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Project tips
Quick advice on writing geography projects
Dr Andrew Lee
Tg
The project...
The introduction to your project should
How does microclimate temperature
important to se the language at a level
give, in about three to four sentences,
vary closer to a body of water?
you can certainly understand, and
some information about which field of
Geography the project is involved and in
which part of the country. You might
How have house prices been affected
by the success of the Eden Project?
also explain why this might be an
Try to express the purpose of your
interesting thing to study for a
project clearly in your key questions.
Geographer.
This will also help you from getting, ‘off
the track.’
indeed one designed to be readily read
by those you expect to be marking your
work.
Remember that any writing you do on
sketches, annotated diagrams, graphs,
tables etc is not included in the word
count. Some components of your
project may be almost entirely written in
Key Questions
one of these formats.
Field Sketches
Remember to keep your project relevant
to the topic.
Label and number all field sketches.
Maps
In the past examiners have expected to
Examiners like to see some evidence of
have hypotheses at the start of their
both hand drawn work and computer
projects. Now, however, the preference
generated work. Try to show evidence
is for there to be ‘key questions.’ So
of both. Rather than doing one section
instead of writing a hypothesis like:
of the work by hand, try to show one
“traffic noise will increase during
interesting fact/diagram/field sketch
morning and afternoon peak hours,”
which shows off your prowess and
one might now write, “What is the
understanding of your project.
(This is a funny picture of a hand drawn
relationship between traffic flow/peak
hour and traffic noise?”
Use images widely. Make sure you
name and number them, and make sure
map!)
Here are some other examples of key
that they are all referred to in the text.
questions to help you formulate your
Make sure they follow a logical
When including maps you should
own.
progression and that the reader
remember always to include a title,
understands their order and their
scale, northpoint and key. Make sure
meaning. Although it will be mainly
maps are on separate pages in your
Geographers who read your work, it is
project. Try to annotate your maps so
How does tourism to the area impact
upon path damage along the cliffs?
Geography Project Quick Tips
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that it is clear what you are
Label and number all field maps and
wherever possible try to link your writing
demonstrating on them. Don’t put a
graphs.
with your diagrams, drawings etc.
Photographs
Start new sections on new pages, and
map in your project and fail to refer to it.
Use colour for your maps and if you
use clear headings, on a preceding
can, do them on the computer.
page where possible.
Label and number all field maps.
Try to use headers and footers like you
find in books. These are useful in
navigating around your project. Use
Graphs and Tables
page numbers in your projects.
Make sure your project has a logical
order to it. Look through it and see
whether it makes sense in the order you
Use photographs to demonstrate facts.
have put it. Think about the table of
Label your photographs so that they
contents and whether pages/sections
add to the project. You might want to
need to be shuffled.
include a picture of the place in which
you conducted the invertiews. Make
sure you number photographs so that
Watch your language
you can refer to them in the text.
Label and number all field photographs.
Where a project deals with statistics, try
to make your graphs and tables clear
Layout
and easy to understand. Ask yourself
Use one font throughout your project.
how the data might be open to
This makes your project seem more
misinterpretation and try to find a way to
rational and measured. If you want, you
make sure you are not misunderstood.
can use one colour for highlights for
When using the computer reduce your
example headings etc. Do not use Word
palette so that graphs do not look too
Art, or crazy fonts; they may be fun, but
colourful. Try to stick to two or three
they make it look like your work isn’t
Make sure your writing is grammatical.
colours throughout your project – you
serious. Try to make your project look
Use good sentences, descriptive words,
might even want to choose a scheme of
professional.
and clear writing. Don’t waffle or pad
colours that go well together.
Geography Project Quick Tips
your work out --- you only have to write
Try also to set out your work with plenty
800/1000 words, make every one of
of space on the page. Nevertheless,
them count.
2
Things to avoid
to use a proper term, use it. Ask your
teacher for a glossary of terms that
might be relevant to your project.
Being Neat and Tidy
Keep your pages flat and uncreased. If
pages get dirty, replace them. If you
smudge ink, do the page again. Keep
Binding
your work away from dirt.
Avoid sentences saying things like, ‘we
all had a good time.’
Avoid open ended sentences, like:
‘Because of this my hypothesis is
You should bind your project in a thin,
proved.’ Instead link your key findings
easy to post folder. Do not use hard
with your conclusions. For example, “In
backed binders. Include a blank page
this case the Adur follows expectations
before and after your project to keep the
as we found that discharge increased as
pages clean. Do not put your pages in
we drew closer to the river’s mouth.’
plastic sleeves. This makes your project
less pleasant to read.
Try to use as much proper Geographical
language as you can. Don’t regurgitate
the dictionary, but when you have need
Other advice
Try to do something different in your
project that sets it out from the rest.
Nothing wild and wacky with layout, but
perhaps you could add some other
information that other people may not
have thought about. Show some flair
and originality! There are marks for this.
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Geography Project Quick Tips
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