Geographical investigation

Question 1

What are the three phases of fieldwork of Geographical Investigation (GI)?

Answer 1

Pre-fieldwork, fieldwork, post-fieldwork phase.

Question 2

What do you do for the pre-fieldwork phase?

Answer 2

Analyse the GI question.

Question 3

What do you do for the fieldwork phase?

Answer 3

Gathering data

Question 4

What are the three steps during the post-fieldwork phase?

Answer 4

1. Representing data
2. Writing conclusion
   3.Reflection and evaluation

Question 5

What is the meaning of sampling?

Answer 5

Sampling is the process of selecting individuals from a population or choosing a smaller group which has similar characteristics that represent the entire population.

Question 6

Why do we need to use sampling?

Answer 6

Sampling is done as it is impossible and impractical to collect information from the whole population and there are also limitations on time and resources.

Question 7

How many sample size is required?

Answer 7

A sample size of at least 30 is preferred in order to conduct a real sable analysis of the data.

Question 8

What is probability sampling?

Answer 8

Probability sampling means that samples are randomly selected, without the researcher’s conscious decision.
This can be done using a random number generator.
Has a greater chance of creating a representative sample.

Question 9

What is Non-probability sampling?

Answer 9

Samples are non-randomly selected, meaning that the researchers subjectively selects samples, such as family or close friends.
Samples are unlikely to be representative as the selection is likely to be biased.

Question 10

When is probability sampling use?

Answer 10

It is used when you need a more representative sample.

Question 11

When is non-probability sampling use?

Answer 11

It is used when it is unnecessary or impractical to select a representative sample, and when sample needs to be conducted quickly due to time constraints.

Question 12

What are the two examples/types of probability sampling?

Answer 12

Simple random sampling and stratified random sampling.

Question 13

What is simple random sampling?

Answer 13

1. Decide on the desired sample size (e.g. 10)
2. Assign a number to every member of the population being sampled (e.g. 1-100)
3. Use a random number generator to generate random numbers until the desired sample size is reached (e.g. 42,10,9,72,88,14, etc.)
4. Select the sample using the random numbers

Question 14

What is stratified random sampling?

Answer 14

1. Decide on the desired sample size
2. Identify the makeup the population according to the relevant sub-group (e.g. of percentage of male/female?)
3. Calculate how many individuals need to be selected from each sub-group of the population (the ratio needs to be PROPORTIONATE)For Stratified sampling, a proportional percentage of samples are selected using random sampling
4. Use a random number generator to select the individuals to form the sample within each sub-group

Question 15

What is convenience sampling?

Answer 15

Carried out in an ad hoc manner that is the most accessible to the researcher
Select any members of the population who are conveniently and readily available.

E.g. giving out a questionnaire survey to the 1st 100 people outside the train station on a Saturday morning.

Question 16

Convenience sampling is an example of non-probability sampling? True or False?

Answer 16

True

Question 17

How do you conduct an interview?
There are three steps

Answer 17

1. Introduce yourself
   Begin with “Excuse me Sir/Madam
   Introduce your name and your role (student) and school
2. Provide information about your purpose
   State that you would like to conduct an interview with them for a school project.
3. Invite the respondent to participate in the interview
   —State the estimated duration of the interview
   —Ask for the person’s permission to continue before taking any photographs or recordings.
   If you require the respodents’ names or other personal information (e.g. age) for your data collection, you should get them to sign an interview consent form before proceeding with the interview.

Question 18

What should you do during the post-interview phase?

Answer 18

After concluding the interview, it is useful to consolidate the key points from your interview in a summary table.This will allow you to easily refer to the information collected from the interview when doing your analysis and conclusion.

Question 19

State 1 advantage and disadvantage of convenience sampling.

Answer 19

Advantage: Less tedious, easier to carry out

Disadvantage: Unlikely to be representative and is biased. May be either over representative or under representative.

Question 20

State 1 advantage and 1 disadvantage of simple random sampling.

Answer 20

Advantage:
Representative as it allows everyone in the population (depending on the sample size) to have an equal chance of being selected.
Avoid bias

Disadvantage:
Tedious
May not be representative if sample size is too small.
May not be feasible because you need to know the entire population size

Question 21

State 1 advantage and 1 disadvantage of stratified random sampling.

