Fieldwork Skills » Fieldwork Technique Selection

What you'll learn this session

Study time: 30 minutes

How to select appropriate fieldwork techniques for geographical investigations
Different data collection methods for physical and human geography
How to match techniques to specific geographical questions
Advantages and limitations of various fieldwork methods
How to design effective sampling strategies

Introduction to Fieldwork Technique Selection

Choosing the right fieldwork techniques is like picking the right tools for a job. If you're investigating a river, you'll need different methods than if you're studying how people use a shopping centre. This guide will help you understand how to select the most appropriate techniques for your geographical investigations.

Key Definitions:

Fieldwork: The collection of primary data outside the classroom through first-hand observation and measurement.
Primary data: Information collected directly by you during fieldwork.
Secondary data: Information collected by someone else that you use in your investigation.
Quantitative data: Numerical information that can be measured and analysed statistically.
Qualitative data: Descriptive information based on opinions, observations or experiences.

📈 Physical Geography Techniques

Methods used to collect data about natural environments like rivers, coasts, weather and ecosystems:

River velocity measurements using flow meters or float methods
Beach profiling using clinometers and ranging poles
Soil sampling and infiltration tests
Weather data collection using rain gauges and anemometers
Vegetation surveys using quadrats and transects

🏠 Human Geography Techniques

Methods used to collect data about human activities, settlements and interactions:

Questionnaires and interviews with local people
Land use mapping and building surveys
Pedestrian counts and traffic surveys
Environmental quality assessments
Photography and field sketching of landscapes

Matching Techniques to Geographical Questions

Every geographical investigation starts with a question or hypothesis. The techniques you choose should help you answer that specific question. Here's how to match them up:

Example: River Study

Question: "How does the channel characteristics of the River Lea change downstream?"

Appropriate techniques:

Measure channel width and depth at different sites
Calculate cross-sectional area and wetted perimeter
Measure velocity using a flow meter
Conduct a pebble analysis to measure sediment size
Take photographs at each site for comparison

Example: Urban Land Use Study

Question: "How does land use change with distance from the CBD of Birmingham?"

Appropriate techniques:

Land use mapping along transects from the centre
Building height surveys
Pedestrian counts at different times of day
Environmental quality surveys
Questionnaires about shopping habits

Sampling Strategies

When conducting fieldwork, it's usually impossible to measure everything. Sampling allows you to collect representative data without having to measure the whole study area.

🗺 Random Sampling

Locations are selected completely randomly, often using random number generators or grid references.

Best for: Areas with uniform characteristics, like a field or woodland.

📏 Systematic Sampling

Samples are taken at regular intervals, such as every 10 metres along a transect or in a grid pattern.

Best for: Detecting patterns across space, like changes along a beach or river.

🎯 Stratified Sampling

The study area is divided into zones or strata and samples are taken from each zone.

Best for: Areas with distinct zones, like different land use areas in a settlement.

Advantages and Limitations of Common Techniques

Questionnaires and Interviews

👍 Advantages

Collect opinions and perceptions directly from people
Can gather both quantitative and qualitative data
Relatively quick to conduct with many participants
Can be designed for specific research questions

👎 Limitations

People may not give honest answers
Sample might not be representative
Questions can be leading or biased
Time-consuming to analyse open-ended responses

Field Measurements and Equipment

👍 Advantages

Provides objective, quantitative data
Measurements can be repeated for reliability
Results can be analysed statistically
Less influenced by researcher bias

👎 Limitations

Equipment can be expensive or difficult to use
Weather conditions may affect accuracy
Requires training to use correctly
May only capture a snapshot in time

Practical Tips for Technique Selection

Five-Step Process for Selecting Fieldwork Techniques

Define your question or hypothesis clearly - What exactly are you trying to find out?
Identify what data you need - What information will help you answer your question?
Consider practical constraints - Time, equipment, access, weather and safety issues
Choose a mix of techniques - Use both quantitative and qualitative methods for a balanced approach
Plan your sampling strategy - How many samples and where will you take them?

Case Study: Coastal Fieldwork at Studland Bay, Dorset

Studland Bay in Dorset is a popular location for coastal fieldwork. Here's how different techniques were selected to investigate coastal processes and management:

🌊 Research Question

"How effective are the coastal management strategies at Studland Bay?"

Selected Techniques:

Beach profiling at managed and unmanaged sections
Sediment sampling and analysis
Groyne height and condition assessment
Wave frequency and direction measurements
Visitor questionnaires about coastal management awareness
Photographic evidence of erosion and management features
Secondary data from the local council on management costs

The combination of these techniques provided both quantitative data (measurements) and qualitative information (opinions and observations) that helped evaluate the effectiveness of different management strategies.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Choosing too many techniques - Focus on quality over quantity
Selecting inappropriate methods - Make sure techniques match your research question
Ignoring sampling strategy - Random data collection points may not give representative results
Relying on just one type of data - Combine quantitative and qualitative approaches
Forgetting about reliability - Plan to repeat measurements where possible

Conclusion

Selecting the right fieldwork techniques is crucial for a successful geographical investigation. By matching your methods to your research question, using appropriate sampling strategies and combining different types of data collection, you'll be able to gather reliable and relevant information. Remember that the best investigations often use a mix of techniques to build a comprehensive understanding of geographical processes and patterns.

As you plan your own fieldwork, always consider what you're trying to find out first, then choose the techniques that will best help you answer your geographical questions. And don't forget to consider practical issues like time, equipment availability and safety!

🧠 Test Your Knowledge!