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GEOGRAPHY-HISTORY-CI · Common Test for University Admissions (大学入学共通テスト)

GEOGRAPHY-HISTORY-CI/11

Geography Integrated, History Integrated and Public

Geography / History / Civics: Integrated only · 2023 · Variant 1

Relative difficulty

Standard · 3.0/5

Analysis source: National Center for University Entrance Examinations (DNC)

Analysis aligned to the official syllabus and assessment design.

Relative difficulty

3.0 / 5

Total marks

100

Duration

60 min

Most tested topic

Integrated social inquiry: use a map or graph, a historical context note and a public-policy concept to decide which explanation or proposal is best supported.

Cohort performance

Session statistics from official examination reports

Total marks

100

Duration

60 min

Session difficulty

3.0 / 5

Calculator policy

Scientific calculators permitted only where specified in the DNC implementation guidelines; programming functions and CAS are prohibited. En

Key examiner messages

Top priorities from the principal examiner before you revise

1

地理総合・歴史総合・公共 combines the common compulsory foundations of geography, history and public studies. R7-style questions test whether students can use maps, historical sources, civic concepts and contemporary data together to understand society and make reasoned judgments.

2

This combined subject is designed around foundational social inquiry, so source-handling breadth matters more than specialist depth.

3

A 100-point social subject in 60 minutes means roughly 1.7 marks per minute; integrated items can be long, so read source headings efficiently.

4

Geography material often supplies spatial distribution, history material supplies change over time, and public material supplies decision criteria.

5

The DNC Problem Evaluation Committee publishes per-subject reports after each January session, rating alignment with the Course of Study (学習指導要領), item difficulty balance, and whether items discriminate without exceeding syllabus scope.

Question difficulty map

How candidates performed on each question in this series

No data available in official reports

Assessment objectives

Skill and AO weighting from official examiner commentary

Interpret geographic, historical and civic source materials accurately.
Connect place, time and public institutions in explaining social issues.
Compare evidence from maps, documents, graphs and legal/policy materials.
Apply foundational concepts from geography, history and public studies to unfamiliar cases.
Judge social choices with awareness of sustainability, rights and historical context.

Skill weighting

Cognitive skills emphasised in official test design.

Cross-disciplinary source readingCross-disciplinarysource readingConceptual applicationConceptualapplicationComparison and synthesisComparison andsynthesisBasic Skills factual knowledgeBasic Skillsfactual
SkillWeightShare
  • Cross-disciplinary source reading

    Weight: 35100%
  • Conceptual application

    Weight: 2571%
  • Comparison and synthesis

    Weight: 2571%
  • Basic Skills factual knowledge

    Weight: 1543%

Method marks watchlist

Where working, steps, or method marks were commonly lost

No data available in official reports

Recurring mistakes across years

Themes examiners flag in multiple recent sessions for this subject

Integration: Answering from only one discipline when the item requires two or three. — Check whether each option fits the map/data, the h…

2024 20242022 20222021 20212020 20204 sessions

Source reading: Confusing correlation in a graph with historical causation. — Look for the source that supplies mechanism or chronology b…

2024 20242022 20222021 20212020 20204 sessions

Public concepts: Using rights, welfare, equality or sustainability as vague slogans. — Define the concept in the concrete case: who is af…

2024 20242022 20222021 20212020 20204 sessions

Maps and history: Applying present-day borders or institutions to past materials. — Read the date and period label before using current k…

2024 20242022 20222021 20212020 20204 sessions

Time management: Treating every source as equally important. — Identify the decisive source: the one that directly supports or contradict…

2024 20242022 20222021 20212020 20204 sessions

Question choice intelligence

Mean scores and popularity for optional questions (HKDSE electives)

No data available in official reports

Level exemplars

What candidate scripts at each grade level looked like

No data available in official reports

Grade & admission context

How marks relate to grade thresholds and entry standards

Official body

National Center for University Entrance Examinations (DNC)

Grading system

Per-subject raw scores (素点); universities convert to deviation values (偏差値, mean 50) — no national pass/fail grade

Scale band

0–100 raw

Scale band

Deviation 50 = mean

Scale band

University cut-off

Deep insights

What top candidates did

Techniques and approaches examiners rewarded in this series

Classify the source first

Decide whether the item is mainly spatial, temporal or civic before reading options. Then add the other two lenses only as needed.

Use the three-lens checklist

For any social issue, ask: where is it happening, how did it develop, and what public decision is being made? This matches the combined subject design.

Keep foundations sharp

Because the paper is broad, high-yield review is core vocabulary: scale, region, continuity, change, rights, democracy, market, sustainability and diversity.

