Geography in Everyday Life - Topic 3

Question 1

What is fieldwork?

Answer 1

Fieldwork is a systematic approach to investigate geographical pehnomena and their related issues.

Question 2

What are the stages of fieldwork process?

Answer 2

There are five stages in the fieldwork process:
* Craft research question or hypothesis
* Collection of data
* Anaylsis of data
* Presentation of fidnings
* Conclusion and evaluation

Question 3

What is a research question?

Answer 3

• A question taht outlines a specific scope for investigation related to the topic
• Often used where little research exists or the relationships between the variables are uncertain
• Inquistive in nature
• Many possible conclusions may be formed at the end of the investigation

Example:
* The temperatuee of the school field is highest at 3pm

Question 4

What is a hypothesis?

Answer 4

• A measured statement consisting of .one or two variables
• Often used when a large body fo research is available and relationships between the vairiables are quite certain
• Predictive in nature
• A definite conclusion is formed at the end of the investigation

Question 4

How may a research question or hypothesis be crafted?

Answer 4

This involves:
* First identfying a topic or a thesis from credible sources scuh as textbooks, new artciles and websites
* Next, crafting a research question or a hypothesis

Question 5

What types of data may be collected and how may data collection be sequenced?

Answer 5

To answer the reasearch question

Question 5

What are the different types of data to collect during fieldwork?

Answer 5

Primary Data:

Data that are colected first-hand:
* Photographs and sketches taken by fieldwork

Secondary Data:
Data that are collected by someone else
* Books, newspaper articles journals and maps produced by other authors

Question 5

How can data be classified into?

Answer 5

Quantitative Data:
Data that can be quantified and measured:
* Responses from closed-ended surveys.

Qualitative Data:
Data that are not easily measureable. and are subjective in nature
* Responses to open-ended questions in semi-structured interviews

Question 5

What are the two ways that data can be classified as?

Answer 5

If both quantitative and qualitative data are required, it is important to decide the sequence of data collected.

The data collection process may be sequenced in the following ways:

• Quantitative data followed by qualitative data
• Qualitative data followed by quantitative data

Question 6

Why would date be sequenced by quantitative data followed by qualitative data?

Answer 6

Firstly, quantitative data are collected to identify patterns and trends

Subsequently, quantitative data are collected to examine the patterens and trends observed

Example:

• To find out about residents’ perceptions of the quality of green. spaces in the neighbourhood, quantitative data from closed-ended questionaire surveys may be collected to identify patterns
• Subsequently, qualiitative data from semi-structured interviews can be collected to examine the patterns in the responses.

Question 6

Why would date be sequenced by qualitative data followed by quantitative data?

Answer 6

Firstly, qualitative data are collected to make observations.

Subsequently, quantitative data are collected to verify the observations

Example:
* To find out about the features in Clementi that make it attractive, qualitative data from semi-structured interviews may be collected to generate a list of features highlighted by the respondents
* Subsequently, collect quantitative data from closed-ended questionnaire surveys to verify the pberservations by getting respondents to rank these features

Question 7

What is a thesis?

Answer 7

An idea, opinion or theory of a person expressed as a statement

Question 8

What is a variable?

Answer 8

An element, feature or factor that can take on different values

Question 9

What are closed-ended questions?

Answer 9

Questions that offer limited responses

Question 10

What are open-ended question?

Answer 10

Questions that allow participants to give free-form responses

Question 11

What should be taken into account for a scope of an investigation?

Answer 11

• When designing a fieldwork, there is a need to determine the scope of the investigation. The scope can be adjusted based on research aims, study area, sample size and timeframe.
• There is a need to consider the existing limitations such as available resources when determining the scope.

Question 12

What is a study area?

Answer 12

A physical areaq of fieldwork investigation

Question 13

What are some limitations that need to be considered when designing fieldwork?

Answer 13

• When designing fieldwork, there is a aneed to determine the scope of the investigation. The scope can be adjusted based on research aims, study area, sample size and timeframe

Question 14

What are some limitations that need to be considered when designing fieldwork?

