks, this gives you time to study the resource booklet.

• The resource booklet includes text, statistics, tables of data, and photographs that will help you analyse and understand this place and issue more clearly.

• It will likely contain details about places with which you are unfamiliar with and have never studied. Don’t let this put you off; it’s your ability to interpret, analyse and make sense of these materials which is being assessed.

• Use your geographical skills to analyse both quantitative and qualitative data. These will include statistical skills (e.g. Spearman’s rank).

Calculator

There will be skill work in the exam,

including statistics, so bring a calculator!

You will be given the formulas for maths

questions.

Marks Suggested timings

Reading and planning

21 minutes

4

7 minutes each4

4

813 minutes each

8

18 29 minutes

24 38 minutes

What content will I be tested on?

• This paper is about applying your knowledge to a place based geographical issue.

• It will not be a local focus – it’s going to be broad and international (involving more than one country).

• The geographical 'location' of the unseen resources won’t be known in advance! But it will need to be somewhere where issues concerning Globalisation and Superpowers are evident.

• Any carbon and water cycle material is likely to be woven into 'places' that map into Globalisation and Superpowers.

• The unseen materials will focus on compulsory topics, however you can bring in knowledge and thinking from the optional topics.

• In learning these topics, be aware of the 'issues' that arise –these are not too hard to find.

Preparing for Paper Three

• The resource booklet is based on two or more of the compulsory content areas:

• Tectonic processes and hazards

• Globalisation

• The water cycle and water insecurity

• The carbon cycle and energy security

• Superpowers

NOT: Glaciation , Regenerating Places OR Migration, identity and sovereignty

TaskYou have each been given a compulsory section of

the specification:

Ben P – GlobalisationHarry D – Tectonic Processes and Hazards

Jack C – The water cycle and water insecurity Ruby K – The carbon cycle and energy security

Nadine M – SuperpowersSam W – Globalisation

Nathan B – Tectonic Processes and Hazards

Using the three themes sheet, go through and highlight in different colours your section of the spec with players, attitudesand futures. Then take one example, go back through your notes

and produce a 60 word extended example based on it. (This will be photocopied and put together for everyone!)

E.g.. 7.7a (A: attitudes and actions in relation to resources)

Attitudes to resources, especially energy sometimes result in political tension. Tension in the Arctic reflects competing demands over sovereignty, particularly between Russia and other nations, and these are challenges to IGOs such as UNCLOS and NATO, which must regulate decisions about disputed overlapping marine areas. The driving force would often seem to be linked to establishing energy security and, perhaps, profit.

Players (P)

Attitudes and actions (A)

Futures and uncertainties (F)

Three themes: Players, Actions, Futures

Who are the different players (individuals, groups and organisations, stakeholders) involved in geographical issues and decisions (interdependence, globalisation, systems)? Why do some players have greater influence than others (inequality)? This includes: international players (intergovernmental organisations (IGOs)), national and local government, large and small private businesses, transnational corporations (TNCs), pressure groups and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as well as others in particular contexts.

Why do attitudes to geographical issues (identity) vary so greatly and how does this influence actions (policies and choice of strategy and management methods)? Influences on values and attitudes include identity, political and religious views, priority given to profit, importance of social justice and equality and attitudes towards the natural environment (conservation and sustainability versus exploitation).

There are contrasting approaches when making decisions about geographical issues that will affect people in the future. These include business as usual, priority towards more sustainable strategies and radical alternatives (mitigation and adaptation). Choice of objective will affect both people and the environment in very different ways (risk, resilience and thresholds). The outcomes of choices made today are uncertain for a range of reasons, including scientific, demographic, economic and political uncertainty.

At home …

Go through the sections of the specification you did not highlight today.

Tectonic Processes and HazardsGlobalisation

The water cycle and water insecurityThe carbon cycle and energy security

Superpowers.

Using the three themes sheet, go through and highlight in different colours your section of the spec with

players, attitudes and futures.

The Synoptic Themes

(Session 2)

• Players – those responsible for making decisions about people and the use of space, and how these decisions are implemented

• Not to be confused with stakeholders (who may simply have an interest, without decision-making responsibility or power)

• Linked closely to political plans and strategies (e.g. the UK’s economic transformation - Globalisation), specific plans (e.g. managing energy resources), or a long-term programme (e.g. responses to climate change)

• Players may be categorised into three sectors: public, private, and voluntary.

1. Players

• Include private businesses, ranging from small local companies to large transnational corporations (TNCs).

• TNCs are fundamental to the concept of ‘players’. • Being a ‘Corporation’ means that ownership of a company – among

its shareholders – is split from management. • Managers are legally bound to maximise profits for shareholders,

and maximise dividend for them. Shareholders hold them to account.

• Corporations are also bound only by limited liability – i.e. that shareholders share in profits, but are not personally liable for any debts.

• With profit as a key motive, it is easy to understand how companies become significant players in decisions made about people and space.

Private sector players

• Refers to organisations financed by public sources (e.g. taxation), including government functions (e.g. education, health, social services, defence)

• Within a country, governments range from small-scale (e.g. parish) to regional (e.g. county councils), to national.

