An NEA counts for 20% of your overall A-level geography grade.
Though it may not initially seem like much, that represents 1/5 of your certification, so you definitely want to make sure it raises your overall grade!
Additionally, there will be hundreds of other students completing A-Level Geography coursework, so yours must be unique.
So, if this is your first time completing coursework for an A-Level and you are not sure of what to expect, we have you covered.
As an A-level geography student, we will walk you through all the dos and don’ts for your NEA in geography, as well as provide you with the tips you need to earn an A*.
We will also explain the structure of Geography NEA, How to get an A* in an A-Level Geography NEA, and much more.
Table of contents
- What is an A-Level Geography NEA?
- How is an A-Level Geography NEA structured?
- How do you get an A* in an A-Level Geography NEA?
- The A-Level Geography NEA introduction
- How to Write an A* A-Level Geography NEA Introduction
- The A-Level Geography NEA methodology
- Data presentation, analysis, interpretation, and evaluation in an A-Level Geography NEA
- Evaluating your A-Level Geography NEA investigation
- The A-Level Geography NEA conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
- References
- Recommendations
What is an A-Level Geography NEA?
The required coursework for A-Level Geography is called the geography NEA. Students doing A-Level Geography in the UK are required to submit an NEA. An “Independent Investigation” is another name for it.
You will select a question about physical or human geography for an NEA, and you will then gather information to assist you in answering this topic. The average NEA is between 3,000 and 4,000 words. In essence, they are study papers!
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How is an A-Level Geography NEA structured?
A cover page issued by your exam board must be attached to the front of your geography NEA. Typically, this will include your name, candidate number, centre number, and title question. You and your instructors must sign it.
There are normally seven sections of an A-Level Geography NEA:
- Introduction to the investigation
- Methodology/data collection
- Data presentation, analysis, interpretation, and evaluation
- Evaluation of the investigation
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
Exam boards, however, are not overly rigorous about formatting, so as long as you have covered all the important topics, you can format these any way you like.
All the references for any secondary materials you used for your NEA should be in your bibliography. You will be required to certify that the work you have generated is wholly original when submitting an NEA, and your NEA will be examined for plagiarism. Be reminded to cite your sources properly!
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How do you get an A* in an A-Level Geography NEA?
Although it’s difficult, getting an A* in your NEA for A-Level Geography is not impossible.
The NEA criteria will be available on the websites of the UK test boards. For each portion of the NEA, the marking criteria are often divided into 4 “levels” (level 1 receiving the fewest points and level 4 receiving the greatest number of points).
You must meet the level 4 requirements in most, if not all, of the sections of your NEA to receive an A* on an A-Level Geography NEA.
The A-Level Geography NEA introduction
One of the most crucial sections of your A-Level Geography NEA is the introduction because it frames the remainder of your research and convinces examiners to keep reading.
Your introduction will briefly state what you are going to say and why it is significant while outlining your argument. Keep in mind that you still have to write the rest of the NEA, so try not to say too much!
How will your argument relate to and address the query in your title? This is another important aspect of your introduction.
The secret to a strong geography NEA introduction is to keep it short and straightforward. You should consider the following: “Would someone who doesn’t study A-level geography understand what I’m saying if they read my introduction?”
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How to Write an A* A-Level Geography NEA Introduction
Your investigation’s goal should be explained in your introduction. Your NEA beginning should be up to 500 words, unlike the openers to most essays, which are between 100 and 200 words.
To make your title question more manageable, divide it into three or four “key inquiry questions” that you may address throughout your NEA.
Additionally, you should describe your title question, the reasoning behind it, and how your research contributes to future research in the area that your question addresses.
You have the chance to give the examiner information about your place during your introduction; you might use maps (as they count as a kind of data presentation), highlight significant geographical characteristics, etc.
You should provide some background information about the topic your question addresses, both locally (it is important to your area) and globally.
Finish the introduction with some fundamental geographic theory. Explain the various theories of erosion and how they relate to your NEA investigation, for instance, if it is focused on erosion. This knowledge demonstration is crucial!
Remember that your NEA can be formatted however you desire (within reason), so you can arrange this data however you like. Just be sure you address all of the crucial components of your investigation.
The A-Level Geography NEA methodology
The breakdown of your NEA technique is how you gathered the information you used and presented in your coursework.
One of the sections of your NEA with the most specifics will be your approach. This can come as a surprise, but it’s because your methodology is utilized to demonstrate that your data is authentic and correctly obtained.
The majority of research papers include a methodology, and your NEA for A-Level Geography is no exception! If you don’t take the time and effort to write your technique correctly, your study may suffer.
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How do you write an A* methodology for an A-Level Geography NEA?
Your technique should cover all the qualitative data (non-measurable data) and quantitative data (measurable/numerical data), regardless of how you physically present it.
In my NEA, for instance, I displayed my methods as a big table spanning two pages. Do not undervalue the scope of your methodology; it is what confirms the reliability of your data.
Include the following in your methodology:
- The types of data you collected
- Where you collected this data (collection points)
- The equipment you used to collect your data
- A description of the method
- How often you collected data (intervals)
- The sampling technique (stratified, systematic, etc.)
- A justification for your method
You should also incorporate “ethical considerations” and a “risk assessment” into your process.
Showing awareness of any ethical issues with your data collection procedures is the essence of ethical considerations.
For instance, if you used a survey to obtain data, there might be a concern that the participants’ privacy is not respected. Therefore, anonymizing the survey would be a moral decision.
A risk assessment consists of understanding the risks associated with data collecting (such as getting lost, hurt, dealing with weather occurrences, etc.) and your plans for mitigating those risks. Having an emergency contact is one example.
