Paper 3: Decision-Making Paper

Paper 3 is the most distinctive paper in the Edexcel B GCSE Geography exam. It is worth 25% of your total grade (64 marks in 1 hour 30 minutes) and is based on a pre-released resource booklet that you receive 12 weeks before the exam. This paper tests your ability to interpret geographical information, analyse competing viewpoints, and make a justified decision — skills that are fundamental to being a good geographer.

Many students find Paper 3 challenging because it feels different from the other papers. However, with the right preparation, it can actually be the paper where you score most confidently, because you know what the resources contain before you enter the exam room.

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How the Pre-Released Resource Booklet Works

What Is the Resource Booklet?

The resource booklet is a collection of 8–12 resources related to a geographical issue or decision. It might focus on topics such as:

• Should a new housing development be built on a greenfield or brownfield site?
• How should a coastal area be managed to reduce erosion?
• Which development strategy would most benefit a community?
• How should a flood-prone area be protected?

What the Booklet Contains

Resource Type	Examples
Maps	OS maps, thematic maps, GIS maps, location maps
Data	Tables, graphs, statistics about the area
Photographs	Ground-level, aerial or satellite images
Stakeholder views	Quotes from residents, businesses, environmental groups, councils
Text extracts	News articles, reports, government plans
Diagrams	Process diagrams, cross-sections, plans of proposed developments

What to Do with the Booklet Before the Exam

You receive the booklet 12 weeks before the exam. This is a significant advantage — use it.

Stage	When	What to Do
First read	Week 1	Read through all resources. Identify the geographical issue and the key question being asked
Deep analysis	Weeks 2–4	Annotate each resource. Highlight key data. Note what each stakeholder wants and why
Background research	Weeks 3–6	Research the location and topic. Find additional context that is not in the booklet
Practice questions	Weeks 6–10	Ask yourself: What questions might the examiner ask? What data supports different decisions?
Final review	Weeks 10–12	Revise your annotations. Practise writing decision-making answers under timed conditions

Exam Tip: You cannot bring your annotated booklet into the exam. A clean copy is provided. But the 12 weeks of preparation mean you should know the resources so well that you barely need to re-read them. Focus on remembering key data points, stakeholder positions, and the geographical processes involved.

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Reading and Annotating the Booklet

How to Annotate Effectively

For each resource, identify:

Annotation	Question to Ask	Example
What does it show?	What information does this resource provide?	"Figure 3 shows population growth projections for the next 20 years"
Key data	What are the most important numbers or facts?	"Population expected to grow by 35% from 45,000 to 61,000 by 2040"
Who benefits?	Which stakeholders would use this data to support their view?	"Developers would use this to argue that more housing is needed"
Limitations	What does this resource NOT show?	"Does not show where the new population would live or their income levels"
Links to other resources	How does this connect to other resources in the booklet?	"Links to Figure 5 which shows available development sites"

Stakeholder Analysis

One of the most important preparation tasks is identifying and understanding the stakeholders — the people and groups with an interest in the decision.

Stakeholder	Typical Priority	Likely Position
Local residents	Quality of life, property values, services	May oppose development that increases traffic or reduces green space
Developers / businesses	Profit, employment, growth	Favour development that generates economic activity
Local council	Housing need, economic growth, voter satisfaction	Must balance competing demands; seek compromise
Environmental groups	Wildlife, habitats, sustainability	Oppose development on sensitive sites; favour green solutions
Farmers / landowners	Land value, livelihood	May favour selling land for development; may oppose if farming is threatened
Young people	Housing affordability, jobs	Favour development that creates homes and employment
Transport authorities	Road capacity, public transport	Concerned about traffic congestion from new development

flowchart TD
    A["STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS"] --> B["Identify ALL stakeholders"]
    B --> C["What does each want?"]
    C --> D["What evidence supports<br/>their position?"]
    D --> E["What are the strengths and<br/>weaknesses of their argument?"]
    E --> F["Whose interests should<br/>take priority and WHY?"]

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The Decision-Making Framework

The final question on Paper 3 is the decision-making question, typically worth 12+ marks. It asks you to make a choice and justify it.

How to Structure Your Decision