Answering DRQs in Human Geography
1. Must follow command words – Describe, compare, explain, state, discuss etc
❖ In ‘describe’ questions the data must not merely be repeated but it must be processed or categorised.
With numerical data this may involve looking at the mean, the range (highest and lowest) and identifying groupings. Do not merely record the numerical values for different places
❖ For maps geographical terminology needs to be used. A compass rose to describe places: N, E, S or W, refined to include NNE, ENE, ESE, SSE, SSW, WSW, WNW. Equally the map could be divided into quadrants: NE, SE, SW, NW. Never top, bottom or left and right.
❖ Other spatial terminology may include central, peripheral, radial, concentric (everyone must know the difference between radial and concentric), clustered, dispersed, linear, but probably never random. There is very little random in Geography, it usually is shorthand for saying ‘I haven’t a clue’
❖ In world maps you should clearly be able to identify continents, also subdivisions within continents: S Asia, SE Asia, E Asia, W Asia, W Europe, E Europe, Sub Saharan Africa, Latin America, Middle America. Major individual countries should also be recognised.
2. Must extract data and use to support answer
3. Must understand data
4. Must know when the answer can be gleaned from the data or the answer should be made from your greater understanding of the topic. Strictly speaking this is on a ration of 40:10 but there are still some questions in the 40 part where additional information not in the data is required
5. Must be concise and use paragraphs. One para per point. The first sentence of the para will state the answer. The second and third may elaborate or give an example/illustration. No answer need be longer as you will get no more marks for that point. A DRQ answer on half a page can get full marks, a DRQ answer running over 1 ½...