• Beyond – e.g. global governance (IGOs, or economic unions)

• Accountability varies, between full democracy to limited(single party states e.g. China) to dictatorship, with no accountability.

• The interaction between private and public sector players is critical in decision-making.

Public sector players

Much more important than you might think. Includes: • pressure groups (e.g. Greenpeace) – campaigning on

environmental or social issues. Income derived from memberships and donations.

• NGOs are involved in e.g. development work or aid. Revenue includes voluntary donations and government-funded programmes (e.g. Oxfam).

• political think tanks – highly significant players in researching and promoting particular philosophies. • Critical to an understanding of players. Usually funded by wealthy foundations (e.g.

the Thatcher Foundation, Joseph Rowntree Foundation) which exist to research and promote particular thinking. The links between these and mainstream political parties cannot be understated. Their research strongly supports the development of particular political party policies.

Third sector players

• Students have to engage with political decision-making• Essential to avoid the global 'we' or 'they' or 'the country decided‘• Student success in this paper will depend on awareness about how countries

are run (by governments!) and how decision making may favour some specific groups but not others

• For example – the statement 'Canada benefits from the exploitation of tar sands' raises several issues as follows:• How do we measure benefits?• What is ‘Canada’? The physical environment of this territory? Canadians? • Do they all benefit e.g. those dying from cancers attributable to the

polluted Athabasca River or the homeless in Toronto? • So which Canadians benefit and how? A better health service? Improved

educational systems? Higher pensions? • The ability to link specific decisions to specific players is essential.

Stepping up

• Attitudes – the viewpoints that decision-makers and stakeholders have towards economic, social, environmental or political issues;

• Their actions – the ways in which they try to achieve what they want

• Attitudes and values are the basis on which governments form alliances with others to achieve common ends (e.g. NATO, the EU)

• Linked closely to Players – it’s critical that students understand how and why different players have different attitudes (reflecting their values)

• Attitudes are important, because players with certain attitudes towards one issue (e.g. pro-globalisation) may have similar views towards other issues (e.g. anti-climate change)

• The media play a huge role in establishing attitudinal ‘norms’

2. Attitudes and actions

• This is about ‘big questions’ for the future

e.g. Can the world provide people with safe water to drink or use in growing food?

Can energy industries provide for all? • What will the global economy look like

in 2050? • How might geopolitics play out between

the world’s major superpowers? • How far will climate change play a part

in any ‘futures’ decision-making?

3. Futures & uncertainties:

The big questions

3. Futures & uncertainties

Players approach questions about the future differently. Visions include:• ‘Business as usual’, i.e. letting things function as they are – such

as ‘do nothing’, or doing what’s necessary when it’s unavoidable. For example – with energy, should private companies to decide on energy futures, by letting market forces (supply and demand) drive the energy market?

• More sustainable strategies, e.g. radical action in managing climate change. For example – with energy, such should governments play a bigger role in decision-making about energy futures, by encouraging pro-renewable energy policies?

Key Concepts

• Important for students to know and recognise these concepts

• The wording may be used in question construction as well as forming a key part of student knowledge and understanding e.g. vulnerability in Tectonic Hazards

CAUSALITY

FEEDBACK

GLOBALISATION

IDENTITY

INEQUALITYINTERDEPENDENCE

MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION

RESILIENCE

RISK

SUSTAINABILITY

SYSTEMTHRESHOLD

At home …

Read through the resource booklet for a practise exam next lesson.

Time yourself to 21 mins. The time you would

realistically have in the

exam.

Marks Suggested timings

Reading and planning

21 minutes

4

7 minutes each4

4

813 minutes each

8

18 29 minutes

24 38 minutes

The Exam

The Exam Questions

• Questions early in the paper will assess knowledge recall and skills in interpreting geographical information. These questions will generally carry 4 marks.

• Extended written questions of up to 8 marks may ask you to analyse and explain trends that you see in the data in the Resource Booklet.

• Two extended essay, style questions, of 18 and 24 marks respectively, will probe your ability to evaluate material in the Resource Booklet.

To reach the top marks …

• Show accurate geographical knowledge and understanding.

• Apply that knowledge and understanding to make logical and relevant connections / relationships to material in the Resource Booklet.

• Interpret any data or material coherently, and support any arguments with evidence, so that you write rational, substantiated, and balanced conclusions.

• Make valid judgements about the value and reliability of data / evidence.

Practice Synoptic Exam

Task 1

Complete Q1, 2, 3 and 4 of the synoptic paper (the shorter answer questions, and two 8 markers). Don’t

answer the essay questions, we will plan and answer those questions in another session.

You can use books / notes to help you if you need it. We will mark this first section together next lesson.

Homework: If you haven’t finished complete Q1, 2, 3 and 4 for next lesson (as this is when we mark it).

Practice Synoptic Exam

Task 2

Today we are going to plan answers for the two longer answer questions.

Study Section C in the Resource Booklet.

Evaluate the sustainability of Singapore’s economic and population growth (18 marks)

Evaluate the view that developing countries have much to learn from Singapore (24 marks)

Homework: Complete the two essays on the synoptic exam over the Easter holidays.