Analysis & Conclusion
Analysis
- Once data has been collected and presented it needs to be analysed
- Analysis is the process which makes sense of the data collected
- It identifies patterns, trends, significance, connections and/or meaning in the data
- Analysis involves a number of stages
- Describe the data shown in the graphs/photographs/maps
- Identification of the highest and lowest results
- Identification of any patterns and trends
- Identification of any relationships between data
- Methods of analysis depend upon the data collected
- Quantitative data is analysed using numerical and statistical methods
Numerical and statistical skills
- Statistical methods can be used to help explore and explain the results gathered during data collection
Mean, median and mode
- These are measures of central tendency
- The mean (average) is calculated by adding up all of the values in the data set and then dividing by the total number of values in the data set
- The median is the middle value of a set of data. The numbers are arranged in rank order and then the middle value selected
- The mode is the value which occurs most frequently in a set of data
Range
- A measure of dispersion - the spread of data around the average
- Range is the distance between the highest and lowest value
- Interquartile range is the part of the range that covers the middle 50% of the data
Anomalies
- These are results which do not fit the pattern or trend
- They need to be described and explained
Analysing photographs and field sketches
- Annotation of photographs and field sketches is part of analysis
- The use of photographs and field sketches is a qualitative analysis
- Analysis in annotation gives meaning to the features shown in the photograph/field sketch
Conclusion
- The fieldwork conclusion should:
- Return to the hypothesis and aim
- Identify any evidence that supports the hypothesis
- Outline any evidence that contradicts the hypothesis
- Describe and explain any links to geographical theories
- Acknowledge any unusual results
- State whether the hypothesis is supported or not
- A key focus in the fieldwork questions in the exam is the evaluation of data collection
- Enquiry evaluation should:
- Identify any problems with, and limitations of, data collection methods
- Suggest other data which would have been useful in the study or improvements which could be made
- Evaluate how reliable the conclusions were
- Suggesting how the scope of the study could be extended
Data collection - problems and limitations
- There are always issues and limitations associated with data collection they may include:
- Accessibility of sample sites - could all sample sites be accessed?
- Size of sample - was the sample size large enough?
- Duration of the data collection - was the enquiry time long enough to collect the data needed?
- Methods - were the questions on questionnaires appropriate to meet the aim and test the hypothesis?
- Equipment - were there any issues with the equipment?
- Human error - were there any mistakes in recording data or reading the equipment?
- Time of the data collection - did the weather or time impact the results collected?
- Unforeseen issues - were there any problems on the day such as road works, and river flow which affected the results?
Other data and improvements
- There are always improvements which could be made to data collection these may include:
- Increasing the sample size
- Taking more measurements
- Looking at a wider range of secondary sources
- Could other equipment have been used - a flow meter would be more accurate for measuring river velocity than a float
Evaluating the conclusions
- To evaluate the conclusion students should examine whether:
- The conclusions reflect the aims and hypothesis set out at the start of the enquiry
- The aim and hypothesis were appropriate - could the hypothesis be easily assessed
- The location was appropriate
- The accuracy of results could be improved if the data collection were to be repeated
