Geography Higher

Vale of Leven Academy

Candidates develop a wide range of important and transferable skills, including using, interpreting, evaluating and analysing a wide range of geographical information; interpreting and explaining complex geographical phenomena; using a wide range of maps and other data to process and communicate complex geographical information; and researching skills, including fieldwork.

The course consists of three sections:

Physical environments

Candidates develop and apply knowledge and understanding of the processes and interactions at work within physical environments on a local, regional and global scale. Key topics include: atmosphere; hydrosphere; lithosphere; and biosphere. Personalisation and choice is possible through case studies and areas chosen for study.

Human environments

Candidates develop and apply knowledge and understanding of the processes and interactions at work within urban and rural environments in developed and developing countries. Key topics include: population; rural land degradation and management; and urban change and management. Personalisation and choice is possible through contexts chosen as case studies.

Global issues

Candidates develop and apply knowledge and understanding of global geographical issues which demonstrate the interaction of physical and human factors, and evaluate the strategies adopted to manage these issues. Key topics include: river basin management; development and health; global climate change; and energy. Personalisation and choice is possible through the issues selected for study.

Course assessment is based on the information provided in this document.

The course assessment meets the key purposes and aims of the course by addressing:

 breadth — drawing on knowledge and skills from across the course

 challenge — requiring greater depth or extension of knowledge and/or skills

 application — requiring application of knowledge and/or skills in practical or theoretical contexts as appropriate

This enables candidates to:

 draw on, extend and apply the skills, knowledge and understanding acquired during the course

 demonstrate breadth of skills, knowledge and understanding from across the course

 demonstrate challenge and application related to an appropriate geographical topic or issue

Course assessment structure: question paper

Question paper 1: Physical and human environments 100 marks

This question paper has 100 marks out of a total of 190 marks. This is scaled by SQA to represent 46% of the overall marks for the course assessment.

This question paper enables candidates to demonstrate the application of their skills, knowledge and understanding from the physical environments and human environments sections of the course.

In this question paper candidates have an opportunity to demonstrate:

 using a wide range of geographical skills and techniques

 describing, explaining, evaluating and analysing complex geographical issues, using knowledge and understanding which is factual and theoretical, of the physical and human processes and interactions at work within geographical contexts on a local, regional and global scale

This question paper has two sections:

Section 1: Physical environments

Section 2: Human environments

Each of these sections is worth 50 marks and consists of extended-response questions. Candidates answer all questions in each section.

Candidates have 1 hour and 50 minutes to complete this question paper.

Question paper 2: Global issues and geographical skills 60 marks

This question paper has 60 marks out of a total of 190 marks. This is scaled by SQA to represent 27% of the overall marks for the course assessment.

This question paper enables candidates to demonstrate the application of their skills, knowledge and understanding from across the global issues and geographical skills sections of the course.

In this question paper candidates have an opportunity to demonstrate:

 using a wide range of geographical skills and techniques

 describing, explaining, evaluating and analysing complex geographical issues, using knowledge and understanding which is factual and theoretical, of the physical and human processes and interactions at work within geographical contexts on a local, regional and global scale

This question paper has two sections:

Section 1: Global issues is worth 40 marks and consists of extended-response questions. Candidates choose two from the four questions. Each question is worth 20 marks.

Section 2: Application of geographical skills is worth 20 marks and consists of a mandatory extended-response question. Candidates apply geographical skills acquired during the course. The skills assessed in the question include mapping skills and the use of numerical/graphical information.

Candidates have 1 hour and 10 minutes to complete this question paper.

The question papers have a greater emphasis on the assessment of knowledge and understanding than the assignment. The remaining marks are awarded for the demonstration of skills.

Specimen question papers for Higher courses are published on SQA’s website. These illustrate the standard, structure and requirements of the question papers candidates sit. The specimen papers also include marking instructions.

Course assessment structure: assignment

Assignment 30 marks

The assignment has 30 marks which represents 27% of the overall marks for the course assessment.

The assignment enables candidates to demonstrate the application of their skills, knowledge and understanding within the context of a geographical topic or issue.

Assignment overview

The assignment gives candidates an opportunity to demonstrate:

 identifying a geographical topic or issue

 carrying out research, which should include fieldwork where appropriate

 knowledge of the suitability of the methods and/or reliability of the sources used

 processing and using a range of information gathered

 drawing on detailed knowledge and understanding of the topic or issue

 analysing information from a range of sources

 reaching a conclusion supported by a range of evidence on a geographical topic or issue

 communicating information

The assignment has a greater emphasis on the assessment of skills than the question papers. The remaining marks are awarded for the demonstration of knowledge and understanding.

