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When answering an account for question, you should give reasons which are often (but not always) from a source. This type of question will test your higher order skills, as you may have to consider information provided and then use your knowledge to answer the question.

Sample question

Study the diagram below which shows a population pyramid for Malawi: account for the population structure of Malawi. (10 marks).

Sample answer: In developing countries like Malawi, birth rates are high because children are needed to work/grow food to bring in an income for the family (1 mark). Lack of availability and knowledge of contraception and family planning leads to high birth rates (1 mark)

There are high infant mortality rates, so parents have more children in the hope that some survive. (1 mark). Within some of the ethnic groups, children are viewed as a sign of virility, so many babies are born. (1 mark)

Children are required to look after parents when they become ill because of a lack of social security. (1 mark)

Death rates are high because of the lack of food caused by famine. (1 mark) Life expectancy is low due to poor sanitation and lack of clean drinking water. (1 mark)

High levels of disease also contributes to many deaths e.g. 12% of Malawi's population are living with HIV/AIDS. (1 mark). As Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, there is a lack of doctors, medicines and healthcare to treat people when they become ill (1 mark) and there is a lack of money to invest in preventative measures such as vaccination programmes against diseases. (1 mark)

Note: the information that is in the answer has been interpreted from the population pyramid.