2. Warning!
• Be very careful not to mix up cause and consequence
• If you do, you will answer the wrong question
• Here is an example:
Consequences
•Increasing reliance
on imported gas and
oil.
•Using less domestic
coal.
•Slightly improved
domestic renewable
situation.
Causes
•Rising population and
growing economy.
•Low cost of gas /
dash for gas
•Gas helps meet
pollution reduction
targets
See example
answer at the end
of your notes
3. Brush up your interpretation skills
• World map: the danger here is only
referring to one part e.g. ‘Africa’, or
seeing a ‘north south divide’ as the
only pattern
• Graph: axes need to be studied. What
does the graph show? Are there any
trends? Don’t refer to only 1 part of
the graph, try to mention all of it.
• Data table: often only a few parts of
the table are referred to; try to give an
overview as well as some detail.
• Diagram: these often contain text;
read it carefully and use it. Try to
make reference to most parts of the
diagram.
•Need to refer to all 4 parts of the key.
•Refer to areas where the is no water
scarcity, as well as where there is!
•There is no north-south divide here!
•Note this is only for the developing world.
•Refer to all 3 lines.
•The trends are different for each.
Look for patterns e.g. marine usually lower.
Spot anomalies e.g. South America very high
considering development level.
Refer to columns and rows and several regions.
•Read the text carefully – look for key words.
•Refer to all parts i.e. all 3 scenarios.
•Use it, but don’t copy it!
3
4. What make a good data stimulus
answer?• Firstly, you need to interpret the question correctly
• Take this example:
• Many candidates actually answered this question:
Describe the changes to global electricity consumption.
• Or this one:
Explain the changes to global electricity consumption.
• Both of these are simpler tasks than the actual
question
• To answer the actual question you must focus on
explaining environmental consequences (impacts) of
the changes
• This is a much narrower, more detailed task than the
two ‘wrong’ versions of the question
4
5. • Secondly, you should focus on using
most of the Figure in your answer
• Try to see any ‘hidden’ structure or
pattern in the Figure.
• In this example the 9 energy sources
can actually be grouped into 3 broad
types:
Fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas)
Nuclear
Renewables (other, wind, solar, biomass, HEP
• Spotting this makes the trends
easier to see, and could be used to
structure your answer.
• Thirdly, don’t just use the Figure
• You need to use examples (not big
case studies) to back up your points
• This gives your answer depth
Refer to most
of the energy
types (not just
1 or 2)
Refer to the trends i.e.
different time periods
5
7. Part A
• Remember 40 mins each for part A:
– 5 reading and planning
– 15 writing A (10 marks) – 1 ¾ page
– 20 writing B (15 marks) - 2 ½ pages
8. Have a go …
• Study Figure 1.
• (a) Using Figure 1, explain
the physical and economic
factors that contribute to
uncertainty over oil
production in the future.
• (10)
• June 14
9.
10.
11. water
• Study Figure 2.
• (a) Using Figure 2
and your own
knowledge, suggest
the physical and
human factors that
might help to explain
the global pattern of
water stress.
• (10)
• June 13
