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AQA GCSE Geography

Fieldwork enquiry — AQA GCSE Geography revision

Free revision notes, key terms, common exam traps and 5 practice questions with answers. About 7 minutes to read.

The enquiry process

  • A fieldwork enquiry follows six stages: suitable question or hypothesis, data collection methods, processing and presentation, analysis, conclusion, and evaluation.
  • A good enquiry question is geographical, measurable in the time available, safe and linked to specification theory.
  • Justify site choice: representative, accessible, safe, and offering contrast (e.g. two sites along a river or transect through a town).

Data collection

  • Primary data is collected first-hand (measurements, counts, questionnaires, field sketches, photographs); secondary data comes from other sources (census, OS maps, weather records, previous studies).
  • Quantitative data is numerical and comparable; qualitative data captures opinions and perceptions but is harder to compare.
  • Sampling: random (unbiased, may miss areas), systematic (regular intervals, easy to repeat) and stratified (proportional to sub-groups, more representative for surveys).

Key terms

Hypothesis
A testable statement the enquiry sets out to support or reject.
Primary data
Information collected first-hand by the investigator.
Secondary data
Information collected by someone else.
Systematic sampling
Collecting data at regular, fixed intervals.
Stratified sampling
Sampling sub-groups in proportion to their share of the population.
Reliability
How consistent results would be if the study were repeated.

Common exam traps

  • Writing an evaluation that only says 'we could collect more data' without explaining why it would improve reliability.
  • Confusing primary and secondary data — census figures are secondary even if you collect them yourself.
  • Choosing a hypothesis that cannot be measured in the time available.

Practice questions with answers

  1. 1. Which is primary data?

    • • Census population figures
    • • River velocity you measured
    • • Historic rainfall records
    • • A published journal article

    Answer: River velocity you measured

    Primary data is collected first-hand.

  2. 2. Collecting data every 10 m along a transect is:

    • • Random sampling
    • • Systematic sampling
    • • Stratified sampling
    • • Opportunistic sampling

    Answer: Systematic sampling

    Fixed intervals make the method repeatable.

  3. 3. Give one advantage of stratified sampling in a questionnaire survey.

    Answer: It ensures each age or social group is represented in proportion, reducing bias

    Representativeness improves validity.

  4. 4. Which is qualitative data?

    • • Pedestrian counts
    • • Channel width in metres
    • • Residents' opinions about a regeneration scheme
    • • Wind speed

    Answer: Residents' opinions about a regeneration scheme

    Qualitative data records views and perceptions.

  5. 5. Explain why you should repeat a river velocity measurement three times.

    Answer: Repeats reduce the effect of anomalies and allow a mean, improving reliability

    Repeat readings and averaging is the key idea.

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