Checklist
Marjorie Henry, Contributor

I made reference to the school-based assessment (SBA) in the last lesson and ended it with a checklist relevant to the SBA. I will now begin a discussion on the areas included on that checklist.

1. The topic - As indicated in the last lesson, the geography SBA is a field study. In this study you are required to identify and define a problem, conduct an enquiry and prepare and submit a report. This problem that you identify is your topic. You must ensure that it is geographical in nature and, most important, it must come from any of the systems in the current geography syllabus. It is best that you choose something in which you are interested.

The topic is usually stated as a question. For example:

• What are the effects of deforestation in Gordon Town, St Andrew, Jamaica?
• What factors led to slope failure in sections of Christiana, Manchester, Jamaica?

The chosen topic for study must also be small enough for you to manage at this level. In short, you must be able to collect the data you need on the topic. My source of reference offers the following advice:

• Coastal studies which is a part of natural systems, should be one beach or headland.
• River studies, also from Natural Systems, should be a small stretch of the river, not the entire valley.
• Industrial study which comes under Human Systems should be one small factory and not a big industrial complex.

2. The aim -This should be stated as a direct or implicit question. It needs to be specific/clear, short and simple,'' and must be in relation to what is to be done. In short, the aim should narrow the focus so directing the intention of the study and keeping you, the student, on track. An aim should have the following components:

(i) A verb which informs as to the action to be taken. Here are some ways by which the aim can begin:

• To discover or find out
• To identify
• To describe
• To consider
• To attempt or classify
• To investigate
• To determine
• To compare
• To explore
• To illustrate

(ii) A clear statement as to what is to be studied. Here are some examples:

• factors, reasons, effects, variations, processes
• erosional features
• depositional features
• characteristics of peasant farming
• characteristics of commercial arable farming, etc.

(iii) A clear statement of where the data are to be collected.

Here are examples of aims forthe first topic suggested above, namely:

What are the effects of deforestation in Gordon Town, St. Andrew?

1. To find out about deforestation in Gordon Town.

This is a weak aim as it is too wide and, therefore, lacking in focus. It would appear that you want to find out about everything about deforestation in the area.

2. To investigate the effects that deforestation has on a section of Gordon Town.

In this example, you are indicating that you will focus on the effects of deforestation on the area named. This is more in keeping with the topic and, therefore, acceptable. Notice also that this has all the components of an aim, as outlined above.

In the next lesson I will go on to discuss the strategy sheet.

Marjorie Henry is an independent contributor. Send questions and comments to kerry-ann.hepburn@gleanerjm.com