Geographical Exploration - Paper 3 (OCR GCSE Geography B)

Geographical Exploration - Paper 3

What is paper 3?

• Paper 3 includes a series of questions which assess material from a range of topics across:

  • Our Natural World (Paper 1)

  • People and Society (Paper 2)

• This is a synoptic assessment which means that it tests students' understanding of connections between different topics

• The paper includes a range of short closed and open questions; longer open questions

•  A resource booklet is provided with a range of resources on which the questions are based

What skills are assessed in paper 3?

• Students will be expected to:

  • Deconstruct, interpret, analyse and evaluate visual images including photographs, cartoons, pictures and diagrams

  • Analyse written articles from a variety of sources for understanding, interpretation and recognise bias

  • Suggest improvements to, issues with or reasons for using maps, graphs, statistical techniques and visual sources, such as photographs and diagrams

• Geographical skills such as using maps and interpreting sources will be assessed in this paper

What is a decision-making exercise?

• The paper includes a decision-making exercise (DME)

• A DME is where a range of resources about a topic are provided

• The aim is to use the resources to develop an informed answer to the questions 

• Past DMEs have been topics including:

  • Should coastal management or improving squatter settlements be the priority in Rio de Janeiro?

  • Evaluate the economic and environmental sustainability of Leeds

  • Evaluate whether Milton Keynes is environmentally sustainable

  • Assess the environmental value of Sulawesi, Indonesia and suggest a sustainable development strategy to tackle the threat of tectonic hazards/destruction of ecosystems

  • Evaluate whether environmental problems are the most significant reason for Vanuatu's current level of development