Setting, conducting and marking the assignment

The assignment has two stages:

 research

 production of evidence

SQA provides a brief for the generation of evidence to be assessed. Candidates have an open choice of geographical topic or issue. They research the topic or issue and organise and process their findings to address it using the Processed Information collected during their research to support them in the production of evidence. The Processed Information must be no more than two single-sided sheets of A4 or one single-sided sheet of A3 paper.

Teachers and lecturers should provide reasonable guidance on the types of topic or issue which enable candidates to meet all the requirements of the assignment. They may also guide candidates as to the likely availability and accessibility of resources for their chosen topic or issue.

Candidates undertake the research stage at any appropriate point in the course, normally when they have developed the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding. Candidates complete the production of evidence stage in time to meet the submission date set by SQA. Evidence is submitted to SQA for external marking. All marking is quality assured by SQA.

Assessment conditions

Time

The research stage is completed over a notional period of 8 hours. Candidates have 1 hour and 30 minutes to complete the production of evidence stage. This must be done in one sitting. The evidence must be completed in time to meet a submission date set by SQA.

Supervision, control and authentication

The research stage is conducted under some supervision and control. This means that, although candidates may complete part of the work outwith the learning and teaching setting, teachers and lecturers should put in place processes to monitor progress and ensure that the work is the candidate’s own, and that plagiarism has not taken place. For example:

 interim progress meetings with candidates

 questioning

 candidate’s record of activity/progress

 teacher or lecturer observation

Group work approaches are acceptable as part of the research stage. However, there must be clear evidence for each candidate to show that they have met the evidence requirements.

The production of evidence stage is conducted under a high degree of supervision and control and is carried out:

 independently by the candidate

 within 1 hour and 30 minutes

 in one sitting

 with the use of the two single-sided A4 Processed Information sheets or one single-sided sheet of A3 only

 in time to meet a submission date set by SQA

 when the candidate is ready

If the production of evidence is word-processed, centres must ensure that candidates do not have access to the internet or any other files (either on hard drives or portable storage).

During the production of evidence stage, candidates must:

 be in direct sight of the teacher or lecturer, or other responsible person

 not communicate with each other

 have access only to the Processed Information (two single-sided A4 Processed Information sheets or one single-sided A3 Processed Information sheet)

 not receive any assistance from the teacher or lecturer

Resources

There are no restrictions on the resources to which candidates may have access during the research stage.

During the final production of evidence stage, candidates must have access only to the Processed Information. This comprises material collected and processed during the research stage on up to two single-sided sheets of A4 or one single-sided sheet of A3 paper. The Processed Information is not assessed. However, it must be submitted to SQA along with the candidate evidence.

Reasonable assistance

Candidates must undertake the assignment independently. However, reasonable assistance may be provided at the research stage and prior to the production of evidence taking place. The term ‘reasonable assistance’ is used to try to balance the need for support with the need to avoid giving too much assistance. If a candidate requires more than what is deemed to be ‘reasonable assistance’, they may not be ready for assessment or it may be that they have been entered for the wrong level of qualification.

Reasonable assistance may be given on a generic basis to a class or group of candidates, for example advice on how to develop a project plan. It may also be given to candidates on an individual basis.

When reasonable assistance is given on a one-to-one basis in the context of something the candidate has already produced or demonstrated, there is a danger that it becomes support for assessment. Teachers or lecturers must be aware that this should not go beyond reasonable assistance.

In the research stage, reasonable assistance may include:

 directing candidates to the instructions for candidates

 clarifying instructions/requirements of the task

 advising candidates on the choice of a topic or issue

 advising them on possible sources of information

 arranging visits, including fieldwork, to enable gathering of evidence

 interim progress checks

In preparing for the production of evidence stage, reasonable assistance may include:

 advising candidates of the nature and volume of specified resources which may be used to support the production of evidence

At any stage, reasonable assistance does not include:

 providing the topic or issue

 directing candidates to specific resources to be used

 providing model answers or writing frames specific to the task (such as outlines, paragraph headings or section headings)

 providing detailed feedback on drafts, including marking

Evidence to be gathered

The following evidence is required for this assessment:

 candidate evidence

 Processed Information (two single-sided sheets of A4, or one single-sided sheet of A3 paper)

If a candidate does not submit Processed Information, a penalty of 6 marks out of the total 30 marks is applied.