← Geography syllabus

EnglandGeography

Component 1 and 2: Geographical Skills and Fieldwork

4 dot points across 4 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

How are cartographic and graphical skills used to present and interpret geographical data?

The range of cartographic skills (OS maps, GIS, choropleth, isoline, proportional and flow-line maps) and graphical skills (line, bar, scatter, logarithmic and population pyramids), and how to select, construct and interpret them for geographical data.
An OCR A-Level Geography answer to the cartographic and graphical skills embedded across all components, covering OS map and GIS interpretation, choropleth, isoline, proportional-symbol and flow-line maps, and line, bar, scatter, logarithmic and population-pyramid graphs, with guidance on selecting, constructing and interpreting each for AO3.
11 min answer →

How is geographical fieldwork planned and carried out as a structured enquiry?

The stages of geographical enquiry; the collection of primary and secondary data using appropriate physical and human methods; sampling strategies and their justification; and the evaluation of data reliability, accuracy and bias.
An OCR A-Level Geography answer to fieldwork and geographical enquiry, covering the stages of the enquiry process, primary and secondary data collection using physical and human methods, sampling strategies (random, systematic, stratified) and their justification, and the evaluation of data reliability, accuracy and bias, underpinning the Independent Investigation.
11 min answer →

How are statistical techniques used to analyse geographical data and test relationships?

The statistical techniques used in geography (measures of central tendency and dispersion, percentage change, Spearman's rank correlation and significance testing) and how to calculate, apply and critically interpret them in geographical contexts.
An OCR A-Level Geography answer to the statistical skills embedded across all components, covering measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode) and dispersion (range, interquartile range, standard deviation), percentage change, Spearman's rank correlation and significance testing, with worked calculations in KaTeX and guidance on critical interpretation for AO3.
12 min answer →

What is the Independent Investigation, and how is it structured and assessed?

The nature, requirements and assessment of the Independent Investigation (the non-examined assessment): an independent, fieldwork-based enquiry of around 3000 to 4000 words using primary and secondary data, structured through the enquiry process and marked against OCR's criteria.
An OCR A-Level Geography answer to the Independent Investigation (the non-examined assessment), covering its nature and requirements, the independent fieldwork-based enquiry of around 3000 to 4000 words using primary and secondary data, the structure through the enquiry process, the marking criteria, and how it is worth 60 marks and 20 percent of the A-Level.
11 min answer →