Research Action Plan
A research action plan is one way of
investigating a geographical issue. It is made
up of a series of steps.
Steps 1in a research action plan
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Aim
Identify the aim or purpose of the study.
Within the aim you need to identify the area
that you will study.
Examples of aims
Too broad: To research waste management in
New South Wales
Too specific: To find the volume of garbage collected
this week in Wattle Street
Too complex: To compare garbage collection,
recycling and waste disposal in rural areas with
those in urban areas
Good: To investigate recycling at Green High School
Step 2 Questions
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Generate a number of focus questions to be
addressed by the investigation.
You are breaking down the overall aim into
manageable sections.
The questions must relate to the overall aim of
the fieldwork or investigation.
Example of suitable questions
Aim: To investigate recycling at Green
High School
Questions that could be used
1 Which materials are recycled?
2 How are materials collected for recycling?
3 How much material is recycled?
4 How often are recycling bins emptied?
5 What materials in the main waste stream could be recycled?
6 Which members of the school recycle?
7 Where is the material taken for recycling?
8 How could recycling be improved?
Step 3 Data
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Decide what primary and secondary data is
needed to answer the questions.
There are two types of data: primary and
secondary.
Primary data is data that is collected and
processed by you.
Secondary data is data that has been collected
and processed by someone else.
Examples of data
Question: How are materials collected for recycling?
Primary data that could be collected includes:
• photographs of each type of recycling bin or collection method used in
the school
• the number of each type of collection method
• the location of each bin or method.
Secondary data that could be collected includes:
• information from the school about how the material is collected
• collection procedures from a waste management company.
Step 4 Techniques
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Identify the techniques that will be used to
collect the data.
Primary techniques: field sketches, photos,
collecting samples, surveying, interviewing.
Secondary techniques: collect newspaper
articles, internet research, books, journals.
Primary
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• Field sketching, photography,
making a video
• Mapping, constructing
transects
• Counting, timing, tallying,
measuring
• Collecting samples, water and
soil testing
• Surveying, interviewing
• Requesting answers to
specific questions or
gathering opinions from
individuals by letter, email
or phone
Secondary
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Internet research
• Collecting media articles
• Recording radio or TV
broadcasts
• Requesting official data
by letter, email or phone
from organisations such as
councils, NRMA, ABS
• Using books, journals or other
printed material to find data
Step 5 Collecting primary and
secondary data.
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Example of data collection technique
Primary data: The location of each bin or collection
method.
Technique: Mapping
Consider: Are the bins always in the same place? Do
you need to map the locations for wet and dry days, or
for normal school days and special event days?
Consider: Are you going to draw your own base map
or make a copy of one?
Example of collecting data
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Technique: Mapping
Collection: Using photocopies of the school plan,
record the location of recycling bins on a normal
school day and on the day of the athletics carnival.
Mark each bin with a cross—red for paper, blue for
plastic bottles and yellow for cans.
6. Processing
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Processing and analysing the data collected.
This involves creating tables, graphs, annotated
maps and /or photographs.
This makes the information easy to see.
Edit secondary data and produce transcripts or
summaries of interviews.
As you process the data you must analyse the results
by looking for answers to your questions, make
relationships clear and consider any implications of
your findings.
Example of processing and
analysing data
Data collected: Maps of bin locations in three different occasions.
Processing and analysing: Complete the maps with key, scale, north point and
headings, indicating the type of day data collected, for example ‘Distribution
of bins for the athletics carnival.’ You may choose to mount each map on card or
scan them into a software program depending on the style of your presentation.
Add annotations about the observed distribution on each occasion, for example a
note pointing out the increased number of bins near the oval for the
athletics carnival.
To analyse this data consider if the bins are moved to cater for different events,
and if they are, whether this causes a problem elsewhere, or if they are not,
whether they should be moved. Look to see if the data about bin location is
related to any of your other data.
Step 7 Presenting
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Select presentation methods to communicate
your findings effectively
Written report
Report needs to make clear : statement of aim,
focus questions, location of study.
You should describe what the data shows and
answer the focus questions.
Step 8 Action
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Propose individual or group action in
response to the research findings and where
appropriate take the action.