Can geography be prepared without any prior background?

[Omer]

Can geography be prepared "effectively" without any prior backgroun in this subject?

It contains a lot of technical terms and concepts especialy geography 1. It seems difficult to retain them, and one is left as if he has studied nothing.

Fellows! please share your valuable experience/strategy and tips.

Many thanks

[hotangeleyes]

Sir, candidates had secured 150+ marks in geography without any proper background....
But it usually requires some help from a teacher to understand the technical terms of the geo paper 1.

[kashifilyas]

Subject selection depends on interest rather than prior background. You can't menage to have a full versed knowledge of all 6 optional subjects before going to prepare yourself for CSS.
Geography is an easy and more interesting subject, especially Geography1. While reading/preparing for geo1, just map everything in your mind what you are reading. This will help a lot in understanding technical terms.

Regards,

[KAWISH]

Originally Posted by Omer

Can geography be prepared "effectively" without any prior backgroun in this subject?

It contains a lot of technical terms and concepts especialy geography 1. It seems difficult to retain them, and one is left as if he has studied nothing.

Fellows! please share your valuable experience/strategy and tips.

Many thanks

aoa no background is required.mine is a point in case.im a law graduate,but have scored 130 in my previous attempt
regards

[goshi]

in my point of view there is no need of a strong background in the subject you are choosing as optional...........as mufakhar adeel did his masters in English literature but he did not opt English Literature as his optional subject...he choose urdu.....................

[Muser]

Originally Posted by Omer

Can geography be prepared "effectively" without any prior background in this subject?

Fellows! please share your valuable experience/strategy and tips.

Bro, I myself went through such bouts of doubt all along, esp in the start.

My reason was failing to find the proper books to make the task of reading easy and fun. I can't study well from the local cut-paste books, though they are very handy. Their main flaw lies in the lack of proper relevant figures and pics. I absorb visual impressions more than anything. I agree with Kashif Ilyas; the more we visualize it, the better its implanted in our long term memory.

I came across deBlij's Physical Geography late and to my amusement, I found that most of Bajwa has been written from its 1996's 2nd edition. Its reader-friendly style made it all bearable and its has the added advantage now of having its pocket book in Bajwa's shape. I guess you too have done this combo, isn't it?

I saw Strahler but it was too much. Goh Chen Leong is good, but I find it deficient.

For paper 2, I have straightaway followed deBlij and Fazal Karim.

Now for us, the irony of Geography is that the very reason for which we opted it can go against it. Being a conceptual-cum-factual subject, it might become difficult at times for an 'outsider'. But as per my experience, the best thing about Geography is that it has the best available stuff available on net, I love it for this fact and it makes all this self-teaching a bit interesting.

Being a medical background aspirant, I find it very much the same; the more I revise it, the better it gets. Multiple effective revisions will be the key of mastery for the cramming part.

The scoring thing, well that depends on many a things besides our understanding and preparation. If the papers aren't much atypical, then it will be no surprise for an outsiders like us to score 140 +.

Rest, we rest our case with Allah. Never have I been such a believer or a humble guy as this exam's preparation is making me, Rabe zidni ilma, I think this dua was meant for CSS exam = )

What has been your experience so far?

[aariz]

Very simple, if you are having problem in understanding, consult to a good teacher.
This technique is applied on all subjects.
Dont think in beginning that u wud need a teacher to study the subject.

[Imadafridi]

Most of us who appeared in the exam this year didn't have any background in Geography,there are a few chapters in it that are a bit difficult but by giving them proper time you'll easily understand them...

PS don't think of Geography as an easy subject,unfortunately we learnt it the hard way this time..

[Muser]

As you are abroad, it might be easy for you to find this book. You shouldn't miss this one, though its for the beginners but its a gem. Handy, fun and concise with excellent diagrams, the best I have come across so far to get the major concepts and arouse interest.

http://www.cssforum.com.pk/beginners...-beginner.html

[Omer]

Yes Imad, u r ryt. Some of the area of Geography are tough and technical like land forms (having a lot of terms to memorise).

I undestand from my experience that one should stick to one recommended book but clear his concepts through multiple sources (mainly internet and other books).

For Geography 1, Srfraz Bajwa has mentioned each topic chapters wise, and it is easy to remember and retain the material topic-wise for beginners.

The key to retain the material is revision and revision only.