Practise mixed materials

Use a map plus timeline plus policy graph in one sitting. The skill is switching evidence types quickly, not mastering one long specialist essay.

Avoid over-specializing

If an item includes public-policy data, do not answer from historical memory alone. The official emphasis is evidence-based judgment from the supplied materials.

Summarize before options

In one sentence, state what the sources show. Then test each option against that sentence and eliminate unsupported leaps.

Command word playbook

How to match each command word to the expected response style

No data available in official reports

Time traps

Sections where candidates spent disproportionate time relative to marks

No data available in official reports

Syllabus traceability

Topics linked to questions and mark weighting in this session

Geography Integrated foundations

Official topic weighting

History Integrated foundations

Official topic weighting

Public foundations

Official topic weighting

MCQ trap analytics

Commonly chosen wrong options from examiner commentary

No data available in official reports

Topic heatmap across years

Mark concentration by topic and exam year for this subject

Mark intensity

LowHigh
Topic
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Σ

Geography Integrated foundations

34
34
34
34
34
170

History Integrated foundations

33
33
33
33
33
165

Public foundations

33
33
33
33
33
165

Difficulty trend

How session difficulty has shifted across recent years

20202021202220232024
2020 2020 · 3.0/52021 2021 · 3.0/52022 2022 · 3.0/52023 2023 · 3.0/52024 2024 · 3.2/5

Paper comparison

Marks and duration breakdown across papers in this session

Geography Integrated, History Integrated and Public: for one subject / when taking two subjects Maps, historical documents, civic scenarios, statistics and interdisciplinary comparison

100 marks60 min

Marks you can still earn

Where valid approaches outside the mark scheme may still gain credit

No data available in official reports

Practise what examiners flagged

Target weak topics from this report inside the Revui app

Self-diagnostic checklist

Key actions before you sit this paper — copy and tick off as you revise

  • 1Message

    地理総合・歴史総合・公共 combines the common compulsory foundations of geography, history and public studies. R7-style questions test whether students can use maps, historical sources, civic concepts and contemporary data together to understand society and make reasoned judgments.

  • 2Message

    This combined subject is designed around foundational social inquiry, so source-handling breadth matters more than specialist depth.

  • 3Message

    A 100-point social subject in 60 minutes means roughly 1.7 marks per minute; integrated items can be long, so read source headings efficiently.

  • 4Message

    Geography material often supplies spatial distribution, history material supplies change over time, and public material supplies decision criteria.

  • 5Message

    The DNC Problem Evaluation Committee publishes per-subject reports after each January session, rating alignment with the Course of Study (学習指導要領), item difficulty balance, and whether items discriminate without exceeding syllabus scope.

  • 6Pitfall

    Integration: Answering from only one discipline when the item requires two or three. — Check whether each option fits the map/data, the h…

  • 7Pitfall

    Source reading: Confusing correlation in a graph with historical causation. — Look for the source that supplies mechanism or chronology b…

  • 8Pitfall

    Public concepts: Using rights, welfare, equality or sustainability as vague slogans. — Define the concept in the concrete case: who is af…

  • 9Pitfall

    Maps and history: Applying present-day borders or institutions to past materials. — Read the date and period label before using current k…

  • 10Pitfall

    Time management: Treating every source as equally important. — Identify the decisive source: the one that directly supports or contradict…

  • 11Strength

    Classify the source first: Decide whether the item is mainly spatial, temporal or civic before reading options. Then add the ot

  • 12Strength

    Use the three-lens checklist: For any social issue, ask: where is it happening, how did it develop, and what public decision is be

  • 13Strength

    Keep foundations sharp: Because the paper is broad, high-yield review is core vocabulary: scale, region, continuity, change,

Teacher briefing pack

One-page session summary for tutors and classroom review

2023 2023

Geography / History / Civics: Integrated only

地理総合・歴史総合・公共 combines the common compulsory foundations of geography, history and public studies. R7-style questions test whether students can use maps, historical sources, civic concepts and contemporary data together to understand society and make reasoned judgments. National C

  • 地理総合・歴史総合・公共 combines the common compulsory foundations of geography, history and public studies. R7-style questions test whether students can use maps, historical sources, civic concepts and contemporary data together to understand society and make reasoned judgments.

  • This combined subject is designed around foundational social inquiry, so source-handling breadth matters more than specialist depth.

  • A 100-point social subject in 60 minutes means roughly 1.7 marks per minute; integrated items can be long, so read source headings efficiently.

