Understanding the question
- 1. Exam Technique – How to understand what the question is asking you!
- 2. Can you match these key instruction words with their meanings? ACCOUNT FOR DISCUSS DISTINGUISH ESTIMATE ANALYSE JUSTIFY COMPARE LIST GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF CONCLUDE STATE CONCISE GIVE REASONS FOR SUMMARISE CRITICISE EXPLAIN DEFINE IDENTIFY ILLUSTRATE DESCRIBE EVALUATE FACTORS CALCULATE
- 3. Account for Explain the process or reason for something being the way it is. Discuss Explore the subject by looking at its advantages and disadvantages (i.e. for and against). Attempt to come to some sort of judgement. Analyse Explore the main ideas of the subject, show they are important and how they are related. Distinguish Explain the difference. Calculate Find out using mathematics. Estimate Guess the amount or value Compare Show the similarities (but you can also point out the differences). Explain Describe, giving reasons ad causes. Conclude Decide after reasoning something out. Evaluate Give an opinion by exploring the good and bad points. It’s a bit like asking you to assess something. Attempt to support your argument with expert opinion. Concise Short and brief. Factors The fact or circumstances that contribute to a result. Contrast Show the differences ~ compare and contrast questions are very common in exams – they want you to say how something is similar and how it may be different too. Give an account of Describe. Criticise Analyse and them make a judgement or give an opinion. You could show both the good and bad points. You could refer to an expert’s opinion within this question. Give reasons for Use words like because in your answer as you will be explaining how or why something is that way. Define Give the meaning. This should be short. Identify Recognise, prove something as being certain. Describe Give a detailed account. Illustrate Show by explaining and giving examples. Justify Give a good reason for offering an opinion. State Write briefly the main points. List An item-by-item record of relevant images. This would normally be in note form without any need to be descriptive. Summarise Give the main points of an idea or argument. Leave out unnecessary details that could cloud the issue.
- 4. Exam Questions – What are you actually being asked to do! 1. What is it asking you to write about? Write down on the sheet what the topic is that you are being asked about. 2. Highlight three things you need to include in your answer. 3. List three specific details from your case study that you are going to include in this answer.
- 5. Write an essay plan for this question. ** this should not be in full sentences – just bullet points!
- 6. Understanding the question and writing good essay style answers. What – understand what is being asked in an assessment. Why – so that we can produce the best possible answer in an assessment. How – Group work and competition. Quizzes.
- 7. Starter competition! Draw a labelled diagram on the post-it note to help explain how and why earthquakes occur in the Christchurch area. You have 5 mins! There is a prize!
- 9. What are you being asked to do? Task : Read the three exam questions and in the boxes underneath, explain in your own words what you are being asked to do. For example No. 1 1.Fully explain the natural processes that operate to produce your named extreme natural event within the environment of your named case study (studies). Include specific evidence from your named case study (studies). You may use diagrams to support your answer. I am being asked to explain how and why earthquakes occur in the area of our case study (Christchurch). I must include some specific evidence (facts and figures) from our case study (Christchurch) and I can use diagrams to support my answer. Now you complete the others in your groups!
- 10. What are you being asked to do? 2. Fully explain how your named extreme natural event has affected the cultural environment. Include a combination of notes and diagram(s) to support your answer Explain how the earthquake has affected the city (the man made environment – buildings, roads, water supply, sewage, electricity, hospitals, airports, schools, communication networks (infrastructure)) of Christchurch. I can use notes and diagrams to help explain my answer.
- 11. What are you being asked to do? Read the following Geographic Concept. Include specific references to it, as well as to the extreme natural event and to the environment of the case study (studies) you have named on page 2, to support your answers to this question. Geographic Concept Perspectives may influence how people interact with environments and the decisions and responses that they make. People’s perspectives are shaped by their background, their experiences, and their involvement with a particular natural environment. When an extreme natural event occurs, individuals, groups, or organisations, respond in different ways. These responses may occur immediately after the event, or they may be long-term responses. Name TWO individuals, groups, or organisations, AND fully explain how EACH has responded to the effects of your named extreme natural event at a selected time period. Note: This may be the same time period for each group, or it may be different. Circle a time period Immediately after the event Long Term I am being asked to explain how two people, or groups of people, responded (acted) after the earthquake. I have to explain what they did after the earthquake and I must explain how their perception of the earthquake influence (affected) their actions. I can describe their actions immediately after the earthquake or a long time after the earthquake.
- 12. So what do we need to include in this answer? Fully explain how your named extreme natural event has affected the cultural environment. Include a combination of notes and diagram(s) to support your answer Write a rough essay plan on the white board. Bullet point everything that you want to include.
- 13. So how could we start this answer? Fully explain how your named extreme natural event has affected the cultural environment. Include a combination of notes and diagram(s) to support your answer What would your first sentence be? Write this on your white board.
- 14. Write your full answer! Fully explain how your named extreme natural event has affected the cultural environment. Include a combination of notes and diagram(s) to support your answer Create a google doc and write your full answer – you have 20 mins.