Answer 21

Advantage:
Unbiased. More precise, targeted to specific group

Disadvantaged:
May not be feasible because you need to know the entire population size.

Question 22

How do you analyse a GI question?

Answer 22

As we begin our investigation, we must ask good questions to unpack and understand the focus of the GI. One way of generating additional questions to unpack the GI question is by using the 5Ws 1H method: ask questions starting with who / what / where / when / why and how.

Question 23

What are some “who” questions to ask when analysing a GI question?

Answer 23

Who?
Who is affected by this issue?
Who lives in these places?
Who are the stakeholders involved?

Question 24

What are some “what” questions to ask when analysing a GI question?

Answer 24

What?
What is it?
What are the impacts?
What do I think about it?
What information do I need to answer this question?

Question 25

What are some “where” questions to ask when analysing a GI question?

Answer 25

Where is this place?
Where is it located?

Question 26

What are some “when” questions to ask when analysing a GI question?

Answer 26

When did this happen?
When was it used?
When was the survey conducted?

Question 27

What are some “why” questions to ask when analysing a GI question?

Answer 27

Why is it located there?
Why is it like this?
Why was it formed this way?

Question 28

What are some “how?” Questions to ask when analysing a GI question?

Answer 28

How is this feature formed?
How is it changing?
How does it affect people?

Question 29

What are the differently types of data? Explain in great detail.

Answer 29

There are primary and secondary data.
Primary data are data that is collected first-hand. Examples are photographs and sketches taken by fieldwork researchers and responses from closed-end questionnaire surveys administered by fieldwork researchers.

While secondary data are data that is collected from someone else. Examples include books, newspapers articles, journals and maps produced by other authors.
It depends on what is relevant for the investigation to decided what type of data to collect.

Question 30

Before you collect the data, you need to decide on the_____

Answer 30

1. Types of data to collect
2. Sequence of data collection

Question 31

There are two types of primary data. What are they and explain?

Answer 31

Quantitative data and qualitative data. Quantitative data can be counted or measured, and given a numerical value. On the other hand, qualitative data is descriptive.

Qualitative data- open-ended questionnaire surveys, field sketches, semi-structured interviews.

Quantitative data- close-ended questionnaire surveys, data from equipment, pedestrian count.

Question 32

Why are maps important?

Answer 32

Maps are important tools for Geographers, who use them to understand the world spatially. Creating your own map can be a valuable study aid, as it is useful for giving you a better grasp of where places are located and highlighting significant features within a mappped area.

Question 33

What are the elements that should be present in a map and what are the purpose of these elements? Explain.

Answer 33

Elements
Frame- (Purpose) Provides the boundary of the map by boxing up the area displayed.

Title- Indicated the theme of the map and explains what is represented in the image.

Legend- Contains a list of different symbols and/or colours next to a brief explanation of what each symbol means.

Compass- Distinguish directions, enabling the map to be drawn from any orientation with respect to the Earth’s surface without losing accuracy.

Scale- Accurately represents the same relative amount of distance between each feature, and shows the real-world distance physically represented by each unit of distance on the scale.

Question 34

What should you do when you see the context of the question for GI?

Answer 34

Annotate

Question 35

How do you answer questions that require you to draw conclusions?

Answer 35

What conclusion can you draw
Make a point
Elaborate
Evidence (data info)

Make a second point if possible
Elaboration
Evidence

To what extent does the data collected by the students support the hypothesis? Explain your answers using evidence from Fig.2
To a large extent/to a fair extent/to a small extent (answer the hypothesis)

Data: Make a generalisation of the data and provide specific evidence

Provide opposing view if there is + Evidence

Question 36

What types of questions are drawing conclusions questions?

Answer 36

Using information from Fig.1 and Table 1, what conclusion can the students draw about their guiding question ‘What features of Bishan housing estate make them inclusive for children?

And also

To what extent does the data collected by the students support the hypothesis? Explain your answer suing evidence from Fig. 2
All of these questions are requiring you to draw conclusions

Question 37

What are the elements that should be present in a photograph?

Answer 37

Title should be specific
Caption, location in the caption and annotations