Formulating Coastal Enquiry Questions
Coastal fieldwork enquiry
- To undertake a coastal fieldwork enquiry there are a range of practical skills and methods that will be used
- These can be applied to any coastal fieldwork
Geographical theories and case studies
- The fieldwork enquiry should be linked to geographical theory and/or example:
- In the coastal fieldwork enquiry the theories of how coastlines vary in terms of their processes, landforms and/or the effectiveness of management strategies
- Using a model or case studies helps to explain why certain processes occur or trends/patterns can be seen
- They enable identification of where the data collected is not as expected
Aims and hypothesis
- The aims and hypothesis come from general questions asked about the coast such as:
- Does geology affect the shape of a stretch of coastline and its landforms?
- How and why is hard engineering more effective along a particular stretch of coastline?
- How and why is soft engineering used along a stretch of coastline?
- Does beach morphology change because of wave energy?
- Does coastal protection along a stretch of beach consider stakeholder views?
- Aims are focused on a particular place as you cannot measure everywhere
- Examples of an aim would be:
- To explore the impact of coastal processes on Y beach
- To investigate how wave energy along X beach changes beach morphology
- To explore how geology affects the shape and landforms of W beach
- Hypotheses are statements that are tested through fieldwork
- Examples of a hypothesis would be:
- Coastal management strategies used at Y beach have taken conflicting views into account
- 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:
- Coastal management strategies used at Y beach have not taken conflicting views into account
- After the aims and hypothesis of the fieldwork have been established the next steps include:
- 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
Study Figure 1, which is the data collected by a group of students studying beach profiles in two different locations with contrasting rock types.
Suggest a suitable enquiry question that the students could have investigated
(2 marks)
Answer:
- Is there a relationship between rock type (1) and the range of gradients found at both locations (1)
- The coarser the beach material (1) the steeper the gradient (1)
- Is there a significant difference between the gradients (1) at the two locations (1)
Site selection and sampling
- It is not practical or feasible to collect data along all parts of the coast as there would be too much data
- To select coastal sites, getting a true sample reduces bias
- There may be situations where access to a stretch of the coast is limited due to a rock fall or unstable cliffs etc.
- Therefore, an opportunistic approach to sampling needs to be taken
- This needs to be as close as possible to the site selected using sampling
- The most commonly used sampling strategies for a coastal enquiry are:
- Systematic: sampling of sites at regular intervals means that all parts of the stretch of coast are covered
- Random: the use of random sampling means that all sites have an equal chance of being selected which eliminates bias
- Stratified: by dividing each sampling site into groups e.g. three sites from each sample section
- Site location can be recorded using GPS to give an accurate location using latitude and longitude
- Or through grid reference from an Ordnance Survey map
Equipment
- To complete the coast measurements a range of equipment is needed
- The equipment includes the following:
- Surveyor’s 25+ meter tape: measuring distances on a beach or between ranging poles when completing beach transects
- Compass to measure direction
- Ranging poles for beach transects
- Clinometer: calculate the angle of a beach
- Callipers: measuring pebble size
- Quadrat: used to select sediment for sampling
- Clipboard for holding recording sheets
- Recording sheets
- Roundness or angularity charts
- Pencil for writing in data, particularly useful if the paper becomes damp
- Camera to take photographs of sites and coastal features
Risk assessment
- Any fieldwork will involve consideration of health and safety using a risk assessment
- Risks associated specifically with coastal fieldwork may include:
- Tide times
- Weather conditions
- Slippery rocks
- Polluted water
- Working in an unfamiliar place
- Misuse of equipment
