GEOG 1 Essays (15 marks)
Exam date / Rivers / Coasts / Population / HealthSpecimen / Describe and explain the development of meanders. / With reference to one or more case study of coastal management, discuss whether the benefits outweigh the costs. / With reference to a named country, evaluate attempts to manage population change.
Name of country: / Discuss how the United Kingdom’s changing population structure is likely to affect employment in the health and care services over the next 25 years or so.
June 09 / Describe and explain the formation of landforms resulting from rejuvenation. / With specific reference to a case study of coastal erosion, assess the relative importance of its physical and socio-economic consequences. / Outline and comment on the economic and political consequences of population
change / Describe and suggest reasons for regional variations in morbidity in the UK.
Jan 10 / Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of hard engineering as a flood
management strategy / Explain the causes of sea level change and the formation of resultant coastal landforms. / For any two of the following types of area, summarise the contrasts between them
and explain the implications of these contrasts for social welfare:
- inner city
- suburban
- rural–urban fringe
- rural settlement.
June 10 / Compare and comment on the economic and social effects of flooding in two contrasting areas of the world. / Discuss issues relating to a coastal area where soft engineering management strategies have been adopted. / Comment on the impact of different population structures on the balance between population and resources. / With reference to a local case study, assess the relative importance of age, gender and wealth for the provision of health care.
Jan 11 / Channel characteristics such as cross profile, wetted perimeter, hydraulic radius, roughness and efficiency change downstream.
Describe and explain how channel characteristics change downstream. / Using a case study, assess the causes and consequences of coastal flooding. / “For better and for worse?” Discuss how population change can affect the character of rural and urban areas. / Discuss issues associated with pharmaceutical transnational corporations regarding research, production and distribution of drugs.
Jun 11 / ‘Soft engineering is a better river flood management strategy than hard engineering.’
Discuss this view. / Hard engineering has been used to protect some coasts.
With reference to a case study, explain how hard engineering can protect the coast and comment on its effectiveness. / Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the demographic transition model. / Discuss the impacts of one non-communicable disease.
GEOG 1 Mark schemes (15 marks)
Exam date / Content / Level 1 (1-5 marks) / Level 2. (6-10 marks) / Level 3 (11-15 marks)Specimen / Describe and explain the development of meanders.
Description should relate to the development of riffles and pools at equal intervals along a stretch of river (pools occur 5-6 times the width of the bed). There should be information relating to what these are – alternating areas of shallow and deep water
where energy increases within a pool area due to less friction/greater efficiency and is then lost as the water flows over the shallower riffle where friction is greater. Flow over
these becomes uneven and results in the maximum flow being toward one side downstream. The pools become placed on the main curve of the meanders. The insideand outside bends of the meander are very different with shallow water, slow flow,
deposition, and the build up of a slip off slope characterising the inner bend whilst deep water, fast flow, lateral erosion (especially abrasion and hydraulic action) and a river cliff characterise the outside bend. Thus, the meanders have a distinct asymmetrical profile.
The spacing between the pools and the contrasts between the two bends relate to corkscrew like movement of the water as it spirals downstream from bank to bank –helicoidal flow. Thus, the material that is eroded from an outside meander bend is subsequently deposited on the inside bend of the next meander downstream.
Sections in italics above relate to explanation. / Describes the formation of meanders.
Will refer to basic processes such as erosion and deposition.
Likely to focus on contrasts between inside and outside bend.
Partial description and sequence not identified. / Clear description of the formation of meanders.
Will refer to specific processes e.g. abrasion, helicoidal flow.
Begins to identify sequence of formation e.g. begins with riffles and pools.
Explanation will be present / Clear description of the formation of meanders.
Will refer to specific processes e.g. abrasion, helicoidal flow with clear evidence of understanding.
Identifies sequence of formation e.g. begins with riffles and pools.
Explanation will be clear in a more balanced answer.
Specimen / With reference to one or more case study of coastal management, discuss whether the benefits outweigh the costs.
Content will depend on case study/studies used.
Costs likely to relate to –
Economic – cost of protection and differences between different aspects’ funding of scheme and sources.
Environmental – appearance and knock-on effect of certain strategies.
Benefits likely to relate to –
Economic – saving of areas of land, housing, transport routes, industry,
Social – maintaining people’s homes, communities.
Environmental – depending on scheme – natural look of coast, preserving habitat. / Describes the case study.
Will refer to what has been done. / Identifies costs and/or benefits – may be clear imbalance.
Some reference to case study, facts in support.
Tentative/implicit assessment. / Level 3 Clear identification of costs and benefits – a balanced response.
There is specific and detailed reference to case study in support.
Clear explicit comment which reflects earlier content.
Specimen / With reference to a named country, evaluate attempts to manage population change.
Name of country:
The content will depend on the case study chosen. / Description of development plans is basic with isolated facts not linked into a coherent account.
