GCSE Case Study Masterclass 25/11/11

Case Studies Case studies form a vital element of your GCSE Geography. The case study questions often carry the high marks, although it this is not always the case. Without sound case study knowledge success at GCSE is very unlikely.

How to prepare case studies 1. Check your specification and identify what case studies you need to learn   Mass tourism has advantages for an area but strategies need to be in place to reduce the likelihood of long-term damage.   The meaning of mass tourism.   A case study of an established tropical tourist area which attracts large numbers of visitors.   The positive and negative effects of mass tourism on the   economy and environment.   Strategies for maintaining the importance of tourism in the area and reducing its negative effects.

How to prepare case studies 2. Identify the location you are going to use for your case study: Jamaica 3. Read all the available material, textbooks, handouts, websites etc about your location

How to prepare case studies 4. Fill in your Yellow sheet which has been designed to meet the requirements of your specification

How to prepare case studies 5. Write your case study statement list. This should be a numbered list of specific factual information about your location. It should not include any vague or general statements

Mass tourism has advantages for an area but strategies need to be in place to reduce the likelihood of long – term damage A case study of an established tropical tourist area which attracts large numbers of visitors: Jamaica 1.Jamaica is one of the Caribbean’s main tourist destinations 2. At sea level Jamaica is hot all year with at least 7 hours of sunshine per day 3. There were 1.8 million visitors in 2008 (0.6million in 1982) 4.Although the capital Kingstown is on the south coast, most tourists stay on the north coast in the resorts of Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Negril which are becoming congested and polluted 5. These resorts usually contain ‘all inclusive’ accommodation with visitors seeing little of the local area. 6. Tourism is Jamaica’s second biggest earner – 200,000 (8%) Jamaicans work directly in the sector, these jobs tend to pay well by local standards

How to prepare case studies 6. Using your specification write a list of possible questions which could be asked about your case study 7. Identify the specific numbered statements which could be used for each essay

Why bother? Research shows that the two main causes of a poor case study performance are: 1. A lack of accurate case study detail 2. Students answering a question which they have not been asked! e.g. Writing about effects when they have been asked about strategies e.g. Writing about effects when they have been asked about strategies

Over to you Use the Jamaica statements to plan the following essays. 1. Describe and explain the attraction for tourists in a Mass tourism area you have studied 2. Describe and explain the positive and negative effects of mass tourism on the economy 3. Describe and explain the positive and negative effects of mass tourism on the environment 4. Using a named example explain how Mass Tourist areas plan to reduce the negative effects of tourism and prepare for the future.