Paper 4: Alternative to Coursework - Geographical Fieldwork and Skills

A set of 20 practice flashcards reviewing key concepts, methodologies, sampling techniques, equipment, and data types for Paper 4 Alternative to Coursework.

What safety precautions must be considered before carrying out fieldwork?

Protection from the weather, sensible clothing, carrying out research in groups, carrying a mobile phone, checking that the area is safe, and carrying out fieldwork at an appropriate time of day.

What does each letter in the SMART acronym stand for regarding a fieldwork hypothesis?

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-related.

What is primary data?

Any data that is collected by you personally.

What is secondary data?

Data that has been collected by someone else.

How do quantitative and qualitative data differ in terms of presentation and analysis?

Quantitative data involves figures, making it easier to present and analyse, whereas qualitative data consists of written information or photographs, making it more personal but difficult to present and analyse.

What is random sampling?

A sampling method where every person in a study area has an equal chance of being selected because people are selected at random.

What is systematic sampling, and what advantage does it offer?

A method where data is collected at regular intervals (such as every $10\text{th}$ person), which removes any bias.

What is stratified sampling?

A sampling method where you select your sample to reflect the characteristics of the sample area (such as selecting the same ratio of males to females in your sample as there is in the study area).

What are the advantages of collecting primary data?

It is up to date, you know how the data has been collected, it only includes information relevant to your study, and it only covers your study area.

What are the disadvantages of collecting primary data?

It might include some personal bias, can be time consuming, is hard to study changes over time, some data might be dangerous or difficult to collect, and it is only possible to cover a small area.

What are the advantages of using secondary data?

You can study changes over time, it can be quicker and easier, you can study a large area, and it may include information you could not find out yourself.

What are the disadvantages of using secondary data?

It is usually out of date, might contain more information than needed, might cover a larger area than needed, you might not know how the data was collected, and the data might be in the wrong format.

What is the difference between open and closed questions in questionnaires?

Open questions permit an unlimited number of responses, whereas closed questions provide a limited number of responses.

What is a Bipolar Environmental Survey, and what scale does it typically use?

A technique to analyse the environmental quality of an area by ranking features on a scale, usually from $-5$ to $+5$.

Which pieces of fieldwork equipment are used for measuring short, medium, and longer distances?

A meter rule is used for short distances, a tape measure for medium distances, and a trundle wheel for longer distances.

What is a clinometer used for, and what equipment is it normally used alongside?

It is used for measuring slope angles (gradients) and is normally used alongside ranging poles.

What is a flowmeter used for in fieldwork?

Measuring the velocity of a river.

What is a transect?

A line along which you take measurements, such as running from the rural-urban fringe to the CBD or from the sea inland through sand dunes.

What four improvements can be made to data collection when conducting counts and surveys?

Doing counts more regularly (e.g. every $1$ or $2\text{ hours}$), doing counts and surveys in more than one location, carrying them out on different days of the week, and having two groups do the same survey to calculate an average.

Which urban models can be used for comparison during settlements coursework?

The Burgess and Hoyt Models.