Any attempt to assess the level of success is purely descriptive and not justified or backed up by facts or figures. / Description is clear and coherent.
Clear links are made between the needs of the people and the developments that have been planned or are taking place.
An attempt is made to assess the degree of success and to justify this assessment. / Description is thorough.
Assessment is clear and detailed with statements supported by clearly organised evidence.
Specimen / Discuss how the United Kingdom’s changing population structure is likely to affect employment in the health and care services over the next 25 years or so.
Since the 1960s the UK BR has been declining - though not always steadily, whilst the DR has been declining fairly steadily. This led to a static population in the 1990s, although it has been countered by increase immigration from South Asia, Africa, and East Europe in particular.
A declining population causes issues of a shrinking work force and a declining tax base to pay for the services that are needed.
An ageing population causes issues linked to health care and support for the aged and also issues linked with changing economic patterns and the increasing value of the ‘grey pound’. Linked to this are issues connected with falling school roles and decreasing need for child-centred health and care services. This latter is partly counter-balanced by an increase in the need for childcare as women make up an increasing proportion of workforce, encouraged by the government who wish to counter the falling work force.
All these issues can be linked to precise examples from the candidates’ studies. / A basic answer with simple, unconnected points. The answer makes assertions but these are not justified with the use of evidence from case studies. / A clear answer in which the changes are described and linked to the issues, although the links may be quite straightforward.
Discussion is limited, and one part of an argument or theme may be over-developed at the expense of the alternatives. There is some reference to case study material. / A detailed and balanced answer. The population structure is described and there is clear, detailed discussion of the effects of the changing structure.
One or more case studies are used to support the arguments.
The answer is balanced, although this does not necessarily mean that a neutral point of view is adopted.
June 09 / Describe and explain the formation of landforms resulting from rejuvenation.
A definition of rejuvenation is likely to form part of the answer – a renewal of the river’s energy as a result of a relative fall in base level.
This will lead to a return to vertical erosion. It may be a result of a fall in sea level-eustatic change or an increase in the relative height of the land in relation to the sea - due to isostatic uplift (the ‘rebound’ following the end of glaciation) or due to tectonic activity.
Landforms - knick point relates to the extent to which the river has created a newly graded profile to adjust to the new base level. It is identified by a break in slope and is usually marked by a waterfall and reflects the process of headward erosion as well as vertical erosion due to the renewed ability to erode vertically.
River terraces - are the remains of the former flood plain – now abandoned as the river has eroded too deeply to access it; these may be paired - i.e. at the same level on either side of the channel. This is indicative of rapid down cutting. If it is slower as a result of more gradual uplift, the terraces will be present on different sides of the channel at different levels - unpaired terraces as the river has time to erode laterally.
Incised meanders - there are two types - entrenched when the cross section is symmetrical and ingrown where the cross profile is asymmetrical. Both result from an increase in the rates of vertical erosion - this is more rapid with entrenched meanders or can be the result of the presence of more resistant rock. With ingrown meanders, vertical erosion is less rapid, allowing some lateral erosion also.
Reference to specific examples is not a requirement, but would be one way of enhancing the answer. / Level 1 (1-6 marks)
Describes at least one landform, two at the top end in general terms - may be definition - like.
Begins to explain - will refer to basic processes - vertical erosion.
Answer may be imbalanced - may clearly emphasise one element.
Some use of appropriate terminology present at the higher end.
Generic waterfalls (hard and soft layers of rock). / Level 2 (7-12 marks)
Description of at least two landforms is more specific and precise.
Response is more balanced.
Explanation is more focussed and there is a link between erosion and rejuvenation.
Appropriate geographical terminology is used. / Level 3 (13-15 marks)
Clear, purposeful description that links to the process - a recognition of
the different types of terraces, meanders. Explanation is clearly linked to
the impact of rejuvenation on base level and vertical erosion.
June 09 / With specific reference to a case study of coastal erosion, assess the relative importance of its physical and socio-economic consequences.
Case study is required here and content will vary depending upon that selected. Expect to see Holderness, North Norfolk, but could be one beyond UK.
Physical consequences - involve the undercutting of cliffs leading to collapse; mass movement processes of slumping, sliding and falls are also significant. Loss of land is an end result, causing coastal retreat.
Socio-economic consequences - relate to the knock-on effects of loss of land. This is only significant in this context where there are people present or major installations - farmland not viewed as significant. Thus, loss of buildings - and even significant parts of settlements; issue of insurance; deaths/injuries; impact of the threat of and ultimate loss of
home/livelihood; debate regarding coastal protection and cost of this and strategy adopted. / Describes some consequences.
May focus on limited range - may be one-sided.
Points made are simple and random.
No reference to a case study – generic answer.
Case study of coastal management that seeks to link to question; not linked to socio-economic consequences. / Description is more specific and precise.
