← Geography syllabus

ScotlandGeography

Map Interpretation

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

How do you interpret settlement, communications and land use from an OS map?

Interpreting human features: reading settlement site, situation, shape and function, communications, and land use from map symbols, and explaining how relief and other factors shape them.
How to interpret human geography from the 1:25,000 OS map in SQA Advanced Higher Geography: reading settlement site, situation, shape and function, communication networks and land use from symbols, and explaining how relief and other factors influence them.
13 min answer →

How do you interpret relief and physical landforms from an OS map?

Interpreting relief and landforms: reading contours, spot heights and gradient, recognising slopes, valleys, ridges and physical features, and using map evidence to describe and explain the landscape.
How to interpret relief and physical landforms from the 1:25,000 OS map in SQA Advanced Higher Geography: reading contours, spot heights and gradient, recognising valleys, ridges, slopes and drainage, and using map evidence to describe and explain the physical landscape.
13 min answer →

How do you use Ordnance Survey grid references and scale in the Advanced Higher question paper?

Using OS maps in the question paper: reading the 1:25,000 Explorer sheet, giving four and six-figure grid references, working with scale, measuring distances and drawing to scale.
How to use the 1:25,000 Ordnance Survey Explorer map in the SQA Advanced Higher Geography question paper: four and six-figure grid references, scale, measuring straight-line and winding distances, and drawing or measuring to scale to support a response with map evidence.
13 min answer →

How do you use supplementary items alongside the OS map in the question paper?

Using supplementary items: combining the OS map with photographs, sketches, cross-sections, transects, graphical information and data tables, and cross-referencing them to build an evidenced response.
How to use the supplementary items supplied with the SQA Advanced Higher Geography question paper: photographs, sketches, cross-sections, transects, tracing overlays, graphical information and data tables, and how to cross-reference them with the OS map to support a response.
12 min answer →