Answer 14

1. Data to be collected: How much data can I collect?
2. Time available: When am I able to conduct the fieldwork? How much time do I have ,in ,ordcer to complete the data collection
3. Access to places: Which location(s) do I have access tro?
4. Availability of equipment: How easy would it be for me to get the required equipment?
5. Manpower: How many people are involved in the investigation?

Example:

It is impractrical to collect all residents’ views on the quality (eg cleanliness, biodiversity) of nearby nature areas in Sinkgapore. It is more managable if the study area is restricted to selected housing blocks within a precinct.

Question 15

What are the risks of fieldwork?

Answer 15

• It is important to consider the potential riosks in fieldwork to avoid harming oneself, other people and nature

Risks:
* Falls cuts, minor injuries
* Traffic accidents, collisions with cyclists

Question 16

How to mitigate risks & hazards in fieldworks? ## Footnote `

Answer 16

**Falls, cuts, minor injuries** * * Students are to wear proper footwear and clothing * Students are to take notke of potential hazards (e.g. uneven surfaces, steep steps, jagged rocks) **Traffic accidents, collisions with cyclists** * Students are to take note of local traffic hazards and road crossing procedures * Studnetsd are to avoid collecting data on the road or in the path of cyclists

Question 17

What is sampling?

Answer 17

Sampling is the process of selecting a portion of a population being studfdies, usually to make generalisations about the populations.

Question 18

What are the different types of sampling?

Answer 18

Question 19

What is probability sampling?

Answer 19

* Sample are randomly selected, without the researcher's, consciour decision * This can be done by using a random number generator or die * This removes bias that comes from the choiuces made by the researcher * Has a greater chance of creating a representative sample ## Footnote **Example:** * To find out your schoolmates' favourite place in the neighbourhood, you select students from your school using a random number generator, instead of selecting only schoolmates that you know.

Question 20

What are the examples of probability sampling?

Answer 20

* Simple random sampling * Stratified random sampling

Question 20

What is non-probability sampling?

Answer 20

* Samples are non-randomly selected, often using the researcher's conscious decision * This means that the researcher subjectively selects samples, such as family or close friends * This selection may be biased * Samples are unlikely to be representative as they are subjectively selected, making it hard to make generalisations about the populations ## Footnote **Example:** * To find out your schoolmates' favourite place in the neighbourhood, you only select your friends in your class or CCA.

Question 20

When is non-probability sampling used?

Answer 20

Used when: * It is unnecessary or impractical to select a representative sample such as when conducting interviews, testing out the design of the questionaire or when conducting an exploratory research * Sampling needs top be conducted quickly due to time limitation

Question 21

When is probability sampling used?

Answer 21

Used to select a more representative sample

Question 22

How does simple random sampling work?

Answer 22

* Every member of the population is given a number * A random number generator is used to generate random numbers (e.g. 2, 5, 7) to select the samples

Question 22

What are the examples of non-probability sampling?

Answer 22

* Convenience sampling * Quota sampling

Question 23

How does stratified random sampling work?

Answer 23

* Select a sample that has a proportionate makeup to the population bvased on age and sex (or other categories such as ethnicities) * Probability sampling such as random sampling is used to select the sample This becomes **stratified random sampling** ## Footnote **Example:** If 65% of the population is made up of females and 35% is males, then the sample must also follow the same proportion.

Question 23

How does quota sampling work?

Answer 23

* Select a sample that has a proportionate makeup to the population bvased on age and sex (or other categories such as ethnicities) * Non-probability sampling such as convenience sampling is used to select the sample, instead of random sampling This becomes **quota sampling** ## Footnote **Example:** If 65% of the population is made up of females and 35% is males, then the sample must also follow the same proportion.

Question 24

How does convenience sampling work?

Answer 24

* Samples are selected because they are convenient sources of data, such as friends and people walking down a street

Question 25

What are questionnaire surverys?

