IGCSE Geography / Exam technique
The two papers and which questions to answer
Edexcel International GCSE Geography (4GE1), chapter 12: Exam technique, specification point P1, P2. Free lesson.
Read the revision notes · IGCSE Geography past papers
The geography course is assessed in two papers with different topic areas, but both allow about one minute per mark. Knowing which questions match your studied topics helps you use your time on answers you can do well.
How the two papers are built
Paper 1 covers physical geography and Paper 2 covers human geography. Both papers come with a resource booklet. Bring a calculator for each paper. Paper 1 lasts 1 hour 10 minutes and is worth 70 marks. Paper 2 lasts 1 hour 45 minutes and is worth 105 marks. In Section A, choose two of three questions. Each is worth 25 marks. In Section B, choose one of three fieldwork questions. Each is worth 20 marks. Section C is on Paper 2 only. Choose one of three global issues questions, worth 35 marks.
Which questions match your topics
The questions are arranged in topic order, and the same order is used in Sections A and B. You answer only questions on topics you studied, and your fieldwork answer must match the enquiry you carried out. Paper 1, Section A: Q1 rivers, Q2 coasts, Q3 hazards. Section B: Q4 rivers, Q5 coasts, Q6 hazards. Paper 2, Section A: Q1 economic activity and energy, Q2 rural, Q3 urban. Section B: Q4 economic activity and energy, Q5 rural, Q6 urban. Paper 2, Section C: Q7 fragile environments and climate change, Q8 globalisation and migration, Q9 development and human welfare. In total, answer 3…
Share your time by the marks
Both papers give you about one minute per mark. This is a useful way to decide how long to spend on a section or a question, so you do not use time needed for other answers.
Use the resource booklet carefully
The figures are in a separate resource booklet, not beside the questions. Each question names the figure to use. Refer to its information, then add your own geographical point rather than copying its words. Read the title to find out what the figure shows, where it is and when. Read the key and axes, including their units and scale. Using the wrong axis can lead to a wrong figure. Keep your writing inside the answer space. Put any extra writing on a labelled extra page.
Answer only the questions you need
Answering extra questions does not make your paper safer. An extra Section A question takes about 25 minutes from questions on topics you know, and it is on a topic you were not taught. In Section A, answer two of the three questions, on the two topics you studied. In Section B, answer the one question that matches your fieldwork enquiry. In Section C of Paper 2, answer one of the three global issues questions.