Conclusion & Evaluation (OCR GCSE Geography B) : Revision Note

Jacque Cartwright

Written by: Jacque Cartwright

Reviewed by: Bridgette Barrett

Updated on

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

Evaluation

  • 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

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Jacque Cartwright

Author: Jacque Cartwright

Expertise: Geography Content Creator

Jacque graduated from the Open University with a BSc in Environmental Science and Geography before doing her PGCE with the University of St David’s, Swansea. Teaching is her passion and has taught across a wide range of specifications – GCSE/IGCSE and IB but particularly loves teaching the A-level Geography. For the past 5 years Jacque has been teaching online for international schools, and she knows what is needed to get the top scores on those pesky geography exams.

Bridgette Barrett

Reviewer: Bridgette Barrett

Expertise: Geography Lead

After graduating with a degree in Geography, Bridgette completed a PGCE over 25 years ago. She later gained an MA Learning, Technology and Education from the University of Nottingham focussing on online learning. At a time when the study of geography has never been more important, Bridgette is passionate about creating content which supports students in achieving their potential in geography and builds their confidence.

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