Fieldwork - Data Collection

Oral or written questionnaires are used to gain information from an individual or a group of individuals.

Suitable themes in the IGCSE syllabus where questionnaires may be appropriately studied include:

• spheres of influence
• use of services
• shopping habits
• a farm study
• a factory or industrial study
• leisure activities
• tourism
• attitudes of the public to new developments

You need to consider the factors influencing the successful design of questionnaires layout:

• format of questions
• the appropriate wording of questions
• number of questions.

The practical considerations of conducting a questionnaire:

• the sampling methods
• pilot survey
• location of survey

You should be able to record the land use in an urban area and make observations of river or coastal features.

Maps, legends/keys, recording sheets, field sketches and annotated photographs may all be used to record observations.

Pedestrian and traffic counts are two significant examples of this enquiry skill.

What are the appropriate methods for recording the counts?

Things to be considered:

• the layout of recording sheets
• instructions
• necessary information required to identify the sheet following the count (i.e. time, date, location and name of the recorder)

When recording measurements, due consideration should be given to planning the layout of the recording sheet, the location of instruments and the sampling methods adopted to provide reliable data.

Knowledge of the equipment:

• quadrat
• clinometer
• pebbleometer or callipers

You should be familiar with:

• river measurements of channel width, depth, speed of flow and the size and shape of bedload
• beach studies of beach profile, the size and shape of pebbles and the movement of beach material
• weather study instruments (rain-gauge, maximum-minimum thermometer, wet and dry bulb thermometer (hygrometer), barometer, anemometer and wind vane