How to write a good geography essay?

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How to write a good geography essay?
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How to analyze this question?

• Extrusive vulcanicity along a destructive plate
  boundary is more hazardous than along a
  constructive plate boundary.
• What are the conditions needed for extrusive
  vulcanicity to occur? Account for the above
  statement.
• Pg.105 Q1

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How to analyze this question?
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How many parts are there?

• Extrusive vulcanicity along a destructive plate
  boundary is more hazardous than along a
  constructive plate boundary.
• What are the conditions needed for extrusive
  vulcanicity to occur? Account for the above
  statement.

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How many parts are there?

• Extrusive vulcanicity along a destructive plate
  boundary is more hazardous than along a
  constructive plate boundary.
• 1. What are the conditions needed for extrusive
  vulcanicity to occur? 2. Account for the above
  statement.

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What are the question words?

• Extrusive vulcanicity along a destructive plate
  boundary is more hazardous than along a
  constructive plate boundary.
• What are the conditions needed for extrusive
  vulcanicity to occur? Account for the above
  statement.

7
What are the question words?

• Extrusive vulcanicity along a destructive plate
  boundary is more hazardous than along a
  constructive plate boundary.
• What are the conditions needed for extrusive
  vulcanicity to occur? Account for the above
  statement.

8
What are the keywords?

• Extrusive vulcanicity along a destructive plate
  boundary is more hazardous than along a
  constructive plate boundary.
• What are the conditions needed for extrusive
  vulcanicity to occur? Account for the above
  statement.

9
What are the keywords?

• Extrusive vulcanicity along a destructive plate
  boundary is more hazardous than along a
  constructive plate boundary.
• What are the conditions needed for extrusive
  vulcanicity to occur? Account for the above
  statement.

10
Re-phrase the question

• Extrusive vulcanicity along a destructive plate
  boundary is more hazardous than along a
  constructive plate boundary.
• What are the conditions needed for extrusive
  vulcanicity to occur? Account for the above
  statement.

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Re-phrase the Question

• Extrusive vulcanicity (e.g. volcanic eruption)
  along a destructive plate boundary (convergence)
  is more hazardous (more death damages) than
  along a constructive plate boundary
  (divergence).
• more death damages at destructive gtgtgt
  constructive plate boundaries
• What are the conditions (NOT reasons, without
  the conditions, extrusive vulcanicity cant
  occur) needed for extrusive vulcanicity to occur?
  
• Account for the above statement.
• Why damages deaths occur at constructive
  destructive plate boundaries?
• Why more damages deaths at destructive plate
  boundaries / less damages deaths at
  constructive plate boundaries?

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Rephrasing

• 1a. Conditions needed for extrusive vulcanicity
• 2a) Why damages deaths occur at constructive
  destructive plate boundaries?
• 2b) Why more damages deaths at destructive
  plate boundaries / less damages deaths at
  constructive plate boundaries?

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How to analyze the question?

1. Break into parts
2. find question words
3. Highlight keywords
4. Re-phrasing the question (e.g. own
   interpretation, add concepts, find linkage
   between different parts)

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Structure of an essay

• I. Introduction (a must? How long?)
• II. Body
• - heading?
• - how long?
• - how to write?
• - wordings only?
• III. Conclusion (a must? How long?)

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Introduction

• A must???????????
• How to write?????
• Copy the question again?????
• 1. No idea -gt (copy the question in NSS1-2)
• 2 .Must include keywords in question (e.g.
  constructive destructive plate boundaries)
• 3. Can give some definition of some important
  terms (e.g. extrusive vulcanicity)
• 4. Structure of the essay (how do you re-phrase
  the question)
• (e.g. I will first mention the necessary
  conditions for . Then the arguments will focus
  on why destructive plate boundaries have ..
  while constructive plate boundaries have )
• Short (1 paragraph, lt5 lines)
• No marks given for introduction, only
  discretionary marks only

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Body

• A. Heading (NSS1-2) to show which part of the
  question you are answering
• Try to write heading for this essay
• 1. Conditions needed for extrusive vulcanicity
• 2. Why damages occur at destructive
  constructive plate boundaries?
• 3. Reasons for more damages deaths at
  destructive plate boundaries / less damages
  deaths at constructive plate boundaries
• Comparison is needed
• B. Key topic sentence at the beginning of each
  paragraph
• E.g. xxxx is needed for extrusive vulcanicity to
  take place as .

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Body

• C. Duration of each part
• 1-2 paragraph (description)
• 2-3 paragraphs (explanation, evaluation)
• D. Weighting
• Evaluation / application / discussion gtgt
  explanation gtgt description
• E. Answers in perspectives
• Environmentally, economically, socially,
  politically.
• F. Wordings only???
• Relevant diagrams to gain discretionary marks
• G. In-depth answer????
• Choose a few factors have in-depth analysis.

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How to gain discretionary marks?

• 1. Clear structure
• 2. Correct examples, NOT case
• 3. Important diagrams (e.g.volcanic eruption)
  diagrams before description
• 4. simple flowchart
• 5. Analytical gt Descriptive
• 6. Update cases (e.g.Sichuan Earthquake)
• 7. Data (e.g. global warming)
• 8. Geographical keywords

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Conclusion

• A must??
• Answer all parts first
• What to write?
• New ideas / major point
• E.g. Besides the type of plate boundaries, xxx
  also affect the damages of extrusive vulcanicity
  .)
• Wording only?
• Flow chart / diagram (especially if time is
  running short)

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How to write a good essay?

• 1. Answer every parts in time
• 2. Write in short paragraphs
• 3. Clear introduction conclusion
• 4. Good structure
• - clear headings for each part
• - clear topic sentence for each paragraph (lt8
  lines)
• - pattern -gt explanation -gt example
• 5. Look at the issues from different perspectives
  (Evaluation)
• 6. Geographical keywords
• 7. No contradictions
• 7. Support answers with data, examples, diagrams,
  flow charts
• 8. In-depth arguments gt superficial arguments