Specification points

OCR A-level Geography H481

235 points in 5 topics, with OCR's codes and titles.

Codes and titles are read by a script from OCR's published specification and have not been checked by a person. What each point covers is in the specification itself: OCR’s specification.

1 Physical systems

1.1 Landscape Systems
1.1.1 Option A – Coastal Landscapes
1.1.1.1 How can coastal landscapes be viewed as systems?
1.1.1.1a Coasts as systems
1.1.1.1b Physical factors in coastal systems
1.1.1.1c Sources of coastal sediment
1.1.1.2 How are coastal landforms developed?
1.1.1.2a Processes forming coastal landforms
1.1.1.2b Coastal landforms and landscapes
1.1.1.3 How do coastal landforms evolve over time as climate changes?
1.1.1.3a Emergent coastlines and falling sea level
1.1.1.3b Submergent coastlines and rising sea level
1.1.1.4 How does human activity cause change within coastal landscape systems?
1.1.1.4a Intentional human change to coasts
1.1.1.4b Unintentional change to coasts from development
1.1.1.5 Topic-specific skills
1.1.2 Option B – Glaciated Landscapes
1.1.2.1 How can glaciated landscapes be viewed as systems?
1.1.2.1a Glaciated landscapes as systems
1.1.2.1b Physical factors in glaciated landscapes
1.1.2.1c Types of glacier and glacier movement
1.1.2.2 How are glacial landforms developed?
1.1.2.2a Processes forming glacial landforms
1.1.2.2b Glacial landforms and landscapes
1.1.2.3 How do glacial landforms evolve over time as climate changes?
1.1.2.3a Glacio-fluvial landforms and climate change
1.1.2.3b Periglacial landforms and climate change
1.1.2.4 How does human activity cause change within glaciated and periglacial landscape systems?
1.1.2.4a Human change in periglacial landscapes
1.1.2.4b Human change in glaciated landscapes
1.1.2.5 Topic-specific skills
1.1.3 Option C – Dryland Landscapes
1.1.3.1 How can dryland landscapes be viewed as systems?
1.1.3.1a Dryland landscapes as systems
1.1.3.1b Physical factors in dryland landscapes
1.1.3.1c There are different types of dryland
1.1.3.2 How are landforms of mid and low latitude deserts developed?
1.1.3.2a Processes forming dryland landscapes
1.1.3.2b Dryland landforms and landscapes
1.1.3.3 How do dryland landforms evolve over time as climate changes?
1.1.3.3a Fluvial landforms from past pluvial periods
1.1.3.3b Periglacial landforms from past colder periods
1.1.3.4 How does human activity cause change within dryland landscape systems?
1.1.3.4a Water supply issues in drylands
1.1.3.4b Economic activity in drylands
1.1.3.5 Topic-specific skills
1.2 Earth’s Life Support Systems
1.2.1 How important are water and carbon to life on Earth?
1.2.1a Water and carbon moving between spheres
1.2.1b Carbon and water cycles as systems
1.2.1c Processes and pathways in the cycles
1.2.2 How do the water and carbon cycles operate in contrasting locations?
1.2.2a Water and carbon cycles in a tropical rainforest
1.2.2b Water and carbon cycles in Arctic tundra
1.2.3 How much change occurs over time in the water and carbon cycles?
1.2.3a Human disturbance of water and carbon cycles
1.2.3b Changes in water and carbon cycling over time
1.2.4 To what extent are the water and carbon cycles linked?
1.2.4a Links between the water and carbon cycles
1.2.4b Global implications of water and carbon management
1.2.5 Topic-specific skills

2 Human interactions

2.1 Changing Spaces; Making Places
2.1.1 What’s in a place?
2.1.1a Places shaped by flows and connections
2.1.2 How do we understand place?
2.1.2a Perceptions and experiences of place
2.1.2b Representations of place
2.1.3 How does economic change influence patterns of social inequality in places?
2.1.3a Uneven distribution of resources and opportunity
2.1.3b Economic change and social inequality
2.1.3c Impacts of social inequality
2.1.4 Who are the players that influence economic change in places?
2.1.4a Players influencing places
2.1.5 How are places created through placemaking processes?
2.1.5a How places are produced
2.1.5b Rebranding places
2.1.5c Planning successful places
2.1.6 Topic-specific skills
2.2 Global Connections
2.2.1 Global Systems: Option A – Trade in the Contemporary World
2.2.1.1 What are the contemporary patterns of international trade?
2.2.1.1a Patterns of international trade flows
2.2.1.1b Trade and socio-economic development
2.2.1.2 Why has trade become increasingly complex?
2.2.1.2a Factors affecting access to markets
2.2.1.2b Trade interdependence
2.2.1.3 What are the issues associated with unequal flows of international trade?
2.2.1.3a Trade opportunities, challenges and power relations
2.2.2 Global Systems: Option B – Global Migration
2.2.2.1 What are the contemporary patterns of global migration?
2.2.2.1a Flows of global migration
2.2.2.1b Migration and socio-economic development
2.2.2.2 Why has migration become increasingly complex?
2.2.2.2a Factors influencing migration patterns
2.2.2.2b Migrant corridors and interdependence
2.2.2.3 What are the issues associated with unequal flows of global migration?
2.2.2.3a Migration opportunities, challenges and power relations
2.2.3 Global Governance: Option C – Human Rights
2.2.3.1 What is meant by human rights?
2.2.3.1a Variation in human rights norms
2.2.3.1b Factors behind human rights violations
2.2.3.2 What are the variations in women’s rights?
2.2.3.2a Geography of gender inequality
2.2.3.3 What are the strategies for global governance of human rights?
2.2.3.3a Human rights violations and conflict
2.2.3.3b Cooperation in governing human rights across scales
2.2.3.4 To what extent has intervention in human rights contributed to development?
2.2.3.4a Consequences of human rights governance
2.2.4 Global Governance: Option D – Power and Borders
2.2.4.1 What is meant by sovereignty and territorial integrity?
2.2.4.1a Changing political map of nation-states
2.2.4.2 What are the contemporary challenges to sovereign state authority?
2.2.4.2a Challenges to sovereignty and territorial integrity
2.2.4.3 What is the role of global governance in conflict?
2.2.4.3a Global governance and conflict
2.2.4.3b Cooperation in global governance
2.2.4.4 How effective is global governance of sovereignty and territorial integrity?
2.2.4.4a Consequences of sovereignty governance

