Fieldwork

GEOG 290 Geographic Analysis

Dr. Sandy Clark

Before you do Fieldwork, you have to have a _______________ …..

Research Question!

How Research Starts

• Identify a problem to solve

State it in the form of a Question!

• But wait! How do you identify

the problem that needs to be solved???

Get out in the Field and start by Observing!

Well…what are you waiting for???

Bring a notebook !

and let’s go!

Ok, now you havesome potential questions

just aching to be answered!

now what…?

How Research Starts

• Identify a problem to solveState it in the form of a Question!

• Form a hypothesis– the educated guess that answers the problem– set up a “testable” situation

• Review previous research– Literature search or literature review– Where might your research fit in?– Do you notice a gap in the current research?

Into the Guts of Research

• Refine your question/hypothesis

• Determine type of data to be collected

Hydrogeology student (and friend), southern

Illinois

• Primary SourcesRaw or fresh data collected in the field

without interpretation or commentary• collected measurements (stream depth, met factors)• original documents (deeds, letters, old church records)• personal interviews

Turtle collecting

• Develop methodology – must plan!– Action– Resources

Both in the Field and

Beyond the Field (Lab, Office)

Time and Resources are Limited !

• Develop methodology – must plan!– Action

• What are you doing when?• Time; deadlines

– Resources• Labor hours (“person power”): Self?; Volunteers or paid?• Money• Research equipment• Vehicles and auxiliary equipment• Travel concerns• Technical resources: computers & peripherals• Laboratory work: in-house or sent out?

Students in Texas measure stream dimensions.

How much time do you have? Never enough!

ASU student Steve Hawkins.

Do you do the work yourself, or do you require the assistance of others?

Funding? Grant You (“out of pocket”) Donors – be careful!

What costs Money? (What DOESN’T?)

Hazards

Rewards

How Research “Ends”

• Analysis– perhaps cartographical or statistical, etc.

• Conclusions– Back to the hypothesis:

• Confirm• Fail to Confirm

( NEVER “Prove” or “Disprove”!)

The End???

- Old Research begets- Current Research begets- New Research begets- Future Research!

* Good Researchgenerates more Questions than you can Answer!

Islamic astrolabes

Mars Explorer

Why Do Research?

• Drive science & geography forward

• Professional demands

• Aesthetics

• Fun !