Analysis & Conclusions (Cambridge International IGCSE Geography)

Analysis & Conclusion

Analysis

• Once data has been collected and presented, it needs to be analysed

• Analysis is the process that makes sense of the data collected

  • It identifies patterns, trends, significance, connections, and/or meaning in the data

• The analysis of data involves several stages

  • Describe the data shown in the graphs/photographs/maps
  • Identification of the highest and lowest results
  • Identification of any patterns and trends
  • Identification of any relationships between data

• Methods of analysis depend upon the data collected

• Quantitative data is analysed using numerical and statistical methods

Numerical and statistical skills

• Statistical methods can be used to help explore and explain the results gathered during data collection

Mean, median and mode

• These are measures of central tendency
• The mean (average) is calculated by adding up all of the values in the data set and then dividing by the total number of values in the data set
• The median is the middle value of a set of data. The numbers are arranged in rank order and then the middle value is selected
• The mode is the value that occurs most frequently in a set of data

Range

• A measure of dispersion— the spread of data around the average
• The range is the distance between the highest and lowest value
• The interquartile range is the part of the range that covers the middle 50% of the data

Anomalies

• These are results that do not fit the pattern or trend
• They need to be described and explained

Analysing photographs and field sketches

• Annotation of photographs and field sketches is part of the analysis
• The use of photographs and field sketches is a qualitative analysis
• Analysis in annotation gives meaning to the features shown in the photograph/field sketch

Conclusion

• The fieldwork conclusion should:

  • return to the hypothesis and aim
  • identify any evidence that supports the hypothesis
  • outline any evidence that contradicts the hypothesis
  • describe and explain any links to geographical theories
  • acknowledge any unusual results
  • state whether the hypothesis is supported or not

• A key focus in the fieldwork questions in the exam is the evaluation of data collection

• Enquiry evaluation should:

  • identify any problems with, or limitations of, data collection methods
  • suggest other data that would have been useful in the study or improvements that could be made
  • evaluate how reliable the conclusions were
  • suggesting how the scope of the study could be extended

Data collection - problems and limitations

• There are always issues and limitations associated with data collection; they may include:

  • Accessibility of sample sites—could all sample sites be accessed?
  • **Sample size: **Was the sample size large enough?
  • Duration of the data collection—was the enquiry time long enough to collect the data needed?
  • **Methods: **Were the questionnaire questions appropriate to meet the aim and test the hypothesis?
  • Were there any issues with the** equipment?**
  • Was there any** human error** in the process of recording data or reading the equipment?
  • Time of the data collection— did the weather or time impact the results collected?
  • Unforeseen issues— were there any problems on the day, such as road works and river flow, that affected the results?

Other data and improvements

• There are always improvements that could be made to data collection; these may include:

  • increasing the sample size
  • taking more measurements
  • looking at a wider range of secondary sources
  • using other equipment—a flow meter would be more accurate for measuring river velocity than a float

Evaluating the conclusions

• To evaluate the conclusion, students should examine whether the

  • conclusions reflect the aims and hypothesis set out at the start of the enquiry
  • aim and hypothesis were appropriate—could the hypothesis be easily assessed?
  • location was appropriate
  • accuracy of results could be improved if the data collection were to be repeated