What is Paper 4 and how will our trip to Vung Tau help?

In this lesson, you will find out what Paper 4 is, and consider how our trip to Vung Tau will help us with the skills for this paper.

So what is Paper 4?

• The exam;– It draws on material from across the whole

course, but the focus is on skills.– Paper 4 is worth 27.5% of your total grade.– The paper lasts 1 hour 30 minutes.– You must answer ALL the questions in the paper.– The paper consists of two questions (broken into a

number of sub sections) which both focus on a geographical enquiry (more about that later).

So what is Paper 4?• Paper 4 is the alternative to coursework paper. • The emphasis of Paper 4 is on your skills and analysis.• The enquiry skills tested in Paper 4 include;

– Formulating aims and hypotheses– Enquiry skills to collect data

• Questionnaires • Observation• Counts• Measurement

– Data presentation techniques– Analysis– Formulation of conclusions

Please read the handout

• As you are reading, consider if you have done these things before, or are familiar with them from previous experience in other geography lessons, or other subjects.

• Underline or highlight the areas which you may not be familiar with.

• Discuss and feedback within your group considering which of the skills you are familiar with, and which not.

Paper 4 structure• Paper 4 consists of two questions which focus on two separate

imaginary geographical enquiries undertaken by a group of students.

• The paper usually has one physical and one human topic of enquiry.• Each question usually starts with the hypothesis which the

imaginary students set out to investigate.• It then goes through the stages which the students used to carry

out the investigation, including the results.• Questions are based on;

– the subject matter of the investigation– the methods of data collection used (including equipment)– the techniques used to record and display the data– description and interpretation of the results– conclusion of the enquiry

• Look at the subject matter and hypothesis from recent paper 4s on the following slide.

Date Question 1 Question 2

June 06 Shopping - ‘shop B is larger, busier and more important than shop A’.

Weather –‘as atmospheric pressure increases the wind speed decreases’.

November 06

Wave processes and the coast – ‘groynes increase the width and height of the beach by stopping longshore drift’.

Impact of a factory on local people – No hypothesis given

June 07 Land use in a town –‘the height and width of buildings and the price of the land increase towards the centre of the town’.

A beach landscape –Investigation into the shape of the beach and beach material.

November 07

Stream width and depth –‘the width will increase and the depth will become deeper as distance from source increases’.

Migration and population increase-‘people who moved to the tourist town came from countries close to Spain’.

June 08 Microclimates – ‘the school buildings increase the outside air temperature’‘vegetation on the surface of the ground affects the relative humidity’

Tourism in a national park in Italy-‘the tourists who visit the National Park have a positive impact on the settlement of Pescasseroli’

November 08

Range and sphere of influence of services-‘Visitors to the Market Hall live locally and walk there’.Visitors to the Sports Centre live far away and come by car’.

Rainfall and wind direction –‘The school receives more rainfall when wind comes from the west’.

Let’s look at an example – Paper 4, November 2008

To complete for homework/classwork

• June 2008 Paper 4

How is this relevant to Vung Tau?• The Vung Tau trip has been designed for you to

develop your enquiry skills in Geography.• Going through the enquiry process will help you

to have a better understanding of the requirements of Paper 4.

• You will work in small groups to;– Formulate and/or choose hypotheses– Plan data collection methods– Collect real data– Collate, present and analyse the data– Reach effective conclusions– Evaluate research methods

After the trip

• You will have two lessons and two homeworks to collate your data in groups (ICT rooms already booked).

• You will then present your enquiries to the rest of the class, clearly outlining the stages of your enquiry.

• You will also write up your own individual enquiry over half term!

Four separate enquiries

The Beach landscape

Investigation into the shape of the beach and beach material.

The Beach landscape

Investigation into the shape of the beach and beach material.

Coastal processes

Investigation into wave height and energy and long shore drift.

Coastal processes

Investigation into wave height and energy and long shore drift.

Tourism, patterns and processes

Investigation into tourist destinations and impacts.

Tourism, patterns and processes

Investigation into tourist destinations and impacts.

Services and/or shopping

Investigation into the types of shops and services and how they are used.

Services and/or shopping

Investigation into the types of shops and services and how they are used.

To improve your understanding of fieldwork

• You will all collect data for all the investigations.• Your data will be collated on a spreadsheet which

everyone will have access to.• You will all write up your own individual enquiry

based on your group’s hypothesis.• You will then need to present your group’s findings to

the rest of the class.• The results are not particularly important – it is the

process and the understanding that counts.• Remember – this work is for your own benefit, but will

not count towards your final grade.• We still expect you to put in considerable effort.

What you need to do now• Organise yourselves into four groups of equal

size.• Find out which investigation your teacher will

choose for you.• Look through the information which is specific to

your investigation.• Formulate a simple hypothesis which can be

tested through your fieldwork in Vung Tau.• Begin to discuss what data you will need to

collect and how you will do this.• Think about what you will need to do for

homework in preparation for next lesson.

Front Beach

Where you will be carrying out data collection.

Vung Tau town

‘Sand produces shelving beaches, whereas shingle beaches may approach angles of 30°. Larger material collects in the upper part of the beach because returning backwashdeposits heavier particles first, whilst finer material is carried seawards.’