Data presentation, analysis, interpretation, and evaluation in an A-Level Geography NEA
The longest and most important component of your NEA is the data section. The portion where you provide all of your findings and interpret them by stating what they mean and why follows the setup of your inquiry.
Don’t get upset if not all of the data you get can be put to use; towards the end, I had a ton of useless data! Utilize a variety of data kinds and as much data as you can.
This part contributes to the development of your argument and serves as both the body of your NEA and the basis for your conclusion.
Since this is a lengthy portion, employing subheadings will help you and your examiner organize it. Signposting is not advised, such as using the subtitle “Analysis”. Instead, you might segment your data based on where it was collected or how it was done.
How do you present data to get an A* in an A-Level Geography NEA?
The most interesting aspect of a geography NEA is the data presentation stage, where you can arrange your information however you like (as long as it complies with the rules set forth by the exam board, of course)!
In the data presentation area, you must display all the data you gathered for your research. This can appear in graphs, tables, photographs, charts, and more.
Your graphs and photographs should have accurate labels and captions since the data must be legible. Remember to reference any data you use properly that isn’t your own.
Additionally, it’s a great chance to add some colour to your A-Level Geography NEA, which will make it appear fantastic!
How do you analyze and evaluate data to get an A* in an A-Level Geography NEA?
The most crucial part of your geography NEA is the portion on data analysis, interpretation, and evaluation.
You should highlight important data points and explain their significance in relation to your NEA inquiry question. How does the information you gathered to support or refute your question?
To avoid simply restating what is already in your presentation, it is a good idea to calculate and explain medians, means, modes, and averages when appropriate. You shouldn’t merely report your exact findings; you need to do something with the raw data.
Ask yourself, “What does my data mean?” when you are analyzing.
How does my data address my investigation? Should be your central consideration when analyzing.
You may demonstrate to the examiner that you can explain why your data is relevant and that you have a solid grasp of analysis and assessment by keeping these questions in mind when you evaluate your data.
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Should you include statistical tests to get an A* in an A-Level Geography NEA?
Without a doubt, this is the quick response to this question.
You have likely already practised several statistical tests as part of the remaining A-Level Geography coursework, including standard deviation, the Mann-Whitney U test, the T-test, and Spearman’s rank.
When presenting the information you gathered for your geography NEA, you should try to use one or two statistical tests. There is no “correct” or “wrong” statistical test; pick the one that works best for your data.
You can show off your analytical, interpretive, and evaluative abilities with statistical tests. By including a few, you are demonstrating to the examiner that you are well aware of the purpose and significance of the examinations!
Never be embarrassed to seek assistance if you are having trouble with math. Of course, others can’t do it for you (keep in mind that you must attest that your work is entirely your own when submitting your geography NEA), but you may always ask to be shown how to do it!
Evaluating your A-Level Geography NEA investigation
The evaluation of your data differs differently from the evaluation of your NEA inquiry for A-Level Geography. Your NEA should include an evaluation of the overall investigation’s effectiveness in this part.
You should talk about the places you visited and the techniques you employed to get your data (both primary and secondary data!). What possessed them favourably? What was lacking? How would the results of your investigation have been different if you had been somewhere else and employed different techniques?
Acknowledging the reliability of your judgments is also crucial.
For instance, it’s possible that you didn’t have the necessary time or resources to gather some truly crucial information, which may have influenced your outcome. If this is acknowledged, an argument can be made that is more complex and mature.
It’s crucial to understand that an evaluation and a conclusion are not the same thing. Your research shouldn’t be summarized. Instead, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of your research decisions.
The A-Level Geography NEA conclusion
Because it integrates your methodology, investigation, and analysis, your conclusion is essential. Do you recall the “key inquiry questions” I alluded to earlier? The time has come to respond to them, then!
Your NEA conclusion will respond to the question in your title and give the examiner a tidy, comprehensive summary of your research. Someone should be able to understand the main points of your case and why they are crucial by reading the conclusion.
What can we do in the future that we aren’t doing now? This can be suggested in the conclusion. What potential effects might climate change have on your study in the future?
Put pertinent questions in your conclusion if you don’t have time to address them in-depth, but they could have an impact on how your inquiry turns up. This demonstrates to the examiner that you are aware of both small- and large-scale problems.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The Independent Investigation should be based on one title, however this title may come from more than one area of the specification.
Physical geography or human geography could serve as the foundation for the Independent Investigation.
Alternatively, students can choose Investigative projects with a people-environment connection. It is not important which component students use as long as there is a clear connection to the specification.
Although teachers must make sure that students have engaged in both human and physical fieldwork, this should not influence the students’ choice of Independent Investigation.
Any topic in the specification can serve as the basis for a student’s inquiry, but the topic for the investigation’s title must come from the standard. Students must make it clear on the Independent Investigation Proposal Form how their title is related to the specification. The pupils have the chance to show their independence, especially in cases where their titles are identical.
Students must independently create their titles; otherwise, it would be considered cheating. According to teachers and students, the independent investigation’s standards must have been complied with, and this also applies to the independent creation of investigative titles.
Conclusion
Your geography NEA conclusion will, like most essay conclusions, summarize your key points, your findings, and the implications of your data. It can also be a wonderful location to ask any questions you might still be wondering about.
Going over your inquiry questions and crafting “sub-conclusions” in answer to them could be a good place to start. You should then proceed to the important conclusion, which is to respond to your opening query.
You should highlight the most important findings from your research, both generally and explicitly, in your conclusion. Considering both “big” and “small” topics is a useful way to demonstrate critical thinking abilities.
Give or take a few words; your conclusion should be roughly the same length as your opening. Your conclusion should be the most lucid and concise section of your NEA. If you find yourself running out of things to say, don’t add stuff needlessly to increase the word count.
References
Recommendations
