Planning Write-up Report
Planning
The key to successful fieldwork is good planning. In order to begin your Individual Investigation, you need to complete the following:-
- Literature Review – Read up on your topic using a range of sources (books, journals, the Internet) to establish background information and theories.
- Decide on your title and aims.
- Develop hypotheses based on your research and reading.
- Choose appropriate equipment
- Prepare recording sheets (design questionnaires)
- Decide on sampling strategies
- Do a risk assessment
- Choose a location, day and time for your investigation
- Complete a pilot study to check for problems
Complete the sections of the following document to explain and evaluate your progress.
You can alter the document to reflect the work that you have done, but all sections must have something in them!
Add as much detail as you can – make note of things that go badly, as well as things that are successful.
Sample Exam Question:
Discuss the sources of information that could be used in an investigation of…(insert topic here).
[10 marks]
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Title of my Individual Investigation for Unit G3(B)
Aim 1
Aim 2
Aim3
Literature Review
Complete the table to show the reading and research that you have undertaken. (The minimum requirement is one book, one website and one journal article).
Source of Information (book, website, journal article, OS map, video) |
Brief summary of information (any bias?) |
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Background Information/Theories
Add information below that shows your understanding of your topic. This can be a diagram, pictures, somebody’s theory, a paragraph of writing, some useful data or a map; anything that demonstrates that you understand the Geography of your topic.
Sampling Strategy (Strategies)
Have you read Lenon and Cleves (Fieldwork Techniques and Projects in Geography Chapter x) or Waugh (Geography: An Integrated Approach pgs xx-yy)?
Q. What is the purpose of sampling?
Answer:-
Complete the table below to explain your sampling strategy or strategies.
Aim |
Sampling Strategy
(including number of sites, pieces of data needed) |
Justification
(Why are you using this technique?) |
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Equipment
In the table below, explain the equipment that you will require.
Aim |
Equipment needed |
Justification
(Why are you using this?) |
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2. |
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3. |
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Risk Assessment
In order to carry out fieldwork safely, you need to consider the risks that you are taking, and plan appropriate strategies to minimize that risk. In the table below, describe 3 possible risks or safety concerns which you might encounter during fieldwork, then explain how you can overcome them.
Aim |
Possible Risks: |
Ways to avoid the risk; precautions to take: |
1. |
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2. |
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3. |
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Pilot Study
The purpose of a pilot study is to do a dry run of your data collection in order to minimize problems when you collect the final set of data. It is an opportunity for you to improve or modify techniques, and to test the equipment.
Summary of the Pilot Study
Location:
Time:
Date:
Problems that I encountered:
Changes that I need to make:
Recording Sheets / Questionnaires
At this point you need to include examples of your recording sheets and any questionnaires that you are using. Think about the best way to record your data, and start considering how you are likely to represent the data in the later stages.
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