This definitions covers Key Vocabulary within Physical Geography Fieldwork for GCSE Geography. Revise Physical Geography Fieldwork in Fieldwork for GCSE Geography with 0 exam-style questions and 20 flashcards. This topic shows up very often in GCSE exams, so students should be able to explain it clearly, not just recognise the term. It is section 11 of 16 in this topic. Make sure you can use the exact wording confidently, because definition marks are often lost through vague language.
Topic position
Section 11 of 16
Practice
0 questions
Recall
20 flashcards
📖 Key Vocabulary
Hypothesis: a specific, testable prediction that states what you expect to find and why — e.g., "River velocity will increase downstream because discharge increases and channel friction decreases, making the channel more hydraulically efficient."
Primary data: data you collect yourself in the field, first-hand. Includes your own velocity measurements, pebble sizes, width and depth readings. Advantages: tailored exactly to your enquiry question; you know how it was collected. Disadvantage: limited in quantity and affected by conditions on the day.
Secondary data: data collected by someone else — e.g., the Environment Agency's river flow records, OS maps, aerial photographs. Advantages: often covers longer time periods and larger areas than you could survey yourself. Disadvantage: collected for a different purpose; may not match your sites or time period exactly.
Quantitative data: data expressed as numbers — e.g., velocity in m/s, width in metres, pebble size in mm. Allows statistical analysis.
Qualitative data: descriptive, non-numerical data — e.g., field sketches, written observations about vegetation type. Cannot be statistically analysed but provides contextual richness.
Systematic sampling: data collected at regular, equally spaced intervals — e.g., every 100 m downstream. Ensures full coverage of the study area; best for detecting spatial patterns.
Random sampling: every possible sample location has an equal probability of being chosen. Used within a site (e.g., picking pebbles without looking) to eliminate selection bias.
Reliability: the consistency of results — would you get the same answer if you repeated the measurement? Improved by repeating measurements and taking means.
Validity: whether your method actually measures what you intend to measure. Improved by controlling variables and using appropriate instruments.
Anomaly: a data point that does not fit the overall trend or pattern. Anomalies should be identified, plotted honestly, and explained using geographical reasoning.
Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (rs): a statistical measure of the strength of relationship between two ranked variables. Values range from -1 (perfect negative correlation) to +1 (perfect positive correlation). Compare to the critical value to test statistical significance.
Discharge: the volume of water passing a point in a river per second. Measured in cumecs (m³/s). Calculated as: Cross-sectional area (m²) × Velocity (m/s).
Attrition: the process by which bedload particles wear each other down through repeated collisions during transport, producing smaller and more rounded fragments downstream.
Powers Roundness Scale: a visual scale (1–6) used to assess the roundness of sediment particles. 1 = very angular; 6 = well-rounded. Used to test the Bradshaw Model prediction that particles become more rounded downstream.