Geography fieldwork involves formulating an enquiry question, gathering data, analysing the results and reaching conclusions. Fieldwork is often written up as a report.
All fieldwork requires data to be collected. Careful consideration of your research topic should enable a variety of data to be gathered.
It is important that you can explain why your chosen methods of data collection are suitable for your study. Consider the strengths and weaknesses of the data collection, along with possible improvements or extensions. It is acceptable to talk about weaknesses, as long as improvements can be suggested.
If you use secondary data sources such as websites or textbooks, you should be able to discuss the reliability of these sources e.g. are they up-to-date or do they contain biased information that may skew the results?
Data can either be:
Data can also be either:
Finally, data will also either be:
Fieldwork involves the collection of information or data. Quantitative data usually consists of factual information that can be counted and used in a study. Qualitative data is more opinion-based, but is still useful for geographical investigations.