Economic Activity and Energy

Investigating the location factors of businesses

Aim

-          Investigating the locations of factories or services (in Hammersmith and Chiswick)

Hypothesis

-          Businesses locating in (Chiswick Business park) will have different locational requirements to businesses in (Hammersmith Broadway)

Equipment

-          Questionnaires followed by in depth interviews

-          Questionnaires might list local requirements

-          Interviews might be helped by a series of questions and recorded (permission)

Method

-          10 businesses from (Chiswick Business Park) and 10 from (Hammersmith Broadway) were chosen.

-          A questionnaire was written to determine reasons for locating in the two locations

-          Questionnaires were sent to the businesses

-          Those who agreed to take this further will be interviews

-          A field sketch and photographs were taken of the study area

-          Customised recording sheets were used to tabulate the data

Presentation Technique

-          Bar chart (reason on one axis and scale of importance on another)

Risk assessment

-          All interviews come with the risk of inter-personal disagreements (work in pairs)

Evaluation

-          Difficult to obtain appointments with chairs or mangers of each business

-          Those answering the questions may not be senior enough

Secondary Sources

-          Maps showing transport routes

-          Census data

-          Newspaper articles

-          Company annual reports

Investigating people conflicting views on renewable an d non-renewable energy

Aim

-          Investigating people conflicting views on the use and impact of renewable and non-renewable energy at (Latymer Upper School)

Hypothesis

-          Younger people are more in favour of using renewable energy than their parents

Equipment

-          Questionnaire based in 5 – 10 questions, open and closed questions (rate the following in order of importance – cost of energy, use of renewable energy…?)

Method

-          Questionnaires were written with open and closed question about renewable and non-renewable energy

-          The questions were then piloted with two pupils and two parents

-          30 (parents) and 30 (middle school pupils) were asked their opinions via the questionnaire (stratified)

-          The results from the (school) were then compared to similar survey conducted by (British Gas)

Presentation Technique

-          Percentages, stats and figures which allows for data comparison

Risk assessment

-          Parental complaints having to answer this questionnaire (covering letter)

Evaluation

-          Results might suffer because lock of knowledge about renewable and non – renewable sources

Secondary Sources

-          Internet research on regional and national surveys

-          Newspaper search

-          Internet search for interest groups

Urban Environments

Investigating change in urban land use

Aim

-          Investigating change in urban land use in distance from the central business district

Hypothesis

-          Different type of land use will cluster together

Equipment

-          Pens

-          Recording sheet with key

-          Street map of the area

Method

-          Choose a path through an urban area that represents variation

-          Devise a key to categorise the buildings you come across

-          Record every single building along the route either side on the road (if the road is to long use systematic sampling – record after a set distance)

-          Field sketches and photographic evidence should be taken

Presentation Technique

-          Colour coded transect with a key

-          Table showing the common land use

Risk assessment

-          Slips, trips and bumps

-          Stranger danger

-          Mugging

-          Traffic and crossing roads

-          Getting lost

Evaluation

-          Measures of environmental quality are subjective

-          You cannot portray the size or shape of buildings

-          Only ground floor land use

-          Categorizing can become an issue

Secondary Sources

-          Census data

-          Newspaper articles

-          House prices

-          GIS

-          Old maps

Investigating change in environmental equality survey

Aim

-          Investigate the environmental quality as it deteriorate with distance from the city centre

Hypothesis

-          Environmental quality will deteriorate with distance from the city centre

Equipment

-          Bi-polar survey (table – categories)

-          Map of area to determine your sites

Method

-          Choose 4 – 6 sites which represent a variety of land use within an area

-          Once you are at each site asses each characteristic from you bi-polar survey (litter, graffiti, noise pollution…)

-          Back up you decision with photos and sketches

Presentation Technique

-          Locational proportional map bar chart (linked specially)

Risk assessment

-          Slips, trips and bumps

-          Stranger danger

-          Mugging

-          Traffic and crossing roads

-          Getting lost

Evaluation

-          Very simple and quick to make

-          You can compare a range of factors

-          A Bi-polar survey is very subjective to opinion

-          Land further out from the city centre will be cheaper which means its environmental quality will deteriorate

Secondary Sources

-          Census data

-          Newspaper articles

-          House prices

-          GIS

-          Old maps

Hazardous Environments

Investigating weather climate

Aim

-          Measuring and recording weather data from the local area

Hypothesis

-          There are differences in weather conditions around certain sites (Latymer)

Equipment

-          Thermometer (air temperature)

