This is a guide for students undertaking their own fieldwork research. In this case it is about waste management.
Text of Year 10 Research Action Plan
1. Research Action Plan Year 10 Geographyby Martin Pluss
2. Step 1 Identify the aim and the purpose of the investigation
Waste management at Tara
3. Step 2- Generate Focus Questions to be addressed by the investigation
Where is the waste located at Tara?
What are the different types of waste at Tara
What strategies can be developed to manage waste at Tara?
4. Step 3 - What Primary and Secondary data are needed to answer the questions
Not a lot of secondary data
There is plenty of primary date that you will have to collect this term
5. Step 4 - Identify techniques you will use to collect data
Each technique needs to be related to the research question you are asking.
Field Observation and mapping of waste
Taking photos of waste
Survey
6. Link technique to research Question
Where is the waste by field observation and mapping
Types of waste by photos
Management of waste by survey
7. Step 5 - Collect Primary and Secondary Data
This is the method of your research
Locate waste before school, recess, lunch and after school on three separate occasions.
At different time take photos of the different kinds of waste you can see.
Develop a survey and give to certain years groups staff and perhaps key staff respnsible eg:Deputy Admin, Property Manager
8. Step 6- Process and analyse the collected data
Using your maps locate the waste on the maps for different times.Have a key to show different types of waste and who sits there.
Sort and select main photos of different types of waste.
Collect at least 10-20 surveys and put the information into tables for each question.
9. Step 7 - Select presentation methods to communicate the findings
For location of waste develop a series of neat maps to show where waste is located
With your selected photos place them on a sheet of paper and annotate comments.Also show the location of where the photos were taken on a map.
Using the tables of information for each question decide what graphs, tables, maps, list and commentary best presents the results.
10. Step 8 - Propose and individual or group action in response to the research findings
Inthis section decide what you can do to manage waste at Tara.You might make a recommendation to the Deputy Admin through and individual or collective report,you might have an awareness day or you might make representations to the SRC.
