1
Q
What is the First Physical Fieldwork technique?
A
- Beach Profile/Slope Analysis
2
Q
What is a Beach Profile/Slope Analysis?
A
- Measure the length of the beach/slope.
- This measurement allows us to determine the correct distance in order to carry out systematic sampling
3
Q
How would we measure the Gradient? (Beach/Slope)
A
- To measure the gradient, put a ranging pole at the top and place a second ranging pole at first sampling point/visible change in the landscape.
- Then take a clinometer to measure the gradient - we do this twice for the average.
4
Q
What other data can be taken? (Beach/Slope)
A
- Vegetation or Soil Samples can be taken at each sampling point.
- Vegetation would be collected using random sampling and a quadrat.
- A soil sample can also be taken (to be analysed at a lab), or a quick soil-type flow chart can be used.
5
Q
What are the limitations of a Beach/Slope Analysis/Profile?
A
- Tide times can affect data collected on a beach.
- Ranging poles have to be held straight to ensure that they do not affect readings.
- There may be some user error when using the clinometer.
- It is important to keep the measuring tape held tight to ensure sampling points are accurate.
6
Q
What is the second physical fieldwork technique?
A
- Stream Analysis
7
Q
What is the first process of a Stream Analysis?
A
- When conducting a stream analysis, you would collect the width of a river using a tape measure.
- From here we use a systematic sampling strategy to then take the depths across the river using a meter stick.
8
Q
What is the second process of a Stream Analysis?
A
- When this depth is collected - you must pick up the first pebble you touch. You can then check this against the roundness index chart and measure the longest axis of the pebble.
9
Q
What is the third process of a Stream Analysis?
A
- From here you collect the weather perimeter, using a chain or pushing a measuring tape down the banks and base of the river.
- We can take velocity at 3 points across the river using a flow meter or a float device.
10
Q
What are the limitations of a Stream Analysis?
A
- You need to keep the tape measure tight from bank to bank to get a true width reading.
- When taking depth, stand upstream and use a wooden measuring stick to ensure that it doesn’t bend to skew the reading
- Do not place the metre stick on a large rock as this may skew the depth results.
- When using the roundness index chart - it is subjective.
- When measuring velocity, the float device may get stuck which may increase the reading.
11
Q
What is the final physical fieldwork technique?
A
- Micro-Climate Analysis
12
Q
What are the processes of a Micro-Climate Analysis? (1)
A
- A compass should be used to determine North.
- A wind vane or wind sock should then be used to determine wind-direction.
- An anemometer should then be used to determine wind speed.
- You should take several readings to get an average = results more reliable.
13
Q
What are the processes of a Micro-Climate Analysis? (2)
A
- Cloud coverage can be taken at each location through using the Okta Scale.
- You should use a digital or analogue thermometer to measure tempurature.
- Precipitation is measured using a rain gauge - this is a scaled glass funnel.
- Readings should be recorded at each location.
14
Q
What are the limitations of a Micro-Climate Analysis? (1)
A
- Wind strength can be very hard to measure at ground level.
- Each temperature reading should be taken at the same height to keep the study standard.
- A rain gauge should be kept away from anything that may affect readings such as buildings, vegetation, etc.
15
Q
What are the limitations of a Micro-Climate Analysis? (2)
A
- Cloud coverage can impact temperature readings.
- Cloud coverage readings can be subjective and therefore need more than 2 people to give a reading for an average.
16
Q
What is the First Human Fieldwork technique?
A
- Environmental Quality Survey
17
Q
What are the Positives of a EQS?
A
- EQS can be taken along footpaths over a period of time to identify changes in human impact.
- It may highlight areas off the path that are regularly visited, as busier areas can mean a lower environmental equality.
- These can be combined with electric footfall counters to quantify visitor numbers.
- These can be combined with annotated photographs to visually show the environmental quality.
18
Q
What are the negatives of an EQS?
A
- It can be very subjective and it considers people’s personal opinions.
- A way around this is to get a group to carry out one and take an average of the scores to give a better representation of an area.
- Too large of a scale allows for too much variation. A smaller source allows for more consist results no a better representation of the area.
19
Q
What is the second human fieldwork technique?
A
- A Bipolar Survey
20
Q
What is a Bipolar Survey?
A
- A survey where a chosen aspect is rated using polar opposite ratings e.g from -5 to +5.
21
Q
What are the advantages of a Bipolar Survey?
A
- They’re useful for concepts that have a Bipolar aspect.
- These are the only surveys where you can add comments, incorporating quantitative and qualitative data.
- Using a bipolar survey allows you to go ack and compare changes over-time.
22
Q
What are the disadvantages of a Bipolar Survey?
A
- They are subjective - based on personal opinion.
- Best to complete as a group so averages can be taken for reliability.
- It can be difficult to condense emotions down to a number.
23
Q
What is the third human fieldwork technique?
A
- Perception Study
24
Q
What is a Perception Study?
A
- Similar to an EQS and Bipolar Survey.
- However rather than the researcher carrying out the study, it can be given out to the public using a suitable sampling technique to gather opinion.
25
What are the advantages of a perception study?
- Can be carried over-time which allows researcher to go back and compare.
- Gathers more opinions than just the researcher which means results are more representative of a given area.
- Can be distributed online so a greater audience can be reached and results are easier to collate and present.
26
What are the disadvantages of a perception study?
- Can be difficult to condense emotions to a number.
