Coastal Fieldwork: Formulating Enquiry Questions (Edexcel GCSE Geography A)

Formulating Coastal Enquiry Questions

Coastal fieldwork enquiry

• To undertake a coastal fieldwork enquiry there are a range of practical skills and methods that will be used

• These can be applied to any coastal fieldwork

Stages of the enquiry process

• The enquiry process is made up of six stages

  • Identification of a question and context

  • Selecting and using data collection methods

  • Processing and presenting your data

  • Analysing your data and reaching conclusions

  • Evaluation of the fieldwork

Geographical theories and case studies

• The fieldwork enquiry should be linked to geographical theory and/or example:

  • In the coastal fieldwork enquiry the theories of how coastlines vary in terms of their processes, landforms and/or the effectiveness of management strategies

  • Using a model or case studies helps to explain why certain processes occur or trends/patterns can be seen

  • They enable identification of where the data collected is not as expected

Aims and hypothesis

• The aims and hypothesis come from general questions asked about the coast such as:

  • Does geology affect the shape of a stretch of coastline and its landforms?

  • How and why is hard engineering more effective along a particular stretch of coastline?

  • How and why is soft engineering used along a stretch of coastline?

  • Does beach morphology change because of wave energy?

  • Does coastal protection along a stretch of beach consider stakeholder views?

• Aims are focused on a particular place as you cannot measure everywhere

• Examples of an aim would be: 

  • To explore the impact of coastal processes on Y beach 

  • To investigate how wave energy along X beach changes beach morphology

  • To explore how geology affects the shape and landforms of W beach

• Hypotheses are statements that are tested through fieldwork

• Examples of a hypothesis would be:

  • Coastal management strategies used at Y beach have taken conflicting views into account

• A null hypothesis is a statement that is opposite to a hypothesis 

• This ensures there is no bias when collecting the evidence

  • You are not ignoring evidence because it doesn't prove the statement

• If you cannot prove the statement then the opposite must be true

• Examples of a null hypothesis would be:

  • Coastal management strategies used at Y beach have not taken conflicting views into account

• After the aims and hypothesis of the fieldwork have been established the next steps include:

  • Select the sites: this will involve sampling

  • Decide on the equipment to be used

  • Consider health and safety issues: complete a risk assessment

  • Data collection methods to be used

Site selection and sampling

• It is not practical or feasible to collect data along all parts of the coast as there would be too much data

• To select coastal sites, getting a true sample reduces bias

• There may be situations where access to a stretch of the coast is limited due to a rock fall or unstable cliffs etc.

• Therefore, an opportunistic approach to sampling needs to be taken

• This needs to be as close as possible to the site selected using sampling 

• The most commonly used sampling strategies for a coastal enquiry are:

  • Systematic: sampling of sites at regular intervals means that all parts of the stretch of coast are covered

  • Random: the use of random sampling means that all sites have an equal chance of being selected which eliminates bias

  • Stratified: by dividing each sampling site into groups e.g. three sites from each sample section

• Site location can be recorded using GPS to give an accurate location using latitude and longitude

• Or through grid reference from an Ordnance Survey map

Equipment

• To complete the coast measurements a range of equipment is needed 

• The equipment includes the following:

  • Surveyor’s 25+ meter tape: measuring distances on a beach or between ranging poles when completing beach transects

  • Compass to measure direction

  • Ranging poles for beach transects

  • Clinometer: calculate the angle of a beach

  • Callipers: measuring pebble size

  • Quadrat: used to select sediment for sampling

  • Clipboard for holding recording sheets

  • Recording sheets

  • Roundness or angularity charts 

  • Pencil for writing in data, particularly useful if the paper becomes damp

  • Camera to take photographs of sites and coastal features

Risk assessment

• Any fieldwork will involve consideration of health and safety using a risk assessment

• Risks associated specifically with coastal fieldwork may include:

  • Tide times

  • Weather conditions

  • Slippery rocks

  • Polluted water

  • Working in an unfamiliar place

  • Misuse of equipment