Begins to target content to purpose - considers consequences in an organised way.
Some reference to both categories, although there may be imbalance.
Coastal management clearly linked to socio-economic consequences.
Points are supported by case study in places.
Tentative/implicit assessment of relative importance. / Clear, purposeful description of consequences.
Both categories are addressed in a balanced account.
An organised account that is purposeful in responding to the question.
Case study is used to support answer.
Clear, explicit assessment of relative importance
June 09 / Outline and comment on the economic and political consequences of population change
Population change can be viewed as either an increase or a decline.
It may result from natural or migration change.
Change can also be viewed with regard to structure.
Similarly, the impacts can be seen either positively or negatively.
Actual responses will depend on exemplars considered and will be variable.
Population increase - economic
Unemployment; pressure on resources - food, housing, health, schools may be considered. There may be reference to the need to provide for an ageing or a young dependent population.
Conversely, an increase in population may stimulate economic growth and lead to jobs being filled - possibly unwanted jobs or those demanding certain skills; more paid in taxes; rise in public spending.
Population decrease - economic
Stagnation of economy - loss of young migrants, less paid in taxes, loss of skills but some money sent back.
Population increase – political
Need to allocate resources – drain on these – may refer to need to increase food production, increase taxation to fund health care of elderly; need to introduce population policies regarding reducing birth rate or migration to compensate for an ageing population.
Population decrease - political
Policies to encourage natural increase, immigration; to stem outflow of population, to develop resources - seek aid.
Comment likely to refer to relative importance of economic and political impacts; whether effects are negative or positive or severity of one particular aspect; or perceived knock-on effects. A view will be expressed that can be supported by the evidence. / Describes economic and/or political consequences.
There are not separated.
Points made are simple and random. / Description is more specific and precise.
Economic and political are both referred to, although an imbalance is permissible.
Points are supported in places.
Tentative/implicit comment. / Clear, purposeful description.
Economic and political are both referred to - and type clearly stated.
An organised account that is purposeful in responding to the question.
Detailed response e.g. exemplification is used to support answers.
Clear, explicit comment.
June 09 / Describe and suggest reasons for regional variations in morbidity in the UK.
Description – should consider the location of relatively high levels of ill-health, average and low. May relate to different causes of ill-health and contrasts. Variation should be clear and regions/places should be noted.
Explanation – should consider reasons such as nature of areas – conurbation, small town, village, etc., and the implications of this for health.
Living standards, income levels will be important.
Education and adoption of preventive strategies.
Age structure of population – retirement areas likely to have higher rates of illness.
Access to health care and regional contrasts that exist – postcode lottery. / Describes the location of some areas of varying levels of illness – listed
in no particular way.
Small scale (e.g. urban) only.
Limited support.
Probably one-sided – with description or explanation only. Explanation is likely to be generic. / Begins to develop points and sequence them.
Begins to consider explanation.
Has focus on different parts of UK.
Some precision in response e.g. names of areas; specific reasons. / Clear, purposeful, sequential and linked description.
Clear regional coverage.
A balanced answer – with explanation clearly present.
Response is precise, elaborated and targeted to the task.
Jan 10 / Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of hard engineering as a flood
management strategy
A definition of hard engineering is likely to form part of the answer.
This is where structures are added so that the river channel is directly
interfered with so that speed of flow is altered or level of storage is changed. There is often no concern for the environment and the element of control is strong. Specification refers to dams, straightening, building up levées and diversion spillways so reference to some of these is to be expected.
Dams e.g. Three Gorges Dam.
Advantages – effective at regulating the flow and controlling flooding.
Can have an impact on the entire river – depending on size.
Disadvantages – schemes are costly; interfere with river processes – deposition encouraged in calm waters behind dam and Clearwater erosion after the dam. Reduction in abrasion conversely. Much less discharge downstream. Impact on habitats. Displacement of potentially very large numbers of people.
Straightening e.g. Severn.
Advantages – as resulting route is shorter it will remove water from area faster; cheaper than dams and quicker to implement.
Disadvantages – can cause problems downstream and exacerbate the flood risk there; can interfere with river processes – faster flow increasing erosion; impact on meander development and can damage habitats.
Levées e.g. Mississippi.
Advantages – can increase the capacity of river significantly and so effectively reduce flooding in certain areas.
Disadvantages – can result in more severe flooding if levees are breached; water cannot return to river channel prolonging flood event, flood plain cannot develop.
Diversion spillways e.g. Jubilee River, Maidenhead / Windsor area on
Thames.
Advantages – increases the capacity of the river by providing an alternative additional channel, especially during times of high flow; if done appropriately can be sympathetic to the environment and enhance it.
Disadvantages – significant cost needed for major schemes; can lead to problems downstream and increase the flood risk. / Defines hard engineering.