Human Fieldwork: Data Collection

The Edexcel B GCSE Geography specification requires you to carry out fieldwork in both a physical and a human environment. Human fieldwork investigates how people use, experience and shape their environment. Common topics include quality of life in urban areas, patterns of retail activity, the impact of regeneration schemes, and perceptions of place.

Human data collection presents its own unique challenges. Unlike measuring a river's width (which stays relatively constant), human behaviour is variable — people move around, have different opinions, and may not want to participate in your survey. This lesson covers the key methods for collecting human geography data, with a focus on making your data collection as reliable and representative as possible.

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Questionnaires

Questionnaires are one of the most widely used data collection methods in human geography fieldwork. They allow you to gather qualitative and quantitative data about people's experiences, opinions and behaviours.

Types of Questions

Question Type	Description	Example	Data Type
Closed (fixed response)	Limited set of predetermined answers	"How often do you visit this town centre? (Daily / Weekly / Monthly / Rarely)"	Quantitative — easy to analyse statistically
Open-ended	Respondent gives their own answer in their own words	"What would improve this area?"	Qualitative — rich detail but harder to analyse
Multiple choice	Several options to choose from	"What is the main reason for your visit? (Shopping / Work / Leisure / Other)"	Quantitative — easy to tally and graph
Rating scale	Respondent rates something on a numerical scale	"Rate the cleanliness of this area: 1 (very poor) to 5 (excellent)"	Quantitative — allows comparison
Likert scale	Measures level of agreement with a statement	"I feel safe walking here at night: Strongly agree / Agree / Neutral / Disagree / Strongly disagree"	Quantitative — can be converted to numerical scores
Ranking	Respondent places options in order of preference	"Rank these improvements in order of importance: 1, 2, 3, 4"	Quantitative — shows priorities

Designing Effective Questionnaires

A well-designed questionnaire will produce reliable, useful data. A poorly designed one will waste time and produce results that are difficult to interpret.

Do:

• Keep it short (5–10 questions maximum for street surveys)
• Use clear, simple language that anyone can understand
• Include a mix of closed and open questions
• Start with easy, non-personal questions
• Include a brief introduction explaining who you are and what the survey is for
• Test your questionnaire on classmates before using it in the field (pilot study)

Do not:

• Ask leading questions that push respondents towards a particular answer (e.g. "Don't you agree that this area is dirty?" is biased)
• Ask double-barrelled questions that combine two issues (e.g. "Is this area clean and safe?" — someone might think it is clean but not safe)
• Ask personal questions that people will refuse to answer
• Use jargon or technical language

Exam Tip: The exam may give you a questionnaire and ask you to identify problems with it. Look for leading questions, double-barrelled questions, ambiguous wording and inappropriate response options. Also check whether the questionnaire will produce data that actually answers the enquiry question.

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Likert Scales in Detail

Likert scales deserve special attention because they are extremely useful in geographical fieldwork. They convert subjective opinions into numerical data that can be averaged and compared.

Example: Environmental quality assessment using a Likert scale

Factor	1 (Very poor)	2 (Poor)	3 (Average)	4 (Good)	5 (Excellent)
Litter and cleanliness
Condition of buildings
Green space and vegetation
Noise levels
Traffic congestion
Safety and security
Overall impression

By scoring each factor from 1 to 5 at multiple locations, you can calculate a total environmental quality score for each site and compare them.

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Environmental Quality Surveys (EQS)

An Environmental Quality Survey is a structured assessment of the quality of an environment using a scoring system. It is one of the most popular methods in human geography fieldwork.

How to Conduct an EQS

1. Design a scoring sheet with 8–12 environmental factors (e.g. litter, graffiti, noise, traffic, green space, building condition, pavement quality, overall attractiveness)
2. At each survey site, observe the environment and assign a score for each factor on a scale (typically 1–5 or -2 to +2)
3. Calculate the total score for each site
4. Repeat at multiple locations across the study area
5. Compare scores between locations to identify patterns

Bipolar Scoring

An alternative to the Likert scale is the bipolar scale, which places contrasting descriptions at either end:

Factor	-2	-1	0	+1	+2	Factor
Very noisy						Very quiet
Lots of litter						No litter
Ugly buildings						Attractive buildings
Heavy traffic						No traffic
Feels unsafe						Feels very safe
No green space						Lots of green space

Bipolar scales make it easy to visualise results using radar diagrams (spider diagrams).

Exam Tip: Environmental quality surveys are subjective — different people may give different scores for the same location. This is a key limitation. To reduce subjectivity, you should: (1) clearly define what each score means, (2) have the same person score all sites, and (3) discuss criteria with your group before starting.

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Pedestrian Counts

Pedestrian counts (or footfall surveys) measure how many people pass a fixed point in a set time period. They are useful for investigating patterns of retail activity, accessibility and urban land use.

Method

1. Choose survey locations strategically (e.g. near shops, on side streets, in residential areas)
2. Stand at a fixed point where you have a clear view of passing pedestrians
3. Count every person who passes your point in a set time period (e.g. 5 or 10 minutes)
4. Use a tally counter or tally chart to keep count
5. Record the time, date and weather conditions
6. Repeat at the same times at all locations for a fair comparison

Factors to Standardise

Factor	Why It Matters	How to Standardise
Time of day	Footfall varies enormously between morning, lunchtime and evening	Conduct all counts at the same time of day
Day of week	Saturdays are busier than Tuesdays in most town centres	Conduct all counts on the same day
Weather	Rain deters pedestrians; sunshine encourages them	Record weather; acknowledge as a limitation
Duration	Longer counts are more reliable	Use the same duration at every site
Counting method	Inconsistent counting leads to unreliable data	Use a tally counter; one person counts at each site

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Land Use Mapping

Land use mapping involves recording the function of every building or plot in a defined area. It produces a detailed map showing how space is used.

Categories of Land Use

Category	Examples	Typical Map Colour
Retail (comparison)	Clothing shops, electronics stores, furniture shops	Red
Retail (convenience)	Supermarkets, newsagents, pharmacies	Orange
Food and drink	Restaurants, cafes, takeaways, pubs	Yellow
Services	Banks, estate agents, hairdressers, solicitors	Blue
Offices	Business premises, council offices	Purple
Residential	Houses, flats, care homes	Green
Vacant	Empty shops, boarded-up premises	Grey or Black
Public / community	Libraries, churches, schools, parks	Brown

Method

1. Obtain a base map of the study area (e.g. from Google Maps or an OS map)
2. Walk systematically along every street, recording the land use of each building or plot
3. Use a colour-coded key to shade each building on the map
4. Record the date and time of the survey

Land use mapping is particularly useful for testing models like the Burgess model (concentric zones) or investigating whether an area has a clear CBD (Central Business District) with distinct land use patterns.

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Photographic Evidence

Photographs are a valuable form of qualitative data that can support and illustrate your quantitative findings.

Types of Photographic Evidence