-          Rain gauge (measures amount of rain that has fallen over specific time)

-          Wind vane (determines the direction of which the wind is blowing)

-          Anemometer (wind speed)

-          Light meter (sunlight)

-          Weather recording chart

Method

-          10 sites are chosen to reflect different conditions (around the school)

-          A rain gauge, thermometer, wind vane and anemometer was used and left

-          The instruments where left over the weekend to avoid disturbance

-          Customised recording sheets were used to tabulate the data

-          A field sketch and photographs were taken of the study area

Presentation Technique & Reliability

-          Data can be presented in a variety of graphs to be able to be easily compared

-          Three readings will be taken and then averaged

Risk assessment

-          Appropriate clothing

-          Permission is obtained

Evaluation

-          Results can be affected by extreme weather

-          Faults in the instruments

Secondary Sources

-          Weather data

-          GIS & Google maps

-          Previous data

Hazard management

Aim

-          Investigating people’s views on the management of a hazard event

Hypothesis

-          Do residents believe the management of the hurricane hazard event was effective

Equipment

-          Questionnaire based in 5 – 10 questions, open and closed questions (do you think the measures are effective…?)

Method

-          20 questions are drafted to determines people’s views of the way in which (flooding...) in (Somerset Levels…) has been dealt with

-          Some questions were open

-          A pilot study was used to test the questions

-          We asked 60 people, 30 who studies Geography in the middle school and 30 who didn’t. This was to see if their views differed

Presentation Technique

-          Bar charts and pie charts (percentages) to be able to easily compare data an find patterns between people

Risk assessment

-          If face-to-face interviews conducted in groups

-          Carry mobile phones

-          Start and return with an adult

Evaluation

-          Results may be affected if there is not a large enough user groups asked

-          Results can be biased by level of interest

Secondary Sources

-          Newspaper articles on the issues

-          Planning documents showing hazard management

-          Maps of the area

-          Census data

Coastal Environments

Beach Profiles

Aim

-          Measuring beach profiles and sediment (in Bournemouth)

Hypothesis

-          Groynes have no impact on beach profile or beach material on the beaches (of Bournemouth)

Equipment

-          Two ranging poles

-          Tape measure

-          Clinometer

-          Recording sheet

-          Cameras for groyne sites

Method

-          Person A stands at a safe distance from the edge of the sea holding a ranging pole

-          Person B stands holding a second ranging pole further up the beach where there is a break of slope

-          The distance between the two ranging poles is measured using a tape measure

-          The angle between matching markers on each ranging pole is measured using a clinometer

-          Repeat this process at each break of slope until the top of the beach is reached

-          Photographic evidence and field sketches can be takes

Presentation Technique & Reliability

-          A line graph (cross profile graph)  is best as it shows the shape of the cliff

-          Two beaches can be compared on the same graph paper

-          Taking measurements at equal intervals up the beach is more straight forward, however it tends to hide the small variations in slope which can be important in showing beach shape.

-          To increase the reliability be sure to hold the ranging poles the same as a difference will alter the results

Risk assessment

-          Low tide is best and you need to be aware when the tides change

-          Avoid sea cliffs due to the risk of rock fall

Evaluation

-          Sites may be affected by human influences (trampling)

-          Clinometer can be inaccurate due to wind/error

Secondary sources

-          Geographic information systems

-          Google maps

-          Weather data

-          Tidal records

Conflicts between development and conservation on a coastline

Aim

-          Investigation the conflicts between development and conservation on a stretch of coastline (in Bournemouth)

Hypothesis

-          The people (of Bournemouth) will be in favour of the development of the coastline of Bournemouth for tourists

Equipment

-          Questionnaire based in 5 – 10 questions (open and closed questions)

-          Land use map showing potential development

Method

-          Each person questions 10 people, and notes down their response on the questionnaire

-          Questionnaires would be combined to create larger and more accurate data

-          To avoid bias in the selection of people (stratified sampling)

Presentation Technique

-          Bar charts and pie charts (percentages) to be able to easily compare data an find patterns between people

Risk assessment

-          If face-to-face interviews conducted in groups

-          Carry mobile phones

-          Start and return with an adult

Evaluation

-          Results may be affected if there is not a large enough user groups asked

-          Results can be biased by level of interest

-          Timing of the interview will affect results as certain people could not be asked (work, school…)

Secondary Sources

-          Newspaper articles

-          Planning document

-          GIS & Google maps

-          Previous data (other questionnaires, internet polls...)