This page last updated July 2008 and now ARCHIVED.
Coursework counts for 25% of the marks at the moment. The coursework is marked out of 100.
Make sure that you use ICT in some way - see lower down the page for examples as to how you can do this.
We do one piece of coursework, which is worth 25% of the final mark. This is handed in in the week before the October half term, to give staff a chance to do an initial assessment, and for the candidate to have time to do a few changes. This is then marked, and there are chances on several evenings to be arranged by your teacher to come back, and to make changes. If you don't keep to the deadlines, teachers will not have time to be able to mark it and give it to you for changes.
Any students who cannot produce a reasonable piece of coursework will be expected to stay behind for several evenings to bring it up to a standard which fits in with their expected grades.
You will be using various methods of collecting PRIMARY DATA: data YOU have collected, rather than copied from a leaflet from the local TIC (Tourist Information Centre)...
TOWN CENTRE PLAN OF KING'S LYNN: can be obtained from any number of online sources, or from us....
COURSEWORK: Fieldwork taster session: mid-May
See King's Lynn fieldwork page HERE for more details on what you will be doing / did
In May/June of each year, all Year 10 groups go into town (King's Lynn) to do some of the techniques which they will be using to collect their information:
- transect along Norfolk Street: a busy street in King's Lynn (or another street)
- record shops / land use
- environment survey
- pedestrian count
- questionnaire - shopping survey asked to 2 people who you meet.
We will be meeting at the statue of King Edward VII at the time stated by your teacher.
After registering, you will be issued with a clipboard. Permission slips will then be collected in. Anyone who forgets may not be able to come with us, and will certainly not be allowed to be dismissed in the town centre.
We will walk up to Norfolk Street as a group. Organise yourself into a pair with someone else.
At the suggested time, move to the point where you will be carrying out:
a) an environment survey
b) a pedestrian count
These will be done at the same time throughout the town centre to get an idea of which areas have the greatest pedestrian flows.
Come prepared for rain. This is British summer time after all.
Once the taster session has been carried out, the next decision is to choose your title. We will provide you with 2 booklets. The first one has details on the Marks scheme, the 2nd will contain examples of techniques that can be used to collect and present the data.
These blue or yellow booklets should be referred to when putting together the coursework. They are important.
1. Get started promptly.
2. Stick to the title that's been approved by your teacher.
3. Make sure you do at least 40 questionnaires.
4. Try to collect a range of primary data.
5. Remember to present it in a flat folder, with title page, contents page etc.
6. Try and find an issue which different people have different opinions on, and try to summarises those opinions in your findings.
Coursework is usually due in the week before the October half term
You will need to follow the advice given in the blue booklet, and follow the deadlines given by your Geography teacher.
Make sure you have Primary data: data you collected yourself !
Use different techniques for presenting the data, and make sure that you have a range of data from secondary sources.
Remember that QUESTIONNAIRE is spelt like this.
Remember that plagiarism, particularly from the Internet, is easily spotted using Mister P's sophisticated technology.
Remember that you need to keep to the following guidelines when preparing the report for handing in:
Stick to around 2500 - 3000 words.
No plastic wallet files.
A flat folder - not a ring binder
Pictures need annotating
Maps need north arrow, scale and title.
Contents page, pages need numbering.
Add a bibliography of secondary sources.
Each graph or diagram should have been included for a purpose. Make sure that you show where you have made use of the data you collected
You can include other media: e.g images on floppy, video and audio cassettes
Have you achieved your aims ? If not, why not ? You may be marked down on your planning as a result...
DATA PRESENTATION
There are 20 marks for using appropriate techniques of data presentation. We will be practising some of these techniques.
You will need to choose appropriate techniques to show the data that you collect.
| 0-7 marks | You will have collated and presented the data in a limited but appropriate way. You will have used graphs and some ICT |
| 8-14 marks | You will have used a variety of appropriate techniques, including graphs and maps. These methods will present the data accurately and it will be supported by the use of ICT techniques. |
| 15-20 marks | You will have shown initiative in deciding what data from the data you have collected that you have refined and presented. You will have chosen graphs, maps and tables and presented them well. You will have used ICT techniques which you have selected and adapted as necessary. |
LINE GRAPHS
Used for showing relationship between 2 variables.
A few important rules: one of the two variables should cause the other to change rather than vice versa (a dependent and an independent variable...)
Axes should always start at zero
Mark on the axes what the variables were
BAR GRAPHS
Used to show information where one variable has a quantitative value and the other doesn't. Bars are drawn proportional in height to the values they are representing, and they should be of equal width.
PROPORTIONAL SYMBOLS
These are symbols drawn proportional in size to the size of the variable being represented. They are difficult to construct accurately, and time consuming to draw accurately.
DOT MAPS
LINE GRAPHS
PIE CHARTS
These need to be appropriate. For example, if 100% of people answered 'yes' or 'no' to a particular question, there is no point drawing a graph to show the data.
URBAN FIELDWORK IDEAS
There are some interesting investigations to be done into the way people perceive certain environments and distances.
Residential preference.
Bipolar scales are useful...
These vary from +5 to -5 (or +3 to -3...) - need to have opposite viewpoints at either side of the scale. Cost (expensive place to live in / cheap place to live in), Travel (easy to get to / difficult to get to), Surroundings (pleasant / unpleasant), Facilities (lots of things to do / not much to do), Local people (friendly and easy to get on with / difficult to fit in and get on with)
Some areas can also be described in terms of INDICES OF SOCIAL BREAKDOWN...
This allows you to consider whether an area is run down or not. As with all fieldwork, make sure that you don't go out alone...
Try to observe the following characteristics:
the number of storeys (more storeys = more problems)
the number of flats which can be reached from the ground floor entrance
whether the ground floor entrance is visible from the street
whether the entrance doors are locked or unlocked
existence of overhead or hidden walkways (can have graffiti or crime...)
public play areas
http://uk.houseprices.yahoo.net/ - an excellent site which allows you to
Remember
NO COURSEWORK, NO EXAM ENTRY !
