NEA (Coursework) Guide

The Non-Examined Assessment (NEA) is your independent geographical investigation — the coursework component of AQA A-Level Geography. Worth 20% of your A-Level and 60 marks, it is a substantial piece of work that requires careful planning, robust data collection, and rigorous analysis. This lesson provides a comprehensive guide to every aspect of the NEA, from choosing a title to writing your evaluation.

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What AQA Expects

The NEA must be an independent investigation into a geographical question or issue. AQA specifies that it should:

• Be based on a question or issue defined and developed by the student
• Incorporate primary data collected by the student through fieldwork
• Involve the use of secondary data to provide context and comparison
• Be presented as a written report of 3,000–4,000 words
• Demonstrate understanding of geographical processes, theories, and concepts
• Show competence in geographical skills, including data collection, presentation, and analysis

The investigation must be rooted in the AQA specification content — your question should relate to one or more topics from the course.