Formulating Enquiry Questions (Edexcel GCSE Geography: B (1GB0))

Urban environment fieldwork enquiry

• To undertake the urban fieldwork enquiry there are a range of practical skills and methods will be used
• These can apply to any urban fieldwork
• The fieldwork enquiry should be linked to geographical theory
  • In the urban fieldwork enquiry the theories of the changes in urban land use and sustainability can be used
  • 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 the questions asked about change in urban environments such as:
  • How does the quality of the urban environment vary along a transect?
  • What impact on the urban environment does the building of a new housing estate/road/industrial estate have?
  • How has the land use on the urban fringe changed?
• Examples of an aim would be:
  • An investigation into the environmental impact of a new road/housing estate/business park in the city of Y
  • An investigation into changing in land use on the urban-rural fringe of the city of X
  • An investigation into environmental quality from the CBD to urban fringe in the city of W
• Hypotheses are statements that are tested through fieldwork
• An example of a hypothesis would be:
  • Environmental quality improves with distance from the CBD
• 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:
    • Environmental quality does not improve with distance from the CBD

• After the aims and hypothesis have been established the next steps are to:
  • 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

Site selection and sampling

• It is not practical to take measurements or look at changes in all parts of the urban environment 
• To select sites sampling should be used
•  True sampling will:
  • Reduce bias
  • Provide an overview of the whole
• There may be situations where access to the sample site may be limited meaning an opportunistic approach may need to be taken
• However, this should be as close as possible to the site selected using sampling
• The most commonly used sampling strategies for urban environment enquiries are:
  • Systematic: a sampling of sites/people at regular intervals along a transect line
  • Random: all sites have an equal chance of being selected
  • Stratified: sampling sites which represent the whole
    • If 10% of the population is over 65 then 10% of a questionnaire sample should be over 65
• Site location can be recorded using GPS to give an accurate location using latitude and longitude
• Use of grid reference and compass points can also be used

Equipment

• To complete the urban environments enquiry a range of equipment is needed
• The equipment needed may include the following:
  • Record sheets
  • Interview Sheets
  • Pencil for completing recording sheets
  • Camera to take photographs of land use
  • Digital noise meter
  • Environmental Quality Surveys
  • Maps

Risk Assessment

• Any fieldwork will involve consideration of health and safety using a risk assessment
• Risks specifically associated with urban environment fieldwork may include:
  • Weather conditions
  • Working in an unfamiliar place
  • Traffic
  • Getting lost
  • Speaking to strangers
  • Pollution
  • Cars