Map Work, Data Interpretation and Field Study
This domain tests practical skills: reading maps, interpreting tables and graphs, and planning a small field study. Questions may ask you to locate features, calculate ratios, identify trends or design a questionnaire without any external figure.
Core rules and concepts
- Map scale converts map distance to ground distance; representative fraction, statement and graphical scales are interchangeable.
- Symbols may be point, line or area; choropleth maps show density, dot maps show distribution and isopleths show contours.
- Data interpretation requires checking units, base year, rates versus absolute numbers, and percentage versus percentage point change.
- Field study needs an aim, sampling method, questionnaire or schedule, pilot test and ethical consent.
- A transect walk and land-use sketch can record changes along a road or river.
Worked example
A district has net sown area of 100,000 hectares and gross cropped area of 180,000 hectares. Cropping intensity = gross cropped area ÷ net sown area × 100 = 180%. Reasoning: land is cropped 1.8 times a year on average, indicating multiple cropping. If gross area fell to 150,000 while net area stayed fixed, intensity would fall to 150%, a 30 percentage-point drop, not a 30% drop.
Traps that cost marks
- Forgetting to square the scale factor when converting area.
- Confusing percentage change with percentage-point change.
- Selecting a biased sample, such as only roadside households.
- Drawing conclusions from a table without checking units or missing values.
For map location, use grid references and named neighbours. For field study, state the sampling frame and the limitation, such as recall error or small sample size.