IGCSE Geography / Fieldwork - the enquiry process
The fieldwork enquiry: question, context and hypothesis revision notes
Edexcel International GCSE Geography (4GE1), chapter 10: Fieldwork - the enquiry process, specification point E1, E2, G4. Free lesson.
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A fieldwork enquiry uses evidence to answer one question through seven stages. A clear, testable question and a hypothesis based on research help you plan useful fieldwork and answer exam questions accurately.
What are the seven stages of an enquiry?
An enquiry is an investigation that answers one question with evidence. Each stage has a different purpose, so when an exam question asks about one stage, focus on that stage. Question: what you want to find out. Context: research the background and make a prediction. Design: choose sites, sampling and safety steps. Collect data: use your methods at the sites. Present: process the data, then show it in tables, graphs or maps. Analyse and conclude: describe and explain the results, then answer the question. Evaluate: judge how far the results can be trusted. This…
How do you write a good enquiry question?
A good question must be answerable using fieldwork data. The place you are studying can suggest a question. For example, a beach with groynes, which are fences built out into the sea, could lead you to investigate what they do to sediment. Clear: say exactly what you will investigate. “How does channel width change downstream?” is clearer than “What is the river like?” Measurable: choose something you can count or score. You cannot measure whether a town centre is “nice”, but you can score its environmental quality at different distances from the centre. Small enough: one…
How does research lead to a hypothesis?
Context is the background to your question. Research it before collecting data, then use geographical theory to make a prediction. A hypothesis is a prediction written as a statement that you can test and accept or reject. For a river enquiry, the question might be: “How does velocity change downstream?” Secondary research could include a GIS map, a digital map with layers, showing the river route and safe places to enter. The theory is that channels get deeper and smoother downstream, so there is less friction. The hypothesis is: “Velocity increases downstream.” For a town…
How are familiar and unfamiliar enquiries tested?
Section B includes questions about your own familiar enquiry and another student’s unfamiliar enquiry. The eight-mark evaluation question may be about either one, so prepare for both. For your own enquiry, recall your full title, sites, methods and results. Use named sites, real equipment and your own figures. For an unfamiliar enquiry, use the details and figures in the resource booklet. Questions may ask you to calculate a mean, plot a point or name the sampling method. Quote the booklet’s figures when judging them. Paper 1 asks about your physical enquiry; Paper 2 asks about your…
How can you improve a vague town-centre question?
“What is the town centre like?” is too broad because it does not say what to measure or where. Make it measurable and specific so you can collect comparable data. A stronger question is: “How does pedestrian flow change with distance from the centre?” Count the people at each site. You can then compare the results between sites.