Urban Practical Skills (Edexcel IGCSE Geography)

Aims of Urban Fieldwork

Spec point — 4GE1-S9.128

Aims, sampling, equipment & risk assessment

Urban environment fieldwork enquiry

• To undertake the urban fieldwork enquiry there are a range of practical skills and methods will be used

• These can apply to any urban fieldwork

• The fieldwork enquiry should be linked to geographical theory

  • In the urban fieldwork enquiry the theories of the changes in urban land use and sustainability

Aims and hypothesis

• The aims and hypothesis come from the questions asked about the change in urban environments such as:

  • How does the quality of the urban environment vary along a transect?
  • What impact on the urban environment does the building of a new housing estate/road/industrial estate have?
  • How has the land use on the urban fringe changed?

• Examples of an aim would be:

  • An investigation into the environmental impact of a new road/housing estate/business park in the city of Y
  • An investigation into changes in land use on the urban-rural fringe of the city of X
  • An investigation into environmental quality from the CBD to the urban fringe in the city of W

• Hypotheses are statements that are tested through fieldwork

• An example of a hypothesis would be:

  • Environmental quality improves with distance from the CBD

• A null hypothesis is a statement that is opposite to a hypothesis

  • This ensures there is no bias when collecting the evidence

    • You are not ignoring evidence because it doesn't prove the statement

  • If you cannot prove the statement then the opposite must be true

  • Examples of a null hypothesis would be:

    • Environmental quality does not improve with distance from the CBD

• After the aims and hypothesis have been established the next steps are to:

  • Select the sites - this will involve sampling
  • Decide on the equipment to be used
  • Consider health and safety issues - complete a risk assessment
  • Data collection methods to be used

Worked Example State the title of your geographical enquiry.

Explain one reason why this title was suitable for your geographical enquiry

Final answer: (2 Marks)

• Award 1 mark for identifying a reason and a further expansion mark up to a maximum of 2 marks
• The title was both manageable and achievable. (1). Meaning that our primary data could be designed to fully answer the title set (1)
• The urban model allowed us to test a theory (1), so the title and focus were established to challenge the assumptions in the model (1)
• It was linked to a place close to school (1). Therefore, the data we collected would help answer the initial question set (1)

Site selection and sampling

• It is not practical to take measurements or look at changes in all parts of the urban environment

• To select sites sampling should be used

• Sampling will:

  • Reduce bias
  • Provide an overview of the whole

• There may be situations where access to the sample site may be limited meaning an opportunistic approach may need to be taken

  • This should be as close as possible to the site selected using sampling

• The most commonly used sampling strategies for urban environment enquiries are:

  • Systematic- a sampling of sites/people at regular intervals along a transect line

  • Random- all sites have an equal chance of being selected

  • Stratified- sampling sites which represent the whole

    • If 10% of the population is over 65 then 10% of a questionnaire sample should be over 65

• Site location can be recorded using GPS to give an accurate location using latitude and longitude

• Use of grid reference and compass points can also be used

Worked Example **State one type of sampling you used in your geographical enquiry **

(1 Marks)

• Answer: Award 1 mark for any of the following:

  • Systematic** (1)**
  • Stratified (1)
  • Random (1)
  • Pragmatic (1)
  • Opportunistic (1)
  • Accept any other appropriate response
  • Note: Title not required for credit

**Explain one way this sampling technique helped you to collect reliable data or information **

(2 Marks)

• Answer: **Award 1 mark for a reason further mark for extension through explanation, up to a maximum of 2 marks:

  • It allowed us to find out about the spatial variation in the area of study** (1) so that we knew that we would get good spatial coverage to minimise bias (1)**
  • Stratified sampling was used as we had census data about the town's population**(1) so we could design a fair sampling frame for the questionnaire about urban change that we were using (1)
  • Accept any other appropriate response, e.g. asking “different people” is allowable

Equipment

• To complete the urban environments enquiry a range of equipment is needed

• The equipment needed may include the following:

  • Record sheets
  • Interview Sheets
  • Pencil for completing recording sheets
  • Camera to take photographs of land use
  • Digital noise meter
  • Environmental Quality Surveys
  • Maps

Risk assessment

• Any fieldwork will involve consideration of health and safety using a risk assessment

• Risks specifically associated with urban environment fieldwork may include:

  • Weather conditions
  • Working in an unfamiliar place
  • Traffic
  • Getting lost
  • Speaking to strangers
  • Pollution
  • Cars

Worked Example **Explain one way you could manage risk during fieldwork in a regenerated urban area **

(3 Marks)**

• Answer: **Award 1 mark for a correct suggested way to manage risk, with a further 2 marks for expansion:

  • Remain alert** (1)** to ensure awareness of traffic (1) to prevent accidents (1)
  • Wear appropriate clothing (1) to ensure comfort during fieldwork (1) and reduce the chance of illness (1)
  • The uneven ground in urban areas poses a risk of slipping or falling (1). Wear appropriate footwear (1) with good tread for grip (1)
  • Work in groups (1) to ensure safety (1) against unexpected events (1)

Using Equipment in Urban Fieldwork

Spec point — 4GE1-S9.128

Using equipment in the field

• The data collection methods depend on the aims/hypothesis of the fieldwork

  • In urban environment fieldwork, the only equipment which may be used is a digital decibel meter
  • Other data collection may include questionnaires, traffic counts and environmental quality surveys

• Data collection should include both quantitative and qualitative methods

Questionnaires

• Questionnaires can be used to gather the opinions of local people on changes in the urban environment

  • An example of a statement question would be:

    • 'The building of the new housing estate has increased traffic.' Do you strongly agree, agree, disagree or strongly disagree?

  • An example of a closed question would be:

    • 'How long have you lived in this area?'

  • An example of an open question would be:

    • 'What are your views on the new housing development in ............?'

  • These can be used to gather a large data sample

Environmental quality surveys

• Environmental Quality Surveys (EQS) can be used to compare different sites within the urban area

  • A survey would be completed for each site
  • Care needs to be taken to be as objective as possible

Traffic and pedestrian flow surveys

• Traffic and pedestrian flow surveys can be used to compare the traffic and pedestrian levels at different sample sites
• They can be completed on a tally chart at different sites and at different times of the day

Worked Example Identify one type of quantitative data used in an urban environment land use change enquiry

**(1 Mark)

• Answer:

  • Environmental surveys (1)
  • Traffic/pedestrian surveys** (1)
  • Closed questions from questionnaires (1)

Photographs and Field Sketches

• Photographs and field sketches are qualitative data
• Just as with any data collection and presentation, they have their strengths and weaknesses
• In an urban environment enquiry, photographs and field sketches can be used to show changes in land use and their impact on the environment at sample site locations
• Photographs are also useful for illustrating the data collection methods used

Worked Example **Explain why field sketches are a useful form of primary data **

(2 Marks)

• Answer:

  • Can capture lots of detail (1) which means they can be examined properly after the field trip has ended (1)
  • Highlights specific features which relate to the other data collected** (1)** so can be used to support other forms of data collection (1)
  • Easy to annotate to show details (1) so can help with analysis (1)

Exam Hint Annotations and labels are not the same. A label is a simple descriptive point. For example, 'litter'. Whereas an annotation is a label with a more detailed description or explanatory point. For example, Large amounts of litter near to a playground where there are no bins available.