How to Answer a 7 Mark Question (Cambridge (CIE) O Level Geography)

Extended Response Questions

7 mark questions

• Levelled response questions are the part of the final exams that many students find the most challenging

• The mark you achieve is based on the quality of your response to the question rather than marks being awarded for specific points

• Remember the examiners just want to see that you can apply your knowledge and understanding of a case study to a specific question

• The following guide will help you to express your knowledge and understanding in ways which will enable you to achieve the highest marks

• The 7 mark questions are in paper 1 at the end of each section

• You are required to complete three 7 mark questions in total

• There are 3 levels which can be awarded in a levelled response question. These are outlined below:

Answering the 7 Mark Question

• Regardless of the topic, the type of question that you will need to answer will be broadly the same. You will be asked to describe and/or explain

‘For a named country you have studied, explain why the natural population growth rate is low.’

Or 

‘For a named urban area you have studied, describe the problems which are caused by urban sprawl ’

Step 1 

• Read the question carefully and underline the command word. Are you being asked to describe or explain or both?

‘For an area you have studied, describe how coastal erosion is being managed’

• Describe - give details about, outline the characteristics

• Explain - why something is the way it is or how it happens

Step 2

• Underline the key words. 

‘For an area you have studied, describe how coastal erosion is being managed’

• In this example it is important that you focus on the management of coastal erosion rather than on coastal erosion itself

• You can mention erosion rates in the context of why coastal management is needed but it should be no more than a sentence and should not detract from the main focus of the question

Step 3

• Plan the information you are going to include. This can be a short list of bullet points. For example;

• Brief definition of erosion and management 

• Describe the area you are writing about e.g. the Holderness coast

  • Where is it?

  • What is the rate of erosion?

  • Why is the rate of erosion so rapid?

• Describe how the coastal erosion is being managed 

  • Hard engineering - sea wall at Bridlington, groynes at Hornsea

  • Soft engineering - beach replenishment at Withernsea

Step 4 

• Write your answer

  • To achieve 7 marks you need to write at least 3 detailed statements with a named example and place specific detail

  • Do not make general statements

  • Be specific for example:

        ‘The sea wall at Bridlington is almost 5km long and extends along the town’s sea front. It is an example of hard engineering….’

• Ensure that you include place specific details 

• Place specific detail is information which is specific to that particular area in this case writing about the defences in named places along the Holderness coast is place specific detail or accurate information about the rate of coastal erosion