Residents and visitors were surveyed in a city-centre shopping street where pedestrianisation is being considered. Fig. 1 shows the route followed by interv...
Question 1 Report
Residents and visitors were surveyed in a city-centre shopping street where pedestrianisation is being considered. Fig. 1 shows the route followed by interviewers and the points where they stopped every fifth adult passer-by between 10:00 and 16:00. The study team recorded whether each person supported the scheme and asked for one reason. They also noted traffic noise at each location. The council expects the scheme could reduce vehicle use, improve air quality and increase spending, but some businesses fear that deliveries will become difficult. A sound geographical enquiry needs a clear sampling strategy and ethical treatment of participants.
(a) Identify the sampling method used to select passers-by. [1]
(b) Identify why interviewing only between 10:00 and 16:00 could create bias. [2]
(c) Identify two ethical actions an interviewer should take before recording an answer. [2]
(d) Identify two secondary data sources that could support this urban study. [2]
(e) Identify two ways in which the team could present the support and opposition results clearly. [2]
(f) Identify one reason why noise readings should be repeated at each numbered point. [3]
Answer Details
(a) Selecting every fifth adult passer-by is systematic sampling. [1]
(b) Surveying only from 10:00 to 16:00 misses evening commuters and night-time visitors. Therefore the sample may not represent all street users or their views. [2]
(c) Before recording an answer, an interviewer should:
- explain the purpose of the survey;
- seek consent.
Allowing refusal or withdrawal and avoiding identifying personal details are also valid ethical actions. [2]
(d) Two useful secondary sources are traffic-count records and air-quality records. Census data, business-vacancy data and planning documents are also acceptable. [2]
(e) Support and opposition could be shown clearly using a bar chart and a pie chart. A proportional-symbol map or annotated map would also be valid. [2]
(f) Noise readings should be repeated because noise varies with passing vehicles and people. Repetition helps identify anomalous readings, and calculating a mean gives a more reliable value. [3]
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