CATHOLIC JUNIOR COLLEGE

H2/H1 GEOGRAPHY 2015/16

HUMAN GEOGRAPHY FIELDWORK PACKAGE

Answering FIELDWORK Questions

1. Purpose
a. The aim of the fieldwork as stated in the questions
2. Methods and Data
3. Mapping
4. Analysis + Conclusion
5. Evaluation of fieldwork
a. Can include strengths and limitations of mapping technique
Answering MAPPING Questions
1. Contextualise procedures to set of data given e.g. use the maximum and minimum values in the question to
identify the range.

GLOBALISATION

- DISCUSS HOW TO MAP GLOBAL VARIATIONS IN ECONOMIC WEALTH [MAPPING]

o Using a choropleth map
Technique
Determine the mapping categories
o Subtract the lowest value from the highest value to calculate the range of the
numbers.
o Decide upon the number of mapping categories. Five to ten mapping
categories are adequate for most maps.
o Divide the range by the number of mapping categories to determine the
numbers to include in each category.
Choose a color code or shading pattern for each category. The colors or patterns
assigned should increase from light to dark to represent the lowest to highest category.
Locate and label each country on an outline map, determine its mapping category, and
color or shade the country appropriately.
Title the map and add the key or legend to the map.
Advantages
Can effectively be used to report area values at virtually any scale, from global to local
– and the data can be thought about in many different ways at many different levels of
analysis, from general overall patterns to the detection of details.
Helpful for finding intriguing hot spots, detecting relationships between the encoded
variable and geographic location (and the many variables entangled with location), or
letting people know how their area compares with others.
Disadvantages
Since the choropleth map uses an average number to represent defined areas, the
viewer cannot gain detailed information or perspective on any area’s internal
conditions.
They give a false impression of abrupt change at the boundaries of shaded units.
Choropleths are often not suitable for showing total values.
It can be difficult to distinguish between different shades.

o Using circular cartograms

Technique
Circles are used to represent an area and the size of the circle is proportional to the
attribute being mapped.
Obtain data for values to be represented on a map.

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Compute the square roots of the value to be represented on a map.

Use the square roots to determine a reasonable scale for the circles’ radii.
Use a protractor to draw a circle where the country should be to depict the magnitude
of the country’s wealth.
Include scale and title for the map
Advantages
One advantage of proportional symbol maps over dot density maps is it is generally
easier for map readers to extract numbers from the map since estimating the size of a
symbol is less tedious than counting many little dots.
An advantage of proportional symbol maps over choropleth maps is that the size of the
enumeration unit doesn't matter: If a country with a small geographic area, such as the
Netherlands, has a large data value attached to it, it will have a large symbol over it. By
comparison, on a choropleth map, smaller places are easily overlooked on a busy map-
even if they have large data values – while large countries dominate the map no matter
what color they are.
Disadvantages
Time-consuming
Involves complicated mathematical computation

- DISCUSS HOW TO CONDUCT QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEYS TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF TNCS [FIELDWORK]
o Questionnaires are usually paper-and-pencil instruments that the respondent completes.
o Purpose
To determine the impact of TNCs
o Data and Methods
Conduct a household (at household/business premises) drop-off survey, as opposed to a
mail survey or a group administered survey
a researcher goes to the respondent's home or business and hands the respondent
the instrument.
more personal, permits clarification, yet allows respondent to complete survey in
private
mail survey is too impersonal and does not permit clarification, while a group
administered survey requires all respondents to be present and complete the
survey together
Possible respondents could include high-level managers who have a breadth of
understanding of the TNCs operations, and employees at the operational level.
If operations of TNC is located near other stakeholders, then those stakeholders should be
surveyed as well, e.g. residents of a nearby housing estate or school.
Government officials who have a role in regulating the activities of TNCs could also be
surveyed.
Questions crafted should capture the effect of the TNCs from multiple angles, i.e., social,
economic, and environmental.
Different questions could be asked of different stakeholders e.g. how does your company
dispose of waste materials? (for managers), what is the procedure that you adopt in the
disposal of waste materials? (for operators), have you come into contact with waste
materials from the factory? (for residents living nearby).
Most questions should be closed-ended to cut down on the amount of writing that
respondents have to do. However, some open-ended questions are permissible for greater
depth.
o Analysis
Responses to close-ended questions can be compiled, collated and depicted in graphs to
identify key responses e.g. the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ responses to the question ‘Are local job
applicants considered first before foreign job applicants?’ could be depicted in a pie chart.
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Responses to open-ended questions can be classified using an analytical framework.