3 Geographical debates

3.1 Climate Change
3.1.1 How and why has climate changed in the geological past?
3.1.1a The Earth’s climate is dynamic
3.1.2 How and why has the era of industrialisation affected global climate?
3.1.2a Human influence on climate and the Anthropocene
3.1.3 Why is there a debate over climate change?
3.1.3a Agendas shaping climate change debates
3.1.4 In what ways can humans respond to climate change?
3.1.4a Predicting future climate
3.1.4b Global and dynamic climate change impacts
3.1.4c Mitigation and adaptation
3.1.5 Can an international response to climate change ever work?
3.1.5a Policies and co-operation on climate change
3.2 Disease Dilemmas
3.2.1 Global patterns of disease and their causes
3.2.1a Classifying, mapping and spreading disease
3.2.1b Physical factors and disease prevalence
3.2.1c Natural hazards and disease outbreaks
3.2.2 Is there a link between disease and levels of economic development?
3.2.2a Development and changing patterns of disease
3.2.3 How effectively are communicable and noncommunicable diseases dealt with?
3.2.3a Communicable diseases: causes, impacts and responses
3.2.3b Non-communicable diseases: causes, impacts and responses
3.2.4 How far can diseases be predicted and mitigated against?
3.2.4a Global mobility and the spread of disease
3.2.4b Combating global pandemics
3.2.5 Can diseases ever be fully eradicated?
3.2.5a Medicines from nature
3.2.5b Top-down and bottom-up disease strategies
3.3 Exploring Oceans
3.3.1 What are the main characteristics of oceans?
3.3.1a Oceans as a distinctive feature of Earth
3.3.1b Variation in ocean water
3.3.1c Light, temperature, nutrients and ocean biodiversity
3.3.2 Opportunities and threats from ocean resources
3.3.2a Sustainable use of ocean biological resources
3.3.2b Ocean energy and minerals as contested resources
3.3.2c Governing the oceans
3.3.3 How and in what ways do human activities pollute oceans?
3.3.3a Ocean pollutants
3.3.3b Threats from offshore oil
3.3.3c Ocean currents and pollution
3.3.4 How is climate change impacting the ocean system?
3.3.4a Climate change and ocean water
3.3.4b Climate change is altering sea levels
3.3.4c Climate change and high latitude oceans
3.3.5 How have socio-economic and political factors influenced the use of the oceans?
3.3.5a Oceans and globalisation
3.3.5b Oceans as spaces of international challenge
3.3.5c Oceans as hazards to human activity
3.4 Future of Food
3.4.1 What is food security and why is it of global significance?
3.4.1a Food security and its spatial patterns
3.4.1b The global food production system
3.4.1c Globalisation is changing the food industry
3.4.2 What are the causes of inequality in global food security?
3.4.2a Factors influencing food security
3.4.3 What are the threats to global food security?
3.4.3a Vulnerability to food insecurity
3.4.3b Shocks to the food system
3.4.4 Impacts of food production and security issues
3.4.4a Physical and human impacts of food system imbalance
3.4.5 Is there hope for the future of food?
3.4.5a Key players in the global food system
3.4.5b Strategies to improve food security
3.5 Hazardous Earth
3.5.1 What is the evidence for continental drift and plate tectonics?
3.5.1a Evidence for continental drift and plate tectonics
3.5.1b Features and processes at plate boundaries
3.5.2 What are the main hazards generated by volcanic activity?
3.5.2a Volcanic activity and landforms
3.5.2b Volcanic eruptions generate distinctive hazards
3.5.3 What are the main hazards generated by seismic activity?
3.5.3a Earthquake activity and landforms
3.5.3b Earthquakes generate distinctive hazards
3.5.4 What are the implications of living in tectonically active locations?
3.5.4a Impacts of volcanic eruptions
3.5.4b Impacts of earthquakes
3.5.5 Coping with living in tectonically active areas
3.5.5a Managing volcanic hazards
3.5.5b Managing earthquake hazards
3.5.5c Changing exposure and coping with tectonic hazards

5 Fieldwork skills

5a Defining research questions for field investigations
5b Literature sources and theoretical context
5c Observing, recording and sampling in the field
5d Appropriate field methodologies
5e Collecting good-quality field data
5f Analysing field data and representing results
5g Examining the accuracy and reliability of field data
5h Using theory to understand field observations
5i Writing up field results clearly
5j Evaluating fieldwork in its wider and ethical context
5k Writing a coherent analysis of fieldwork findings

OCR A-level Geography H481

1 Physical systems

2 Human interactions

3 Geographical debates

4 Geographical Skills

5 Fieldwork skills