Coastal systems and landscapes

This Question and Answer looks at an AQA AS question on the optional topic Coastal systems and landscapes. This topic is covered by other 2016 specifications using similar, but not identical, assessment styles (see Box 1). The question is printed in bold type and the students’ answers are in italics. The answers and exam comments are the responsibility of GEOGRAPHY REVIEW and have neither been provided nor approved by the examination board. The levels mark schemes are not those provided by AQA. AQA material is reproduced by permission of AQA

Table 1 Mark scheme for question 1.4

This is question 2 from Paper 1 Physical Geography and People and the Environment, from the AQA Sample Assessment Materials for the 2016 specification. In total there are six subquestion totalling 40 marks.

Like most new AS questions, this question has a clear ‘ramp’ to its sub-questions with a mark tariff sequence of 1, 1, 3, 6, 9 and 20 (the 9-mark sub-question is not included here). Questions move in style from the opening multiple-choice questions, through to those that use ‘outline’ and ‘assess’ as command words and end with a ‘to what extent’ style question that requires a judgement.