Enquiry Skills

In the standard grade geography exam it is now important that you can identify gathering and processing techniques. In the general and credit papers you also have to justify (give good reasons for) your choices.

Gathering Techniques

  • Extracting information from a map
    • Differences and similarities can be clearly identified (for example, from old and new maps)
    • The layout of buildings help identify type and age of the buildings
    • Different maps can be used to show relationships (so for example, land use and relief)
  • Field sketching
    • Allows you to see for yourself
    • Better than photographs as you can choose what is included in the sketch, that is, you focus on the relevant features
    • Allows comparison with other sources
  • Measuring
    • A scientific way of gathering evidence
    • Measurement gives accurate details
    • Measuring allows you to use accurate information in a study
    • Allows conclusions to be made on objective evidence
  • Recording information on a map
    • Allows patterns and relationships to be identified
    • Allows comparisons to be made with the other sources
  • Observing and recording
    • Allows you to compare
    • A sample could give a good estimate of the overall situation
    • A transect makes it possible to study a large area by looking at a part of it
    • You can collect information that would not be available from other sources
    • This information will be original
    • Allows comparisons to be made
    • Allows conclusions to be made on objective evidence
  • Questionnaires and interviews
    • Find out how (or when) people travelled
    • Ask directly about
    • People can have first-hand information
    • You can collect information that would not be available from other sources

Processing Techniques

  • Classifying/ Tabulating/ Matrixing
    • Clearly highlights differences
    • When information is grouped or classified it comes easier to understand
    • Makes it easier to make comparisons
    • Makes it easier to find a relationship between sets of information
  • Drawing graphs
    • Good for showing percentages (pie chart)
    • Good to show how one amount is shared out (pie chart)
    • Shows changes over time or distance (line graph)
    • Shows if there is a link between two sets of figures (scattergraph)
    • Good for showing trends (line graph)
    • Allows you to compare
    • Using colour can make important aspects stand out
    • Good for showing changes in trends (line graph)
    • Scatter graphs can be used to test hypotheses
  • Drawing maps
    • Allows patterns to be clearly identified
    • Allows you to show only the relevant information
    • When used with other techniques maps can show relationships, for example, between land use and relief
    • Colour allows important aspects to be highlighted
  • Drawing cross sections/ Transects
    • Allows you to write descriptive or a explanatory common underneath
    • It is a good way to show relief (height, slope, shape and aspect)
    • Quicker and easier to describe a sample than whole area
  • Annotating maps, graphs and field sketches
    • Labels help in understanding diagrams
    • Annotation can be used to emphasise the important features