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Fieldwork Skills

Fieldwork is Section B of Paper 3 (39 marks). You need to have completed two geographical enquiries during the course -- one human and one physical -- and be able to write about them in the exam. The fieldwork section is split into two parts: questions about fieldwork techniques in unfamiliar situations, and questions about your own investigations. You need to understand the full enquiry process from choosing a question through to evaluating your results.

1) Fieldwork is assessed in the second part (Part B) of Paper 3. There is no assessed coursework, but in the exam you need to be able to write about at least one human and one physical geographical enquiry. 2) The fieldwork section of the exam is split into two parts: - In one part you will be asked about fieldwork techniques in unfamiliar situations. You might have to answer questions about techniques for collecting data, how to present data you have been given or how useful the different techniques are. - In the other part you have to answer questions about your investigations -- you might be asked about your question or hypothesis, method, what data you collected and why, how you presented and analysed it, how you could extend your research and so on. 3) The two enquiries must be carried out in contrasting environments and show an understanding of both physical and human geography. In at least one of the enquiries students are expected to show an understanding about the interaction between physical and human geography. 4) Fieldwork must take place outside the classroom and school grounds on at least two occasions.

Exam Tips

  • •Make sure you know the details of BOTH your fieldwork enquiries (one human, one physical) -- the question/hypothesis, methods, data collected, presentation, analysis, conclusions and evaluation.
  • •When describing data collection methods, always explain WHY you chose them and how they were appropriate for your specific enquiry.
  • •Know the three types of sampling: random, systematic, and stratified. Be able to explain when each is most appropriate.
  • •For evaluation questions, discuss accuracy, reliability, and validity. Suggest specific improvements to methods rather than vague answers like 'collect more data'.
  • •If asked about an unfamiliar fieldwork situation, apply the same principles you used in your own fieldwork -- think about what data to collect, how to collect it, and how to present it.
  • •Always use geographical terminology in your answers -- terms like 'hypothesis', 'anomaly', 'correlation', 'primary data', 'secondary data', 'sampling'.
  • •In the exam, include specific data points and figures from your fieldwork when discussing your results and conclusions.
  • •Section B of Paper 3 is worth 39 marks. You need to answer all questions in this section.
  • •Remember: fieldwork must have taken place in at least two contrasting environments outside the classroom, covering both physical and human geography.