Case Study Application Under Exam Conditions — GCSE Geography Revision

Topic has curated content entry with explanation, mistakes, and worked example. [auto-gate:promote; score=75.25]

What is Case Study Application Under Exam Conditions?

In GCSE Geography exams, you are required to apply your knowledge of case studies to specific questions, often those with higher marks. A case study is a detailed study of a particular example, such as a specific earthquake, river, or city. To use a case study effectively, you must go beyond generic descriptions and use specific facts, figures, dates, and place names to support your answer and demonstrate your depth of knowledge.

Board notes: The effective use of case studies is arguably the most important skill for achieving high grades in GCSE Geography (AQA, Edexcel, OCR). Examiners consistently reward answers that are well-supported with specific, accurate, and relevant case study detail.

Worked example

Common mistakes

• 1'Case study dumping' - writing everything you know about a case study without tailoring it to the question. You must select only the relevant information that directly answers the question being asked.
• 2Being too vague. Instead of saying 'a poor country was hit by an earthquake', you should say 'The 2010 earthquake in Haiti, an LIC, had a magnitude of 7.0'. Instead of 'people lost their jobs', say 'The closure of the steelworks in Sheffield in the 1980s led to 50,000 job losses'.
• 3Not having a range of case studies. You need specific, detailed case studies for a variety of topics, including a HIC and an LIC/NEE for comparison, and examples at different scales (local, national, and global).

Case Study Application Under Exam Conditions exam questions

Exam-style questions for Case Study Application Under Exam Conditions with mark-scheme style solutions and timing practice. Aligned to AQA, Edexcel and OCR specifications.

Frequently asked questions

• How many case studies do I need to know?

  You should check your specific exam board specification, but generally, you will need a detailed case study for each major topic, including a named tectonic event, a named weather hazard, a river and coastal management scheme, a rainforest, a hot desert, a UK city, and a city in an LIC/NEE.

• How should I revise my case studies?

  Create summary sheets or flashcards for each case study with the key facts: What? Where? When? Why? What were the effects (social, economic, environmental)? What were the responses (immediate and long-term)? Using facts and figures is crucial.