GEOGRAPHY IGCSE: ALTERNATIVE PAPER 4 - INVESTIGATING
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The document outlines the key enquiry skills required for the IGCSE Geography Alternative Paper 4, emphasizing the importance of forming hypotheses, collecting data, and conducting analyses to support geographical investigations. It details various data collection methods such as questionnaires, observations, and measurements, including practical considerations for their implementation. Additionally, it highlights techniques for presenting and interpreting data to evaluate hypotheses and assess reliability.
GEOGRAPHY IGCSE: ALTERNATIVE PAPER 4 - INVESTIGATING
- 1. IGCSE GEOGRAPHY ALTERNATIVE PAPER 4 INVESTIGATING
- 2. These are called enquiry skills for Paper 4. Candidates should be familiar with hypotheses as statements that form the basis of Coursework assignments. The hypotheses may investigate a geographical concept e.g. ‘A CBD has the highest concentration of comparison shops’. Collecting relevant data, analysis and drawing conclusions using the data as evidence can test these.
- 3. Questions on this paper will test knowledge and application of the methodology used in the following range of data collection enquiry skills. The data can be collected by using: A. questionnaires B. observations C. counts D. measurements
- 4. Questionnaires can be oral or written to gain information from an individual or a group of individuals. Suitable questionnaires may include: - spheres of influence - use of services - shopping habits - a farm study - a factory or industrial study - leisure activities - tourism - attitudes of the public to developments associated with resource development.
- 5. Consideration should be given to factors influencing the successful design of questionnaires: - layout - format of questions - the appropriate wording of questions - the number of questions The practical considerations of conducting a questionnaire e.g. the sampling methods, pilot survey, and location of survey should also be discussed.
- 6. Examples of using observations as an enquiry skill to collect data include the recording of land-use in an urban area or observations of river or coastal features. Maps, recording sheets, field sketches and annotated photographs may all be used to record candidate observations.
- 7. Pedestrian and traffic counts are two significant examples of this enquiry skill. Appropriate methods for recording the counts should be discussed including: - the layout of recording sheets - Instructions - the necessary information required to identify the sheet following the count such as: - time - date - location - name of recorder
- 8. When recording measurements, due consideration should be given to planning: - the layout of the recording sheet - the location of instruments - the sampling methods adopted to provide reliable data Knowledge of the equipment used in measurement is required such as: - the quadrat - the clinometer - the pebbleometer - callipers
- 9. Candidates should be familiar with river measurements of channel: - width - depth - speed of flow - the size and shape of bedload Beach studies of: - beach profile - the size and shape of pebbles - the movement of beach material - weather study instruments - measurement techniques associated with human fieldwork such as: - survey strategies - pedestrian/traffic counts.
- 10. A knowledge of the illustrative techniques to present data across the topics for Paper 4 is required. This should include various types of graphs, maps and diagrams such as: - line graphs - bar graphs - divided bar graphs - histograms - flow diagrams - wind rose graphs - isoline maps - scatter graphs - pie graphs - triangular graphs - radial graphs
- 11. Candidates should be able to describe the patterns in data presented in graphs and tables of results. Reference to relevant geographical knowledge and understanding is often required in the interpretation of the data. Practice of this skill will improve success in Paper 4 questions.
- 12. Using the evidence from the data, candidates should be able to make judgements on the validity of the original hypothesis or aims of the assignment. Reference is also required of the reliability of the collected data and a critical evaluation of the chosen data collection methods.