Your project will be marked out of 100 and the total mark will then represent 25% of your final GCSE.

The marks will be awarded according to three main areas:

• Collection and selection of primary and secondary data – 40 marks available
• Representation of Data – 20 marks available
• Analysis, interpretation and conclusions – 40 marks available

(within the total of 100 marks, some are allocated for use of ICT, quality of written communication and initiative shown).

The following is a simplified break down of the Mark Scheme. To make it easier to understand what is expected of you we have simplified the actual document and divided it into the 3 sections which examiners will be looking at. We have have given suggestions to help make sure that you pick up as many marks as possible in each section and as such you should make sure you keep referring to this.

1. Collection and Selection of Primary and Secondary Data (Introduction and Method)

You Must

• Include a detailed introduction, clearly explaining the aims and hypothesis of the project and how you intent to achieve this
• Explain the geographical context of your project – i.e. explain the geographical theory that backs up what you are testing in your project (e.g. expected characteristics of a CBD with justification) (Theoretical background)
• Describe carefully the location of your project (i.e. St Ives – its geographical setting and main characteristics) (Geographical Background)
• Use primary and secondary sources of information
• Include a detailed method in which you describe how you have planned your data collection, what primary and secondary data you are going to collect and excatly how and why you are going to collect it (how will each of data help you?)
• Use your initiative in collecting data – is there anything else you could find out / collect (land-values etc.)
• Include a copy of your data collection sheet that you have designed yourself.
• Show that you have made use of at least some ICT in your data collection and/or write up. (you should try to make the best use of ICT that you can!)

2. Representation of Data (throughout your project)

You Must

• use a variety of graphs, tables, maps and diagrams to represent and process your results;
• make sure your choice of graph or diagram is appropriate for the data you are representing
• make sure all graphs, tables, maps and diagrams are fully labelled, including a figure number and are referred to in your text (e.g. Figure 1 shows…)
• make sure you make good use of ICT in the processing of data (e.g. using AEGIS, producing graphs using Excel etc.)
• where possible use your initiative in deciding how to best represent data to help you achieve your aim and the techniques you use (don’t just rely on suggestions from staff)

3. Analysis, interpretation and conclusions

You Must

• make sure that you analyse and interpret (suggest explanations for) your data to achieve your aim (show that you have thought carefully about how you can best do this – you should make sure your interpretation relates back to your aim)
• make use of geographical terms and ideas (i.e. relate back to your theories on CBDs)
• use your analysis to draw conclusions and try and explain your findings in relation to your original aim and hypothesis
• include an evaluation of your project which talks about how valid your conclusions are and what the possible limitations of your work are;
• write clearly and concisely making good use of appropriate geographical vocabulary
• make use of ICT in your analysis (e.g. comparative graphs)

As well as the above criteria, we also have to look at the quality of your written work. There are marks available for the clarity of your written work and you MUST check your spelling, punctuation and grammar carefully! If you find this difficult then try and make use of a spell check function on a computer, and read through your work very carefully before handing it in.

A downloadable copy of the above is available here – the full mark scheme is available in the specifications from the OCR A website.