  • Integration: Answering from only one discipline when the item requires two or three. — Check whether each option fits the map/data, the h…

  • Source reading: Confusing correlation in a graph with historical causation. — Look for the source that supplies mechanism or chronology b…

Total marks
100
Duration
60 min
Session difficulty
3.0 / 5
Calculator policy
Scientific calculators permitted only where specified in the DNC implementation guidelines; programming functions and CAS are prohibited. En

Session analysis

地理総合・歴史総合・公共 combines the common compulsory foundations of geography, history and public studies. R7-style questions test whether students can use maps, historical sources, civic concepts and contemporary data together to understand society and make reasoned judgments. National Center for University Entrance Examinations (DNC) emphasises integrated social inquiry: use a map or graph, a historical context note and a public-policy concept to decide which explanation or proposal is best supported.. Priority revision: Geography Integrated foundations, History Integrated foundations, Public foundations. Decide whether the item is mainly spatial, temporal or civic before reading options. Then add the other two lenses only as needed.

Updated 2026-07-03

Paper breakdown

Geography Integrated, History Integrated and Public: for one subject / when taking two subjects Maps, historical documents, civic scenarios, statistics and interdisciplinary comparison

100 marks60 min

Top chapters

Geography Integrated foundations34 marks
History Integrated foundations33 marks
Public foundations33 marks

Exam structure insights

Marks by syllabus topic

Revision priority from official test-design weighting.

Geography Integrated foundations34 marks
History Integrated foundations33 marks
Public foundations33 marks

Mark accessibility

Estimated difficulty spread based on official design.

Integrated social inquiry: use a map or graph, a historical context note and a p

26
47
27
Easy: 26 marksMedium: 47 marksHard: 27 marks

Paper structure

Official paper breakdown for this subject.

100Marks
  • Geography Integrated, Histor

    100·10·100%

Official syllabus scope

地理総合・歴史総合・公共 combines the common compulsory foundations of geography, history and public studies. R7-style questions test whether students can use maps, historical sources, civic concepts and contemporary data together to understand society and make reasoned judgments.

Difficulty verdict

Rated 3/5 for January sessions. Integrated social inquiry: use a map or graph, a historical context note and a public-policy concept to decide which explanation or proposal is best supported.

What examiners measure

1. Interpret geographic, historical and civic source materials accurately. 2. Connect place, time and public institutions in explaining social issues. 3. Compare evidence from maps, documents, graphs and legal/policy materials. 4. Apply foundational concepts from geography, history and public studies to unfamiliar cases. 5. Judge social choices with awareness of sustainability, rights and historical context.

Where the marks are

Highest-weight syllabus areas: Geography Integrated foundations; History Integrated foundations; Public foundations.

Examiner notes & key calculations

  • This combined subject is designed around foundational social inquiry, so source-handling breadth matters more than specialist depth.
  • A 100-point social subject in 60 minutes means roughly 1.7 marks per minute; integrated items can be long, so read source headings efficiently.
  • Geography material often supplies spatial distribution, history material supplies change over time, and public material supplies decision criteria.
  • The best answer must survive all supplied evidence. A true statement from outside knowledge can still be wrong if it ignores the prompt materials.
  • Simple calculations include rate of change, share, density and ranking; write the denominator to avoid source-type mistakes.
  • Expect sustainability and disaster-prevention issues to connect geographic risk, historical land use and public responsibility.
  • For contemporary civic issues, distinguish descriptive data from normative judgment and proposed policy response.
  • Paper 1: Geography Integrated, History Integrated and Public · 100 marks · 60 min for one subject / 130 min when taking two subjects · Maps, historical documents, civic scenarios, statistics and interdisciplinary comparison.

Exam tips

Paper format

Duration
60 min for one subject / 130 min when taking two subjects
Total marks
100
Weighting
100%
Question types
Maps, historical documents, civic scenarios, statistics and interdisciplinary comparison
  • Decide whether the item is mainly spatial, temporal or civic before reading options. Then add the other two lenses only as needed.
  • For any social issue, ask: where is it happening, how did it develop, and what public decision is being made? This matches the combined subject design.
  • Because the paper is broad, high-yield review is core vocabulary: scale, region, continuity, change, rights, democracy, market, sustainability and diversity.

Common mistakes

  • Integration

    Answering from only one discipline when the item requires two or three.

    How to avoid: Check whether each option fits the map/data, the historical context and the civic concept.

  • Source reading

    Confusing correlation in a graph with historical causation.

    How to avoid: Look for the source that supplies mechanism or chronology before selecting a cause.

  • Public concepts

    Using rights, welfare, equality or sustainability as vague slogans.

    How to avoid: Define the concept in the concrete case: who is affected and what changes.

Analysis is paraphrased for study purposes. Always verify against the official examiner report and mark scheme.

GEOGRAPHY-HISTORY-CI/11 — Common Test for University Admissions (大学入学共通テスト) Geography / History / Civics: Integrated only (2023) | Revui