AS Geography: Introductory task
As a geography student you will appreciate the value of gaining knowledge and understanding of
case study examples (in depth examples). They allow us to demonstrate key skills and
understanding necessary to attain a good grade by being specific. An answer that is supported by
evidence is likely to earn a good grade.
The task
Your introductory task is to begin a case study file of current geographical events that take place
between now and September. A record of these events can be collated from newspapers, the
internet or a television/news broadcast (you will need to write up the basics, or keep a copy on
video or DVD). These should be catalogued in a file which you will add to during your AS/2
studies. You should collect 3 newspaper articles per topic.
How do you distinguish whether or not the article is relevant to your A level studies?
Below is a list of major topics studied at AS level. If the article is about something other than on
the list you probably will not need it.
AS
Core Physical Section: Rivers, floods and management
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Landforms of fluvial erosion and deposition (rapids, waterfalls, meanders, levees, flood
plains and deltas)
 Physical and human causes of flooding – location of areas of high risk in LEDCs and
MEDCs
 Impact of flooding
 Flood management strategies (hard engineering e.g. dams, straightening, diversion
spillways and soft engineering e.g. forecasts and warnings, flood plain zoning).
Focus on collecting information about floods or flood management
Physical Option: Coastal Environments
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Coastal processes (marine erosion, transportation and deposition )
Landforms of erosion (headlands and bays, blow holes, arches and stacks, cliffs and wave
cut platforms)
Landforms of deposition (beaches, spits, bars, dunes, salt marshes)
Coastal erosion: physical and human causes and its physical and socio-economic
consequences
Coastal protection and management strategies (hard engineering e.g. sea walls,
revetments, rip rap, groynes and barrages, soft engineering e.g. beach nourishment, dune
regeneration, marsh creation, land use management)
Focus on collecting information about coastal erosion and protection.
Core Human Section: Population Change
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Population indicators (birth rates, death rates, fertility rate, infant mortality, life expectancy,
migration rate) for countries at different stages of development.
 Population change: the demographic transition model
 Social, economic and political implications of population change. Attempts to manage
population change to achieve sustainable development.
 How population change and migration affects the character of rural and urban areas.
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Settlement case studies – comparing the following areas – an inner city area, a suburban
area, rural-urban fringe, rural settlement. To include characteristics such as housing,
ethnicity, age structure, wealth and employment and the provision of services. The
implications of these for social welfare.
Focus on collecting information about population issues relating to India, China, UK and
Uganda
Human Option: Health Issues
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Global patterns of health, morbidity and mortality: health in world affairs.
The study of one infectious disease (e.g. malaria, HIV/AIDS) its global distribution and its
impact on health,economic development and lifestyle.
The study of one non-communicable disease (e.g. coronary heart disease, cancer) its
global distribution and its impact on health, economic development and lifestyle.
Food and health – malnutrition, periodic famine, obesity.
Contrasting health care approaches in countries at different stages of development.
Health matters in a globalising world economy – transnational corporations and
pharmaceutical research, production and distribution; tobacco transnationals.
Regional variations in health and morbidity in the UK
Focus on collecting any health issues in the current news
After reading and highlighting the information in the articles you may find it useful to provide a
summary of the details. Use the table below to help structure some of your summaries
Case study example
eg Boscastle flood
Location
Pre-disaster potential
(May not be applicable)
Event
Disruption
(May not be applicable)
Relief
(May not be applicable)
Recovery
(May not be applicable)
Time
Reconstruction
(May not be applicable)
Other
Description of case study
Identify where the event/ disaster occurred
Identify why the event occurred/ is occurring
Timings, size, nature
Details of immediate damage
Types amount of relief / aid required
Nature of recovery programme
Time scale of the continuing impact of the event
may be good as well as bad!
The amount and type of long term aid required
Good luck with your GCSE results in summer. Look forward to seeing and working with you.
Judith