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GCSE/Geography/Edexcel

T6.3Geographical skills for Paper 2: OS map reading, photo interpretation, statistical techniques (mean, median, mode, range, IQR), choropleth and proportional symbol maps, GIS

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Notes

Geographical Skills (Paper 2)

Edexcel B Paper 2 examines a wide range of geographical skills applied to UK landscapes and human issues. Students must be confident in map reading, photo interpretation, statistical techniques, and cartographic representation.

Ordnance Survey (OS) maps

  • Six-figure grid references: identify a 100 m square on the map. Read EASTINGS first, then NORTHINGS (long way along the corridor, then up the stairs). Add the third digit by estimating tenths within the 1 km square.
  • Four-figure grid references: identify a 1 km square (kilometre square).
  • Scale: 1:25,000 (Explorer) — 4 cm = 1 km. 1:50,000 (Landranger) — 2 cm = 1 km.
  • Contour lines: brown lines connecting points of equal height. Close together = steep; widely spaced = gentle. V-shape pointing UPHILL = valley; pointing DOWNHILL = ridge/spur.
  • Symbols: memorise common ones — church (with tower/spire), settlement boundaries, footpaths, woodland, motorways.
  • Distance: measure with a ruler/string along a curve, multiply by scale.
  • Direction (bearing): measured clockwise from North in degrees (000–360°).

Photo interpretation

  • Annotate features on a photo (urban, rural, river, coastal).
  • Identify physical features (slope, vegetation, water) and human features (buildings, roads, land use).
  • Use evidence FROM the photo — never assume what isn't visible.

Statistical techniques

  • Mean: add all values, divide by n.
  • Median: middle value when ordered (or mean of two middle values for even n).
  • Mode: most common value.
  • Range: max − min.
  • Interquartile range (IQR): Q3 − Q1; ignores extreme outliers.
  • Standard deviation: measure of spread around the mean (Edexcel B not normally required in detail at GCSE).

Example: Rainfall (mm): 12, 15, 15, 18, 22, 25, 70.

  • Mean = 25.3; Median = 18; Mode = 15; Range = 58; IQR = (Q3 25 − Q1 15) = 10.
  • The 70 is an outlier — IQR is more robust than range here.

Cartographic techniques

  • Choropleth map: shaded areas showing density or proportion (e.g. population density per km²). Easy to read patterns; can hide internal variation.
  • Proportional symbol map: circles/squares sized to data value (e.g. city population). Compares data points directly; can clutter.
  • Isoline map: lines connecting equal values (e.g. contour lines, isobars).
  • Dot map: dots placed where things occur (e.g. settlements). Good for distributions.

GIS (Geographic Information Systems)

GIS is software that stores, displays and analyses spatial data in layers (e.g. roads, rivers, land use, flood zone). Examples: ArcGIS, QGIS, Google Earth.

  • Strengths: integrates many data sources; quickly produces maps; analyses overlap (e.g. flood zone × population).
  • Uses: flood-risk mapping, retail catchment analysis, environment-quality variation across a city.

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Practice questions

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  1. Question 14 marks

    Six-figure grid reference and contour lines (4 marks)

    Using OS map skills, explain how to: (i) give a six-figure grid reference for a feature; (ii) identify steep slopes from contour lines. [4 marks]

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  2. Question 28 marks

    Examine choice of statistical and cartographic techniques (8 marks)

    Examine how a geographer would choose appropriate statistical and cartographic techniques to investigate a UK issue (e.g. variation in rainfall or population density). [8 marks]

    Level mark scheme:

    LevelMarksDescriptor
    L11–3Simple description of one technique; no clear justification; no examples.
    L24–6Some explanation of multiple techniques; partial justification; some named examples.
    L37–8Detailed examination of statistical and cartographic technique choice; named techniques justified for purpose; evaluative conclusion.

    Indicative content (worked example: UK regional rainfall variation):

    Statistical techniques:

    • Mean: gives an average annual rainfall (e.g. UK 1,150 mm). Useful for headline summary but distorted by extremes.
    • Median: middle value when ordered — robust against extreme stations (e.g. Snowdonia at 4,000 mm). Better summary for skewed UK rainfall data.
    • Range and IQR: range is sensitive to outliers; IQR (Q3 − Q1) ignores extremes and gives a more robust measure of spread.
    • Mode: less useful for continuous data like rainfall.

    Cartographic techniques:

    • Isoline map (isohyet map of rainfall): lines connecting equal values — directly shows rainfall pattern (e.g. wetter west, drier east).
    • Choropleth: shading by rainfall band — easy to read but conceals within-region variation.
    • Proportional symbol map: circles sized by rainfall at each station — good for direct comparison of points; can clutter if many stations.
    • GIS layering: combine rainfall isohyets with topography, river basins or population — reveals interactions (orographic rainfall on Welsh mountains).

    Justification: for a wide-area pattern, the isoline map is most appropriate because it shows continuous variation. For a regional comparison, choropleth is easier to read. For statistics, the median + IQR are more robust than mean + range when stations like Snowdonia create extreme values.

    Conclusion: technique choice depends on the question being asked, the data distribution and the audience. A skilled geographer combines multiple techniques to triangulate findings — never relying on one alone.

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  3. Question 312 marks

    Evaluate the use of GIS in modern geography (12 marks)

    Evaluate the role of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in investigating geographical issues, compared with traditional cartographic and statistical techniques. [12 marks]

    Level mark scheme:

    LevelMarksDescriptor
    L11–4Simple description of GIS or traditional techniques; no genuine evaluation; weak/no examples.
    L25–8Discussion of GIS strengths and limitations; partial comparison; some named examples.
    L39–12Detailed evaluation of GIS vs traditional techniques; multiple named examples; weighted judgement and justified conclusion.

    Indicative content (GIS strengths):

    • Layering — combines many data sources (e.g. flood zone + population + roads) to identify risk hotspots.
    • Speed — produces maps in minutes that traditional cartography took weeks for.
    • Updating — data can be refreshed live (Met Office radar; satellite imagery).
    • Analysis — calculates buffer zones, catchments, slope, viewshed automatically.
    • Examples: Environment Agency flood-risk maps; police crime hotspot mapping; supermarket retail catchment analysis (Tesco GIS team); rainforest deforestation tracking (INPE Brazil).

    Indicative content (traditional cartographic strengths):

    • Hand-drawn / paper OS maps are still essential for fieldwork — no battery, no signal needed.
    • Choropleth and proportional symbol maps remain readable and produce clear print outputs.
    • Statistical techniques (mean, median, IQR) underpin GIS — students still need them to interpret outputs.

    Indicative content (GIS limitations):

    • Requires software, training, hardware — expensive for LIDCs or remote schools.
    • Garbage-in, garbage-out — only as good as the underlying data.
    • Visual sophistication can mask methodological weakness — readers may trust a slick map without questioning it.
    • Algorithmic outputs (e.g. shortest-route, flood prediction) can introduce systematic bias.

    Conclusion: GIS has revolutionised modern geography, enabling analyses (real-time flood mapping, climate change impact modelling, smart-city planning) that were impossible with paper maps. But it is a TOOL, not a replacement for geographical thinking. The most powerful approach combines GIS for analysis and visualisation with traditional fieldwork (primary data) and statistical reasoning. Students who can use both — and critique GIS outputs — are best prepared for modern geographical practice.

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Flashcards

T6.3 — Geographical skills for Paper 2: maps, photos, statistics, GIS

7-card SR deck for Edexcel Geography (leaves batch 2) topic T6.3

7 cards · spaced repetition (SM-2)

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