This week we’ll cover dot maps and isoline maps. You can find these on the Maps & Diagrams page.
Dot maps show the spatial distribution of data, but in my experience can be hard to construct by hand. We’ll do some work on the analysis of dot maps, as these may come up in your exam.
You’ll be quite familiar with isoline maps, although you might not know them by this name. Synoptic charts, OS maps, climate maps and several of the maps on the walls of the Geography classroom are isoline. Your isoline activities will be completed on paper, which you should collect. Isoline maps can show the spatial distribution of many types of data and, depending on your project, you may be able to use one as part of your Geographical Study.
Geographical Issues
Now that you’ve tied down your title and sources, we can begin to work through summarising and critically evaluating each of them.
Reminders:
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Using sources which are already a summary (e.g. news articles talking about some research) can make this harder. In the commentaries you’ll often see reference to “academic/substantial sources” which is what is meant by this.
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Use graphical and statistical evidence alongside written. Does the author use a diagram or graph as part of their work, which it would be helpful to include? Could you add to an existing graphical technique, or generate a diagram or graph yourself, which would help you in summarising? In the 2025 course report, this was highlighted as good practice: “Markers commented that the quality of summaries had improved, with many candidates integrating facts, statistics, and diagrams from the source material.”
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Focus on what the author has to say in regards to your geographical issue; don’t just summarise everything they’ve said. You’re looking to summarise the viewpoint, not the article itself.
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Organise the summary systematically – the key point here is it doesn’t have to be in the same order they wrote it. It might make sense, for your geographical issue, to do something different.
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You might want to introduce some wider reading evidence here; does the viewpoint reference anyone or have you already found other reading which agrees/disagrees with their points?
Here’s some marker commentaries about successful summaries:
8 out of 10 available marks: The candidate has identified and understood key information. A wide range of viewpoints have been summarised. Evidence of prioritisation of sources /background reading. Wider reading has been incorporated well. Full issues essay. Full commentary (Candidate 2)
7 out of 10 available marks: A reasonable range of viewpoints are used to outline the issue. A reasonable degree of understanding of the issue is demonstrated, and the information is effectively organised. Though the candidate has included evidence of more substantial and academic reading, they have used the sources identified below instead, placing them in the 5-7 marks range.
For this one in particular, the commentary goes on to highlight specific parts of each of their summaries which were successful. Read the full commentary here along with the full issues essay here (Candidate 2).
