Geographical Investigation

Geographical Investigation or GI for short is a form of geographical inquiry where students are required to investigate a geographical issue and demonstrate their learning by reflecting and taking action.

Stage 1: Framing the GI

• Pose geographical questions

• Types of question frames (e.g., 5W1H, Neighbour’s core questions)

Stage 2: Collecting data

• Use appropriate data collection methods

• Ensure the accuracy and reliability of data

Primary data:

• Map work

o  Location of data collection sites

• Sampling

o  Spot

o  Transect

• Surveys or interviews

o  Human uses (e.g. recreational water activities)

o  Strategies taken to ensure cleanliness (e.g. cleansing biotopes in water store)

o  Strategies to protect tropical rainforests or mangroves (e.g., construction of boardwalks)

• Field notes (e.g. human activities near a water store, human activities in a forested area)

· Field sketches (e.g. physical and built features around the water store, protection from soil or coastal erosion )

· Images (e.g., photographs of human activities near water store, photographs of different plant species )

· Water quality tests (e.g., dissolved oxygen)

Secondary data:

• Online/library research

o  Water quality indicators

o  Changes or improvements made to the water store

o  Strategies taken to ensure the sustainability of the water store

o  Common plant species or organisms found in tropical rainforests or mangroves

o  Uses of resources obtained from tropical rainforests or mangroves

o  Strategies taken to protect tropical rainforests or mangroves

It is very important to acknowledge the source after you summarize the findings from it . e.g. a summary of the Punggol Waterway
The development of Punggol Waterway marks a significant transformation in Singapore’s approach to urban planning, focusing on sustainability and community-centric designs. Opened in 2011, Punggol Waterway is Singapore’s longest man-made waterway and serves as a central feature of Punggol, Singapore's first eco-town. This development has been integral in enhancing the biodiversity of the area, with the introduction of innovations like floating wetlands and freshwater-tolerant mangrove species which have increased the variety of wildlife in the area by about 20%​​.

Acknowledgement:
PHILOMIN, L. E. (2016). Biodiversity thriving on artificial Punggol Waterway. Biodiversity thriving on artificial Punggol waterway. https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/biodiversity-punggol-boosted-through-enhanced-greenery-area

You can create the above citation using https://www.citationmachine.net/apa

1. Choose the source e.g. website

2. Copy the url of your source and paste it in the box provided and enter search. 

3. Click on the results and the cite button.

4. Click continue on the next page. 

5. Enter the title, author and year of publication if it is not there - you can find the information on the article from the source.  Enter complete citation.

6. Copy the citation generated (You might have to watch an advertisement for the free version)

Or you can use ChatGPT with the following prompt:
Cite the source from the url ___________________________________________ with access date being 15 May 2024 in APA format.

 This format includes the author’s name, the publication date, the title of the article, the name of the publication, the date of access, and the URL.

Stage 3: Analysing and presenting data

• Organise raw data

• Select appropriate data representations

• Maps (e.g. how water quality varies at different sampling points, showing the distribution of plant species at different zones in a mangrove)

• Pie charts (e.g. showing the proportion of people’s perception of their role in ensuring sustainability)

• Images (e.g. photographs showing human activities)

• Field sketches (e.g. showing various human activities near water stores, showing how trees protect an area from erosion)

• Tables (e.g. showing the water quality indicators at the various sites, showing the diversity of plant species in an area of a rainforest)

Stage 4: Drawing conclusions

• Provide evidence-based responses

• Spatial patterns (e.g. changes in water quality across a transect of the river, plant species found at different areas in a forest)

• Temporal patterns (e.g. changes in water quality at a sample site over time)

• Relationships between variables (e.g. human actions and water quality, human actions and environmental conditions of the forest)

• Reasoned conclusions that answer the questions posed

Stage 5: Reflecting and taking action

• Evaluate data collection methods

• Suggest ways to improve the investigation

• Propose ways to improve the relationship between the phenomenon and people

• Strengths and limitations of data collection methods

• Improvements to the investigation

• Proposal or actions (e.g. submission of a report to the water authority to start a school-based effort to monitor the water quality of or clean up a water store near the school, creation of a plan and educational campaign materials to inform the public about appropriate activities in a forest)

 Blue for water GI

Green for rainforest and mangrove GI