This is a document that help prepare your geography cxc sba

1. SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT (SBA
PREPARATION)
Castries Comprehensive Secondary School
Form 5 Geography

2. SUMMARY OF GEOGRAPHY CSEC SBA
 Your SBA is a critical instrument in your
CSEC examination.
 Preparation usually starts the summer before
Form 5 whereby, students start thinking of a
topic that they would like to pursue.
 The topic must be from the Geography
CSEC syllabus
 The SBA must be 1000-1500 words
excluding the appendix

3. FORMAT OF SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT
 STRATEGY SHEET(URL link given on moodle
 COVER PAGE (name, examination number, school, school examination code, teacher’s name)
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
 AIM OF STUDY
 INTRODUCTION
 METHODOLOGY (past- tense)
 MAP OF ST. LUCIA (no secondary sources)
 sketch map of area of study (no secondary sources)
 DISCUSSION
 CONCLUSION
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
 APPENDIX

4. STRATEGY SHEET
 Once you have figured out your topic, you
can then fill in your strategy sheet.
 Which can be found on this
site:https://www.cxc.org/SiteAssets/CSEC_G
eographyFieldStudy_SBAForm_Strategy_Sh
eet.pdf

5. TOPIC/ AIM OF STUDY
Your SBA Aim of study MUST BE IN THE FORM OF A
QUESTION!! Remember, you are going out to investigate an issue/
phenomena.
Some sample SBA questions include the following:
 Topic: Economic Activity (Tourism)
Aim of study: How has tourism in Rodney Bay contribute to an
increase in economic activity?
 Topic: Agriculture
Aim of study: What are some of the factors leading to the decline in
the agricultural industry in Bexon?
OR
Aim of study:How has the government of St. Lucia tried to revamp
the agricultural industry?
 Topic:Natural Vegetation
Aim of study:How has the vegetation in *area of your choice*
adapted to its climate?
 Topic: Fluvial processes

6. INTRODUCTION:
Let’s say we have decided on the following topic and aim of
study:
 Your introduction should give the reader an idea of what
your SBA will be about.
 It should include a few general statements about the
subject to provide a background to your SBA and to
attract the reader's attention. It should try to explain why
you have decided to investigate in that particular topic. It
should include a definition of terms in the context of the
essay.
 It should also include a statement of the specific
subdivisions of the topic and/or indication of how the topic
is going to be tackled in order to specifically address the
question.

7. METHODLOGY
 The methodology gives the reader an idea of how
you went about carrying out the investigation.
 It should be written in the PAST- TENSE.
 The following words are used as guides when writing
your methodology:
WHEN (was the research done)?
WHERE (did the research take place)?
HOW (was the research carried out)?
 It should also include the instruments or apparatus
used example; meter rule, camera, questionnaire
etc…

8. AREA OF STUDY (MAPS)
 You will be required to provide 2 maps:
1. Map of St. Lucia (which indicates the area of study)
2. Sketch map of the area of study (which should
include key features such as roads, buildings, trees,
rivers….where necessary)
This maps SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN form the internet.
REMEMBER NO SECONDARY SOURCES OF
PICTURS.
 Also remember, to include, North arrow, title,
key/legend, scale.
 See samples on the following page

11. DISCUSSION
The discussion should include the following:
 Tables, pictures, graphs integrated into the
discussion
 All,tables, pictures and graphs should be
labelled and have a title.
 See next slide

12. HOW PICTURES SHOULD BE LABELLED
 Picture 2 (LABEL)
 Upper course of the river, where boulders are deposited due to the velocity and
energy of the river (TITLE)

13. HOW A DISCUSSION SHOULD BE WRITTEN
Integration of Data
EXAMPLE (if topic was):What fluvial processes are dominant in the
Marchand River and how has it contribute to the present fluvial
landforms?
“Rivers are very unique features, however all tend to share similar
characteristics. Picture 1 aims to show the Marchand river in its’ upper
course. On observation one can see that river is moving at a velocity of
9ms-2 as can be seen in table 1. In the upper course of a river, due to the
increase in velocity the river has a lot of energy which allows it to transport
large boulders, this can also be see in picture 1.”
 The information quoted in red shows how pictures, tables and graphs
SHOULD BE INTEGARTED in the discussion

14. CONCLUSION TIPS
The conclusion should do 2 things:
1. Answer the aim of study
2. Summarize the contents of the report (tables can also be used
to help summarize that information)
EXAMPLE:
The study aimed to show that the upper course of the Marchand river has
erosion as its dominant feature due to its velocity, it is able to move
boulders. Erosional landforms such as waterfalls, potholes and rapids
further prove this observation. The Marchand River is one of the most
defined river in the island due to it being of a relatively young age. It has a
number of tributaries joining it close to its source thus, causing an increase
in volume. Due to the increase in volume, the lower course of the river has
a number of depositional features such as levees and floodplain………..

15. BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Atleast 4 recent book sources
format:
author with title, publisher, place and date with
relevant and up-to-date references

16. APPENDIX
 An appendix is NOT necessary
 However, if you used a questionnaire it can
be placed there
 Also, if there were pictures and tables that
you did not incorporate in your discussion it
can be placed there.
 The word count DOES NOT apply to the
appendix!

18. GEOGRAPHICAL TERMINOLOGY/ TERMS
 Remember the Geography SBA is a research
project hence, it should focus on facts and NOT
OPINIONS hence;
 REFRAIN from using words such as I, ME, WE,
US
 DO use terms such as:
1. The researcher
2. The investigator
 You have studied geography for the past 2
years PLEASE use geographical terminology/
jargon in your writing.

19. IF YOU NEED HELP:
I can be contacted via email at:
nedgard@ccss.edu.lc