Aims, Sampling, Equipment & Risk Assessment
Economic Activity and Energy Enquiry
- In this fieldwork enquiry, the focus is on developing energy resources
- To undertake an energy fieldwork enquiry there are a range of practical skills and methods that will be used
- These can apply to any energy fieldwork
- The fieldwork enquiry should be linked to geographical theory
Aims and Hypothesis
- The aims and hypothesis come from questions asked about developing energy resources such as:
- What are people's views and opinions regarding a new wind farm?
- Why do people have the views and opinions they do?
- What environmental impact does a new renewable energy plant have on the surrounding area?
- Examples of an aim could include:
- An investigation into the impact of a new renewable energy plant
- An investigation into people's opinions of a wind farm expansion
- Examples of a hypothesis could include:
- The environmental quality will increase with distance from the new renewable energy plant
- People living in the local area will be opposed to the expansion of a wind farm
- After the aims and hypothesis of the fieldwork have been established the next steps include:
- Selecting the sites - this will involve sampling
- Deciding on the equipment to be used
- Considering any health and safety issues - completing a risk assessment
- Data collection methods
Worked example
Study Figure 1 shows a wind farm development in Lincolnshire
Suggest two possible geographical aims for an investigation of the wind farm (2)
- Answer:
- An investigation into local people's views of the wind farm development (1)
- An investigation into the impact on the environmental quality of the wind farm development (1)
Site Selection and Sampling
- To collect the data it is not practical to look at the environmental impact in all areas around the development such as a wind farm or ask all local people their opinion
- To select the sites used sampling should be used to reduce bias
- There may be situations where access to the sample sites may be limited, meaning an opportunistic approach to sampling may need to be taken. However, this should be as close as possible to the site selected using sampling
- The most commonly used sampling strategies for an economic activity and energy enquiry are:
- Systematic - sampling of sites at regular intervals around the energy development
- Random - the use of random sampling means that all sites have an equal chance of being selected which eliminates bias
- Stratified - if completing a questionnaire the population selected should be representative of the whole population. For example, if 10% of the population is over 65 then 10% of the sample should be over 65
- Site location can be recorded using GPS to give an accurate location using latitude and longitude
Worked example
Study Figure 1 shows the methodology of a student investigating the impact of a new renewable energy plant
Explain one type of sampling method chosen by the student (2)
Method | Purpose | Details |
Secondary data from websites | Background information on the sample sites | Use Google search to find information and local history books |
Photographs | A visual record of the sample sites | Take photographs of the different sites |
Environmental Quality Survey | Record environmental quality across the area | At six regular sites along a transect |
Questionnaire | People's views and opinions | Completed 24 questionnaires - four at each site |
- Answer:
- Systematic (1) collecting data in an ordered or regular way (1)
- 0pportunistic (1) collecting evidence where possible/appropriate (1)
Equipment
- To complete the economic activity and energy enquiry measurements, a range of equipment is needed
- The equipment includes the following:
- Clipboard for holding record sheets
- Environmental quality survey
- Questionnaires
- Pencil for writing in data
- Camera to take photographs of sites
Worked example
Study Figure 1 shows a student collecting opinions regarding a new renewable energy plant
How is the student collecting the opinions? (1)
A. Visiting people's homes | |
B. Asking people in the street | |
C. An online questionnaire | |
D. A postal questionnaire |
- Answer:
- B (1) - the student is asking people in the street
Risk Assessment
- Any fieldwork will involve consideration of health and safety using a risk assessment
- Risks associated specifically with economic activity and energy may include:
- Weather conditions
- Traffic
- Working in an unfamiliar place
- Contact strangers
Worked example
Identify two health and safety risks of carrying out an energy fieldwork enquiry (2)
- Answer:
- traffic accidents (1)
- mugging/crime (1)
- unfamiliar environment (1)
- getting lost (1)
- construction sites (1)