How to plan and carry out fieldwork
Fieldwork has to be carefully planned.
Amy Meek is at the River Neath, carrying out fieldwork to test a model of how river characteristics change at different stages along its course.
How to plan fieldwork
The An enquiry is a question that a geographer sets out to prove or disprove. question will determine what data needs to be collected, eg an enquiry question related to rivers, might need river measurements such as The speed of an object in a particular direction. and depth. The data must answer the question, eg a study about river bedload would need measurements of stone size and shape.
Before going out to undertake fieldwork, think about what equipment is required, what clothing is suitable and the best location to gather data. Planning ahead ensures that good quality data will be collected.
All fieldwork has associated risks. Process of working out the likelihood of harm or damage being caused by identified hazards. help to understand the risk and avoid potentially dangerous situations, eg walking alongside fast-flowing streams or carrying expensive equipment through areas of high crime. A good risk assessment will also consider what to do if a difficult situation does arises.