The Enquiry Process Map
Good fieldwork is not random. Follow the six stages of a geographical enquiry, from asking a question to critically reflecting on your results.
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Free interactive practice at using the material, which is what the marks are for.
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A plan for fieldwork
Good fieldwork is not random. Geographers follow a clear enquiry process: a set of stages from asking a question to reaching a conclusion. This module is about the SIX stages of a geographical enquiry, and the methods used along the way.
Enquiry words
Four ideas run through the enquiry process:
Where to start?
What is the first stage of a geographical enquiry?
- Formulating the enquiry question
- Drawing a conclusion
- Presenting the data
- Reflecting on the results
Two kinds of data
A strong enquiry collects both kinds of data.
Match the stage
- Stage 1
- Stage 2
- Stage 3
- Stage 6
- Decide the enquiry question
- Collect the data in the field
- Present the data as maps and graphs
- Reflect on how the enquiry went
Primary and secondary
Data comes from two sources. PRIMARY data you collect yourself in the field, such as your own measurements. SECONDARY data someone else collected, such as maps, old photos or official figures. A good enquiry uses both, and always says where the data came from.
Find the mean
In stage 3 you process your data. You measure five readings: 6, 4, 8, 5 and 2. What is the mean of these five readings?
A good enquiry
Which THREE should a good enquiry include?
- At least one quantitative method
- At least one qualitative method
- At least one secondary source
- Made-up results to save time
- Ignoring any data that surprises you
Present the data
In stage 3 you present your data as a graph. From the given reading, plot the mean value recorded at sites 2, 3 and 4.
The six stages
Put the six stages of a geographical enquiry in the right order.
- Formulate the enquiry question
- Collect the data using fieldwork
- Process and present the data
- Analyse and explain the data
- Draw an evidenced conclusion
- Critically reflect on the enquiry
Complete the idea
A geographical enquiry starts by forming an enquiry _____. You then collect data using both quantitative and _____ methods. Next you process and _____ the data as maps and graphs, before drawing an evidenced _____. The final stage is to critically _____ on how the enquiry went.
True or not?
Tap the TWO statements that are TRUE about a geographical enquiry.
- A good enquiry uses both quantitative and qualitative data.
- Critical reflection judges how well the methods worked.
- The first stage is to draw a conclusion.
- Secondary data is data you collect yourself.
- You should ignore any surprising results.
Which stage?
For each task, choose the right stage or method of the enquiry.
- You want a number to show how a beach changes along its length. What kind of method is best?
- You have your results and want to answer your question. Which stage is this?
- Your sample of readings was very small. What should your reflection say?
Plan an enquiry
Explain the stages of a geographical enquiry, from asking a question to reflecting on the results.
- State an enquiry question you could investigate
- Give one quantitative and one qualitative method you would use
- Explain how you would present and analyse the data
- Explain what you would reflect on at the end