Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Student Guide
Geography
For first teaching from September 2008
For first award of AS Level in Summer 2009
For first award of A Level in Summer 2010
AS 1: Fieldwork in Geography
Student Guide: AS Geography
Fieldwork
Selection of Many factors need to be considered in the selection What site(s) were chosen for study?
LOCATION/ SITE of a suitable site. As well as providing a suitable What factors influenced the choice of
geographical environment to investigate the site?
devised aim of the fieldwork, other factors such How did the physical, human or
as accessibility, cost, time and safety may require environmental geography of the area
consideration. influence site selection?
Planning for In the context of fieldwork, risk assessment and What do the terms Hazard and Risk?
HEALTH& SAFETY management are essential and are a specific What is a risk assessment and how/
requirement of the revised specification. when/why was it conducted?
What specific hazards were identified
in the chosen fieldwork location?
What contingencies were planned and
adopted to manage the risks?
How successful were the health and
safety strategies in minimising risk?
Planning for Primary and secondary data should be collected What variables were identified for data
DATA COLLECTION to allow for a thorough investigation of the aim. collection?
Constant consideration of the basic aim is essential What equipment or materials were
to ensure relevant and sufficient data is collected to required for data collection?
allow for analysis, interpretation and the formulation How were data collection/capture
of meaningful geographical conclusions. materials devised?
What is meant by pilot testing?
Why is this an essential part of pre-
fieldwork planning?
DATA COLLECTION Data collection in the field should be carried How was data collected in the field/
out using appropriate equipment or materials laboratory?
and relevant secondary sources should be What equipment was used?
compiled. Candidates should experience, and What steps were taken to ensure that
be familiar with, all data collection procedures reliable/accurate data was collected?
employed in the field, or subsequently the What secondary sources were
laboratory. The data collected should be identified?
tabulated and submitted along with the Why were chosen sources identified as
fieldwork report for examination purposes. suitable?
What is the actual role or purpose
of secondary data within the
investigation?
DATA ANALYSIS/ A detailed description of results, potential What trends, if any, are displayed in
INTERPRETATION trends and residual values should be relation to the aim of the study?
undertaken in relation to the aim of the study. Do any anomalous values exist?
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Statistical techniques should be used to What is the purpose of using statistics
interpret and analyse data to enable its in geographical studies?
reliability to be ascertained. Significance What statistical method could be
testing provides objective proof for the applied to the data?
acceptance or rejection of hypotheses. Why was this statistical method
appropriate?
As a result of significance testing, can
hypotheses be accepted or rejected?
How significant is the statistical
outcome?
GEOGRAPHICAL CONCLUSION This involves the formulation of a coherent What are the overall findings of the
summary of all key questions/hypotheses investigation in relation to the aim of
and the provision of geographical reasoning the study?
to support findings. Theoretical concepts or Do results conform/conflict with
models may aid explanation. theoretical expectations?
EVALUATION The strengths and weaknesses of the What are the strengths/weaknesses of
investigation should be critically reviewed. It the investigation?
is necessary to consider potential limitations What factors may have influenced
of methods, results and conclusions. Potential the reliability of the results and
modifications can be considered and possible conclusions?
extensions to fieldwork suggested. A self- Are there any obvious ways in which
critical analysis allows a deeper level of the investigation could be modified or
geographical understanding. improved?
How could the investigation be
extended to allow for a deeper
geographical understanding?