The document discusses case studies and examples in geography courses. It defines a case study as a located, detailed situation used for discussion. Case studies should be recent to illustrate concepts. Examples enrich answers by providing specific details. When instructed, case studies and detailed examples require writing a paragraph or more and showing analytical and evaluative knowledge. Maintaining current event knowledge helps students apply relevant contemporary case studies.

2. Case Study Introduction
The recommended teaching approach
throughout the DP Geography course is to focus
on the concepts and to use case studies and
examples, or detailed examples, to illustrate
content and to contextualize these concepts.
The use of case studies allows us to synthesize
our understanding and apply it to real world
situations.

3. What is a Case Study?
A case study is located, detailed and used for
discussion or a discursive approach. Ideally, case
studies selected should be recent; that is, they
should have occurred within the student’s
lifetime and should not be historical.
At NIST we try and keep our case studies as
relevant and contemporary as possible.

4. What is a Case Study?

5. What do we do with case
studies?
When the syllabus stipulates that use a case
study we will normally spend about an hour of
class time working on it.
In an exam or assessment you can expect to
base an entire essay or a major part of it on a
specific case study. You need to have detailed
knowledge and be able to be analytical and
evaluative.

6. What do we do with case
studies?
If case studies are required in a response, this will be
stated in the question and students are advised, above
all, to match the case study to the demands of the
question. However, wherever possible, students are
encouraged to develop their extended responses using
case studies or detailed examples.
An example of a case study question could be:
Use a case study to discuss the impacts of one hurricane
on coastal places and people.
.

7. What is an example?
An example is a sentence or two that enriches
an answer; it may include a specific location, an
amount, or a date, all showing a greater depth
of knowledge and understanding.
An examination answer may include reference
to many different examples to illustrate or
support the response.

8. What is an example?
When examples are used, students should not
just provide one-word responses but should
offer some development.

9. What is a detailed example?
A detailed example requires more knowledge
than an example.
You should be able to write at least a paragraph
if instructed to use a detailed example. You
should also be able to be analytical and
evaluative.

10. What do we do with detailed
knowledge?
Some examples of expected detailed knowledge
include:
• Two detailed and contrasting examples of
uneven population distribution
• China & USA or Thailand
• Detailed examples of two or more contrasting
countries in relation to population change and
demographic transition over time
• Japan, Thailand, Niger or the UK

11. Case Study Tips
1. A knowledge of current events is extremely
useful; it allows you to absorb relevant
contemporary case studies.
2. Pay attention to when the syllabus states use of
case studies or examples and ensure you learn
them.
3. The more specific details you remember the
better.
4. Try to synthesize common case studies that can
be applied to different sectionss of the course.