Findings can be compared to other contemporary studies done or compared with past
studies to establish changes.
o Evaluation
Advantages
Large amounts of information can be collected from a large number of people in a
short period of time and in a relatively cost effective way
Can be carried out by the researcher or by any number of people with limited affect
to its validity and reliability
The results of the questionnaires can usually be quickly and easily quantified by
either a researcher or through the use of a software package
Can be analysed more 'scientifically' and objectively than other forms of research
When data has been quantified, it can be used to compare and contrast other
research and may be used to measure change
Disadvantages
Is argued to be inadequate to understand some forms of information - i.e. changes
of emotions, behaviour, feelings etc.
There is no way to tell how truthful a respondent is being
There is no way of telling how much thought a respondent has put in
The respondent may be forgetful or not thinking within the full context of the
situation
People may read differently into each question and therefore reply based on their
own interpretation of the question - i.e. what is 'good' to someone may be 'poor' to
someone else, therefore there is a level of subjectivity that is not acknowledged
There is a level of researcher imposition, meaning that when developing the
questionnaire, the researcher is making their own decisions and assumptions as to
what is and is not important...therefore they may be missing something that is of
importance

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URBANISATION

- DISCUSS HOW TO CONDUCT A PEDESTRIAN COUNT [FIELDWORK + MAPPING]

o Purpose
Usually to delimit the CBD (assumption that pedestrian count would be the highest in the CBD
and decrease with distance away from the CBD)
o Data and Methods
Think about the which day of the week to count pedestrians. Pedestrian numbers are likely to
be higher:
on a Saturday or Sunday then during the week, when young people are at school and
many people are at work
during school holidays
during dry weather - people might avoid heavy rain if it is forecast
if there is a popular event happening in the city centre, such as January sales or a
Christmas market
Time of day is also important. Pedestrian numbers are likely to be higher:
o during "rush hours" (like 8am-9am) or shift changes
o during office lunchtimes
o at various other specific times, such as Sunday afternoon shop closing time
Around 11am and 2.30pm are often good times to choose.
Choose at least 20-25 survey points across the city centre.
Previous survey points may be used if a follow-up study is being conducted
If manpower is limited, survey points may be limited to well-known high volume
pedestrian junctions
For a more representative and comprehensive study, stratified sampling can be
done:
o Junctions can be divided up into high volume junctions and low volume
junctions
o Within each category, junctions can be chosen at random (using random
number generator) or systematically (every nth junction)
Different groups will walk different routes across the city centre.
At each survey point, count the pedestrians who pass that point in 2 minutes.
1 person will be deployed on each side of the road to count the pedestrians moving in both
directions.
On each side of the road, 1 person will be operating the stopwatch and another will be recording
the information on a recording sheet (see Figure 1 below).

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Figure 1 Recording sheet for pedestrian count

o Mapping
Mark on the base map the observed values. Values will be located accurately at the exact survey
point.
Decide the suitable value or number for the isolines by looking at the range of the values
collected. Work out on how many lines of fixed intervals will fit properly on the map between
the maximum for and minimum values.
Join all places or points of equal value with smooth line in accordance to the interval chosen. It
is necessary to determine the values of intermediate points through which the isoline will pass
using “logical interpolation”.
The key and title should be included to aid interpretation.
o Analysis
Identify the area bounded by the highest pedestrian counts
Corroborate area with land-use map or other secondary data e.g. height of building
o Evaluation
Labour-intensive
Importance of groups conducting the survey at the same time to ensure that data is comparable
Possibility of double-counting when pedestrians turn around to go back along their previous
route
Need for group to have a common definition of pedestrians e.g. people on wheelchairs, toddlers
whose hands are held by an adult
Advantages of isoline maps
Objective since numbers are used.
Able to show continuous change across the map.
Disadvantages of isoline maps
It is confusing when there is large list of points or dots.
The accuracy is compromised as mapping involves interpolation which is subjective.
It is time consuming when there is a large number of values.
Difficult with ‘patchy’ data (insufficient survey points).

- DISCUSS HOW TO DELIMIT THE CBD THROUGH MAPPING LAND USE [FIELDWORK + MAPPING]
o Purpose
To find out the boundaries of the CBD by identifying the area where CBD (i.e., shops,
entertainment, services, transportation) functions predominate.
o Data and Methods
Walk along a transect (a route which crosses the city centre).
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Make a list of all the land uses along the route. Record one side of the route on the way out,
and the other side of the road on the way back
It may be too time-consuming for 1 person to record all the land uses in the city centre.
Therefore, different people/groups can walk down different transects.
o Mapping
Obtain a GOAD map.
Classify the land use (including buildings) into one of the 7 categories below:
R = Residential (e.g. houses, apartments)
I = Industrial (e.g. factories)
C = Commercial (e.g. shops)
E = Entertainment (e.g. cinema, theatres)
P = Public buildings (e.g. town hall)
O = Open space (e.g. parks)
T = Transport (e.g. railway station, car park)
S = Services (e.g. estate agents, banks)
The 'Commercial' category may be divided into sub-categories, e.g. 'clothes and footwear' and
'food'.
Include title and legend in the map.
o Analysis
Identify the area where CBD functions cluster as the possible CBD
This area can be corroborated with analysis of pedestrian or traffic counts
The area delimited can be compared to older maps of the CBD to identify how the CBD has
changed
o Evaluation
High-rise buildings may have multiple functions
Access to buildings may be prohibited that does not allow clear identification of land use