How can I improve my extended essay answers in the Contemporary Geographical Issues paper?

In the extended essay answers you need to make sure that you cover the two main assessment objectives. AO1 - Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the content, concepts and processes. AO2 - Analyse, interpret and evaluate geographical information, issues and viewpoints and apply understanding in unfamiliar contexts. Both of these are weighted and AO2 is more important than AO1. As well as learning the facts and case studies, we need to evalute their importance and relevance to the question. In terms of structure, I would always advise starting or ending the paragraph by addressing the key words in the question (as a tip: highlight them in the exam). An example if you don't have an essay question you have worked on: ‘With reference to examples you have studied, describe and explain the causes and consequences of urbanisation in contrasting areas of the world.’ (40 marks). How would you structure this in order to explain/evalute the things you describe? Lets work through it together. In order to access the highest marks possible, you need to also 'think like a geographer.' What this means is using your knowledge and conceptual tools to think across the topic. For example, this question is asking you to reference two different places, but you can also consider how your two different case studies might be different scales, or may have urbanised at different times, meaning the consequences differ. These are all key phrases and tools in the mark scheme that the examiners are looking for to push you into the highest marking band. I think a really good way to practice thinking like a geographer is to make mind maps and draw links which we can practice.