If you read my last post, you’ll know that I’ve been supporting students with sampling strategies and site selection. You can find the post through this link.

Here are two other ways I have adapted our fieldwork this year:

1. Linking Local Issues to Data Collection

Some students initially struggle to connect fieldwork methods to local issues. To address this, I have incorporated a range of news articles on local topics into our NEA fieldwork booklets. These articles cover issues such as conflicts over regeneration, the introduction of LTNs, and inequalities in local street management.

Before the fieldwork, we read through the articles, and students discuss which data collection methods they could use to investigate these issues. Their annotated articles are included in their fieldwork booklets alongside data collection sheets. The aim is to help students see how real-world issues connect to data collection when choosing their research topics.

The only downside? Our fieldwork booklets are now quite bulky! However, this small adjustment has made a big difference in helping students navigate the initial planning stage more effectively.

2. Using Questionnaires with Statistical Tests

High-ability students are usually skilled at designing questionnaire questions that align with statistical tests. However, every year, some students decide to include a statistical test only after they have already collected their data, which is mostly impossible as they have not asked questions in the format that statistical tests require.

To address this, before our fieldwork collection day, students were given three hypotheses and asked to select questionnaire questions that could also be used for statistical tests. For example, one scenario involved a researcher investigating how distance from a park affects place attachment. Students then had to design two questionnaire questions that could be analysed using Spearman’s rank correlation.

On the fieldwork day, the questionnaire included questions designed for both a Chi-square test and a Spearman’s rank test. Afterwards, students combined their responses (around 25 in total) and completed both statistical tests. Now, every student in the class has completed statistical tests linked to questionnaire data.

We introduce statistical tests throughout A-level geography at different stages, but implementing them at the fieldwork stage has helped students make clearer connections between their data and analysis. The Island Geographer also has great resources on statistical tests and fieldwork if you need some inspiration

What Are You Doing to Improve NEA Planning?

We’d love to hear how you are refining NEA strategies! If you have any tips, let us know—and please do contribute to our Substack.