Geographical Inquiry and Skills
Core concepts to master
Geographical inquiry is a cycle: formulate a question, plan methods, collect and process data, analyse and interpret, then evaluate and communicate. You must know the difference between primary data (collected by you - field measurements, surveys, transects, photographs) and secondary data (existing sources - census, satellite imagery, government reports). Understand sampling approaches: random, systematic and stratified, and when each is appropriate.
Be confident with data presentation and interpretation. Read maps at different scales and use grid references, scale, contour patterns and choropleth or isoline maps. Interpret tables, graphs, climate graphs and GIS layers, and describe spatial distributions using terms such as clustered, dispersed, linear and gradient. Know how to calculate simple statistics - mean, percentage change, density - and how to recognise bias, error and reliability limits in a source.
Evaluation is where many candidates lose marks. You must be able to judge the validity (does the data measure what it claims?), reliability (would repeated collection give similar results?) and representativeness (does the sample reflect the population?) of your evidence.
Traps in questions
- Describing a graph's shape instead of interpreting what it means geographically.
- Claiming a method is 'accurate' without stating why or acknowledging its limitations.
- Forgetting units, scale bars or direction when describing spatial data.
- Treating a single source as definitive; triangulation strengthens conclusions.
Rule of thumb
When asked to evaluate, use the frame 'This method was [strength] because [reason], but limited by [weakness], which means [effect on conclusions].'
Worked example
A student surveys 30 shoppers about transport. Evaluation: the sample is small and non-random (strength: quick and local), so results may not represent the wider population (weakness), meaning conclusions about regional travel behaviour should be treated cautiously and triangulated with census journey-to-work data.