- Usually use a scale from strong disagree/agree, can be difficult for a person carrying out the study to differentiate between the both.
- Respondents may not feel comfortable giving answers that present themselves in an unfavourable manner.
27
What is the fourth human fieldwork technique?
- an Interview
28
What is an Interview?
- An interview can be conducted after a perception study in order to gain further insights into people’s views about an issue, project or development.
29
What are the advantages of an interview?
- They can be more detailed and flexible than a questionnaire as it allows for respondents to give more open responses, rather than being restricted by tick box answers.
- Allows to ask additional questions or explore points which have been made.
- If you start with a few closed questions you put your interviewee at ease and they may open up more as it progresses.
- If you gain permission, you can record this which allows you to return to the responses at a later date - may help with presenting the info gathered.
30
What are the disadvantages of an interview?
- Can be difficult to arrange an interview, you want to ‘aim’ to interview the top people.
- Interviews are time-consuming, this limits the amount of responses and data gathered.
31
What is the fifth human fieldwork technique?
- A Questionnaire
32
What is a Questionnaire?
- They’re a common feature of investigations where the opinions of a group, or different groups of people can be gathered.
- They can be used to obtain information about people themselves, info about patterns + processes or opinions.
- Stratified Sampling is used.
- Many of these use a combination of all three.
33
What are the positives of a Questionnaire?
- Gathering primary data which cannot be sourced anywhere else.
- If you begin with personal questions e.g age, you can compare responses from different groups of people.
- They can be used in conjunction with other primary or secondary data to strengthen a study.
- They can be distributed online so a greater audience can be reached - results easier to collate and present.
34
What are the negatives of a Questionnaire?
- People may not be honest with their responses, may be tempted to say what sounds god, or what we want to hear.
- If there are open questions, people may not write anything, or a limited response, it is time-consuming which can limit the data collected.
- Questionnaire fatigue - people are fed up of being stopped in the street.
- Carrying them out face to face can be time-consuming and some people don’t partake in it.
35
What is the sixth human fieldwork technique?
- A Pedestrian Flow
36
What is a Pedestrian Flow?
- A researcher counts the amount of people in an area.
- Can count it in person through tally-marks over a short period of time and then work out the average, or you can use an Outdoor People Counter (OPC’s) which are electronic.
37
What are the positives of a Pedestrian Flow (OPC’s)? (1)
- OPC’s are constantly collecting data - more accurate.
- OPC’s will generate a far greater data set compared to researchers and will collect data over a greater period of time.
38
What are the positives of a Pedestrian Flow (OPC’s)? (2)
- Researchers can create multiple categories when collecting data, whereas OPC’s record a count therefore data is easier to analyse.
- An in-person tally count can be used in conjunction with a questionnaire and an interview which gathers additional primary data and ensures the same group of people are being sampled.
39
What are the negatives of a Pedestrian Flow/OPCS’s?
- OPC’s can only collect raw data, without question.
- Using field researcher will only collect during sample periods - less accurate.
- OPC’s suffer technical faults, whilst researchers can make human errors - both have flaws.
- OPC’s too expensive in short term, particularly if volunteers can be found to collect data by hand.
40
What is the seventh human fieldwork technique?
- A Traffic Survey
41
What is a Traffic Survey?
- Transport surveys can be a useful supporting technique for any rural/urban study, showing connectivity and accessibility to any rural or urban area.
- This is usually taken with a counter or tally chart, counting the number of vehicles over a period of time in a particular area.
42
What are the positives of a Traffic Survey?
- Different routes to a particular destination could be compared, or various routes into and out of a settlement.
- Questionnaire information could also be incorporated by surveying the routes that people take and the reasons for their choices.
- A noise meter may also be used to record decibel readings, that could be combined with an environmental quality survey.
43
What are the negatives of a Traffic Survey? (1)
- When collecting data average numbers of vehicles will be different at different times of the day.
- Large-scale studies can be time-consuming.
- People may lose count of tallys, or traffic can be fast-moving therefore data may be inaccurate.
44
What are the negatives of a Traffic Survey? (2)
- An electronic counter calculates traffic only and therefore does not categorise the types of traffic in an area.
- Data categorisation is subjective therefore again averages may have to be taken to make the data more representative
45
What is the final human fieldwork technique?
- Land-Use Mapping
46
What is Land-Use Mapping?
- This allows you to investigate changes in the form, size, structure and function of settlements over time.
- You print an OS map of your chosen area then using a colour-coded key, colour your map to classify the different land uses.
47
What are the positives of Land-Use Mapping?
- You can compare your current land use maps with historical maps to show changes over time.
- Maps can be re-drawn, following fieldwork, or digitised using GIS packages to make a presentation of data clearer.
- Field sketches could also be drawn, to add additional information about the area that is not directly linked to building use
48
What are the negatives of Land-Use Mapping? (1)
- There may be practical considerations to carrying out investigations over large areas making it very time-consuming.
- You may not be able to classify buildings from outside and therefore it may lead to gaps in your data collection.
- Care and thought should go into developing an appropriate land use classification key, to make data collection less subjective, however, a degree of subjectivity is inevitable when determining land use classifications.
49
What are the negatives of Land-Use Mapping? (2)
- Obtaining historical maps can be difficult and costly meaning comparisons over time may not be to be made.
- Many maps are just street-level view, and consideration needs to be made to the land uses on the second and third floors.
Advanced Higher Geography
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