Fieldwork activities

Preparing for fieldwork involves planning activities and actions that you may wish to conduct while onsite. Initially, it is helpful to research the site and collect some historical data from secondary sources . This information may guide the primary data you wish to collect and the tools or materials required to do so.
A field sketch is a very common fieldwork activity used to record what you see in the landscape. It includes annotations, which help to answer the research question. An activity survey provides data on how a place is used by humans. It requires observation of an area and a tally, which can later be represented graphically. Collecting photo evidence is also an important fieldwork activity, as it helps convey your research findings and is visually appealing. After each activity, you can summarise your findings by writing an answer to your specific sub-question. All this data and evidence will be collated onto your fieldwork display to help you answer your research question.
Produced by ABC Education in collaboration with Geoscience Australia and the Geography Teachers' Association of Victoria.