Drawing Conclusions, Evaluating Fieldwork & Answering Exam Questions
Master the skills needed to excel in Paper 3 Section B
Drawing Conclusions
Return to Hypothesis
State whether your hypothesis is:
ACCEPTED
Data supports the hypothesis
PARTIALLY ACCEPTED
Mixed evidence / some anomalies
REJECTED
Data contradicts the hypothesis
A strong conclusion includes:
- 1.Clear verdict - accepted/rejected/partial
- 2.Evidence - specific data to justify verdict
- 3.Explanation - WHY pattern occurred (geographical reasoning)
- 4.Theory link - explicitly name the model/concept
- 5.Anomalies addressed - explain any outliers
Select an example, review the data, decide the verdict, then see a model conclusion
Evaluating Fieldwork
Common Exam Questions:
"Evaluate the effectiveness of your data collection methods."
"Suggest how your investigation could be improved or extended."
What to Evaluate:
Click a category to see strength/weakness/improvement patterns
Grade 8/9 Evaluation Approach:
- • Specific: Name exact methods/equipment ("tape measure" not "equipment")
- • Justified: Explain WHY strength/weakness ("because..." not just stating)
- • Realistic improvements: Suggest practical alternatives
- • Acknowledge trade-offs: "Larger sample would improve accuracy BUT time constraints meant..."
- • Link to results: "Limited sample size may explain anomaly at Site 4..."
Grade 8/9 Evaluation Approach
- • Specific: Name exact methods/equipment ("tape measure" not "equipment")
- • Justified: Explain WHY strength/weakness ("because..." not just stating)
- • Realistic improvements: Suggest practical alternatives (not "use satellite data")
- • Acknowledge trade-offs: "Larger sample would improve accuracy BUT time constraints meant..."
- • Link to results: "Limited sample size may explain anomaly at Site 4..."
Exam Technique for Paper 3 Section B
15 marks
What it tests: Fieldwork skills applied to investigation you haven't conducted
Given: Context, data, maps, graphs about another student's fieldwork
Tasks: Suggest methods, complete presentation, describe/analyze data, evaluate
Key tip: Use your understanding from YOUR fieldwork but apply it to THEIR context
24 marks
What it tests: Recall details from YOUR two fieldwork enquiries
Asked about: Title, location, hypothesis, methods, risks, results, conclusions, evaluation
You CANNOT take fieldwork notes into the exam!
Use this to check you can recall all details for YOUR fieldwork
0 / 26 items ready (0%)
Remember: You CANNOT take fieldwork notes into the exam. Make sure you can recall all these details from memory!
Paper 3: 1 hour 15 minutes (75 min) for 76 marks = ~1 minute per mark
Total Time Used
0:00 / 75:00
Section A: Issue Evaluation
37 marks • ~40 minutes
2-3 mark (2-3 min), 4-6 mark (5-6 min), 9+3 mark (12-15 min)
Section B Q4: Unfamiliar Fieldwork
15 marks • ~17 minutes
Applied skills questions
Section B Q5: Your Fieldwork
24 marks • ~23 minutes
Recall and evaluation
Timing Tips:
- • 9-mark question needs 12-15 minutes (plan 3 min, write 10 min)
- • Don't spend too long on low-mark questions
- • Leave 5 minutes at end to check answers
- • If stuck, move on and return later
Model Answers
Compare answers to see what makes the difference
Evaluate the effectiveness of the data collection methods used in your physical geography enquiry. (6 marks)
We measured the river which was good because we got data. The tape measure was accurate. We could have done more measurements to improve it.
- • Vague - which measurements?
- • Doesn't explain WHY good/effective
- • Generic improvements
- • No specific details
- • No trade-offs acknowledged
Effective methods: Measuring river width using a tape measure stretched bank-to-bank at water surface was highly effective because the equipment was simple (no training needed), accurate to ±1cm which is acceptable precision for widths ranging 2-12m (<1% error), and quick (30 seconds per site), allowing 6 sites to be measured in one hour. Recording bedload size by randomly selecting 30 pebbles per site and measuring longest axis with ruler provided quantitative data suitable for calculating mean and range, revealing downstream size reduction from 12cm to 3cm that supported Bradshaw model predictions. Less effective methods: Using a float timer to measure velocity was less effective because it only measured surface speed (velocity slower at riverbed due to friction, so surface measurement overestimates mean), wind pushed the float sideways introducing error, and in slow-flowing sections (<0.2m/s) the float took over 5 minutes to travel 10m making tracking difficult. Improvement: A hydroprop flow meter would measure velocity at multiple depths (surface, mid-depth, bed) allowing accurate mean calculation, with digital readout eliminating timing errors. Sample size: 30 pebbles per site was adequate for calculating mean size (standard error <5%) BUT insufficient for detailed size distribution histogram which would require 100+ pebbles. However, time constraints (1 hour fieldwork) limited collection, representing trade-off between detail and feasibility.
- ✓ Specific methods named (tape measure, float timer, 30 pebbles)
- ✓ Explains WHY effective/ineffective
- ✓ Realistic improvements (hydroprop not 'use drones')
- ✓ Quantifies where possible (±1cm, 30 pebbles)
- ✓ Links to results (12cm to 3cm reduction)
- ✓ Acknowledges trade-offs (detail vs time)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Check off mistakes you're confident you won't make (0/14)
Test Your Knowledge
Question 1 of 5
A hypothesis states 'Pebble size decreases downstream'. Data shows pebbles measured 15cm at source, 8cm at midpoint, and 3cm at mouth. What is the correct conclusion?
Worked Example
Evaluate the effectiveness of the data collection methods used in your physical geography enquiry. (6 marks)