Answer 25

* Questionnaire surverys investigate the opiniopns of people or organisations using a series of questions * They are used to collect quantitative data

Question 26

How do you collect data with questionnaire surveys?

Answer 26

You can collect data with the questionaire surverys using: 1. Predefined responses in the questionaire surverys 2. Rating scales in the questionaaire surveys.

Question 27

How do predefined responses in questionaire surverys work?

Answer 27

The predefined responses in the questionaire survery could be short phrases, or a single word arranged in a series, or numbers. Alternatively, the actual value can be recorded. ## Footnote **Example** Residents may be asked: * If they contribute to the recyling efforts in their neighbourhood and are given predefined responses such as 'yes', 'somewhat' and 'no' * 'How often do you bisit the green spaces in Bedok? With four predefined responses such as 'less than once a week', 'two to three tims a week' and 'more than three times a week' * Residents may be asked to write down a numbber indicating how often they visit the green spaces in their neighbourhood.

Question 27

What are the benefits of using predefined responses in the questionnaire survey?

Answer 27

* Use of predefined repsonses guides repsonses, thus it easier for them to answer * Researcher may find predefined responses easier to anaylse and interpet since they are put into fixed categories * Useful for quantitative data anaylsis to examine patterns of trends

Question 28

How do rating scales in the questionnaire survey work?

Answer 28

* Rating scales include a set of predefined responses * Often used to guide survery participants to respond to questions on their opinions with a wide range of responses

Question 29

What are the different types of rating scales

Answer 29

* Likert scales * Frequency scales * Ranking scales

Question 30

What are likert scales?

Answer 30

* Presents a range of responses anchored by two extreme opposing positions * Can have predefined responses based on a scale of agreement (e.g. agree / disagree) or quality (e.g. excellent/extremely poor)

Question 31

What are frequency scales

Answer 31

They present a range of respononses based on the number of occurence

Question 32

What are ranking scales?

Answer 32

* Used to get participants to compare items with one another * SHould have less than ten items to produce reliable data as when large ranking scales are used, partcipants would not have strong opinions about items ranked in the middle.

Question 33

Why are mental maps used?

Answer 33

* How people experience and think visually and spatially about their environment

Question 34

How can a mental map question be presented as?

Answer 34

* Blank papers and asked to draw features in a map form, such as what they know, believe and/or feel about a place or places **or** * A base map and asked to add details by labelling or annotating their perceptions of places on the ma | (insert image ltr)

Question 35

Define 'measures of frequency'

Answer 35

measurements finding the numbe rof times something occurs

Question 35

Explain how mental maps are used?

Answer 35

* Depending on the research question or hypothesis, participants may be given different base maps, instructions and tools to create their mental maps * Free-form mental maps are more representative of participants' perceptions of places compared to mental maps drawn using base maps * However, free-form mental maps are not easily georeferenced and mapped onto Gepographical Infromation Systems * Using drawn mental maps as discussion points, semi-steructured interviews with open-ended questions can be conducetd thereafter to find out more about the mapper's perceptions of the plac

Question 35

Define 'measures of central frequency'

Answer 35

Masurements finding the central value in a set of data

Question 36

Define 'mean'

Answer 36

sum of all the values in the data set divided by the number of values in the data set

Question 37

Define 'median'

Answer 37

Middle value for a set of data that has been arranged in ascending order

Question 38

Define 'mode'

Answer 38

The most frequent value in a data set

Question 39

Define 'legend'

Answer 39

lists the symbol sused and explains what is being mapped

Question 40

Define 'legend'

Answer 40

Lists the symbols used and explains what is being mapped

Question 40

Define 'Scatter plot'

Answer 40

A type of chart used to observe the relationship between two variables

Question 41

Define 'correlation'

Answer 41

The degree of association between two variables

Question 41

Define 'best-fit line'

Answer 41

A straight line drawn on a scatter plot to show the relationship between two variables