HONG KONG EXAMINATIONS AND

ASSESSMENT AUTHORITY

HONG KONG DIPLOMA OF

SECONDARY EDUCATION EXAMINATION

GEOGRAPHY

SAMPLE FIELDWORK-BASED QUESTIONS

(Applicable to the 2019 HKDSE and Onwards)

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Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority
All Rights Reserved 2017

DSE-GEOG-FBQ-SAMPLES–1 1
 SAMPLE FIELDWORK-BASED QUESTION: RIVER STUDY

1. A group of Geography students carried out a field study along a river in the New Territories in February.
Figure 1a is a sketch map of the river showing sites A to D where the students were assigned to. Table 1b
shows the data of the river recorded at different sites.

Figure 1a

N
A


B


C

0 400 m D


Key:
River Contour line (V.I. 50 m)
 Field study site

Table 1b
Site A Site B Site C Site D

Mean channel gradient (degrees) 11.0 7.0 4.5 0.4

Mean channel velocity (m/s) 0.06 0.10 0.56 0.88

Mean channel discharge (m³/s) 0.003 0.054 0.310 0.550

DSE-GEOG-FBQ-SAMPLES2 2
 (a) Refer to Figure 1a and Table 1b.

(i) List one merit and one demerit of conducting a field study on rivers in Hong Kong in
February. (2 marks)

(ii) The students set the hypothesis for the field study as ‘The greater the channel discharge,
the higher the channel velocity’.

Explain whether the data collected were applicable in proving the hypothesis.
(2 marks)

(iii) Name two instruments and explain their uses in measuring channel gradient.
(4 marks)

(b) Refer to Table 1b.

(i) Draw a statistical diagram to show the relationship between mean channel gradient and
mean channel velocity on a piece of graph paper. (2 marks)

(ii) Explain why the statistical diagram in (b) (i) can best present the data. (2 marks)

(c) Other than the data shown in Table 1b, suggest other data and information you might need to
further investigate the river environment. Explain your answer. (6 marks)

DSE-GEOG-FBQ-SAMPLES3 3
 MARKING SCHEME FOR SAMPLE FIELDWORK-BASED QUESTION

River Study Marks

(a) (i) Merit:

- more comfortable weather conditions 1
- more stable weather conditions/ less rainstorms/ thunderstorms 1
- safer to carry out field study 1 (1)

Demerit:
- dry season in Hong Kong 1
- not much water in the river 1
- data collected may be insignificant/ unreliable 1 (1)

(ii) - data applicable to show positive relationship between channel discharge and channel 1
velocity
- higher discharge of the river at downstream as a result of more streams/ higher stream 1
order
- channel discharge increases when two tributaries meet at confluence 1
- higher velocity at the lower course 1 (2)

(iii) - abney level 1 (1)

- for measuring degrees of elevation 1
- along river channel 1 (1)
- ranging rod 1 (1)
- for marking the position of stations 1
- for sightings of stations 1 (1)

(b) (i) - accuracy 2 (2)

1.0

0.9

0.8

0.7
Mean channel velocity (m/s)

0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1 


0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Mean channel gradient (degree)

DSE-GEOG-FBQ-SAMPLES4 4
 River Study (cont.) Marks

(b) (ii) - a tool for analysing relationship between two variables 1

- best to examine theories about cause-and-effect relationship 1
- generally shows strong/ weak positive or negative correlation between the variables 1
- easy to interpret 1 (2)

(c) Notes:
1. Award appropriate marks according to the QUALITY and DEPTH of arguments; do not count
the number of points only.
2. Max. marks should be given to good quality answers with well-elaborated arguments and
demonstrating good knowledge on relevant geographical concepts.
3. Award appropriate marks to relevant and reasonable answers not included in this marking
scheme.
4. Answers may take either of the forms below:
- A wider range of suggestions with appropriate and adequate elaboration
- A narrower range of suggestions with accurate and detailed elaboration

Marking criteria:
 Detailed and clear description and explanation of how other primary data and secondary
information help further investigation on the river environment
 Answers may include the following with explanations:
- characteristics of different sections of river (e.g. bed load with different sizes at different
sites, amount of vegetation along the river)
- human impact on river quality (e.g. pollution levels of the river, including pH value,
dissolved oxygen content, phosphate/ nitrates/ ammonia test, etc.) 6
- human modification of river channel (e.g. channelisation along the river, flood management
strategies, etc.)
- other relevant secondary information (e.g. land use maps along the river channel, newspaper
articles/ development plans, Google Earth, etc.)
 Demonstrating comprehensive knowledge of relevant geographical concepts and principles
 Coherent, creative and logical presentation
 Appropriate description and explanation of how other primary data and secondary sources of
information help further investigation on the river environment
3–5
 Demonstrating adequate knowledge of relevant geographical concepts and principles
 Appropriate presentation
 Brief description and explanation of how other primary data and/ or secondary sources of
information help further investigation on the river environment. 1–2
 General presentation

Max. 18

DSE-GEOG-FBQ-SAMPLES5 5
 SAMPLE FIELDWORK-BASED QUESTION: URBAN STUDY

1. Two groups (X and Y) of Geography students carried out a field study on urban environmental quality,
adopting the ‘Assessment Form on Urban Environmental Quality’ in Table 1a for collecting data. Table 1b
shows the data collected by the two groups.

Table 1a

Assessment item Assessment criteria

3 Adopting attractive design

Assessment on Building
2 Adopting general building design
building environment design
Exterior wall with outdated design/
0 no decorations

3 Good

Air quality 2 Fair

0 Poor
Assessment on
environmental conditions
3 Low

Noise level 2 Medium

0 High

Table 1b
Field study sites

A B C D E F G H

Distance from city centre (km) 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Group X 2 2 3 3 4 6 6 8
Scores on urban
environmental quality
Group Y 4 6 6 8 8 9 8 8

DSE-GEOG-FBQ-SAMPLES6 6
 (a) Refer to Table 1a. List the merits of using the ‘Assessment Form on Urban Environmental
Quality’ for data collection. (3 marks)

(b) Refer to Tables 1a and 1b. Explain two possible reasons for the differences in data collected by
groups X and Y. Suggest ways that may reduce the above differences. (4 marks)

(c) Refer to Table 1b.

(i) Draw a statistical diagram to show the relationship between urban environmental quality
and distance from city centre collected by group X on a piece of graph paper.
(2 marks)

(ii) The students set the hypothesis for the field study as ‘The environmental quality
degrades with proximity to the city centre’.

With reference to the statistical diagram in (c) (i), explain how the hypothesis can be
proved. (3 marks)

(d) Other than the data shown in Table 1b, suggest other data and information necessary for a further
study on the urban environmental quality. Explain your answer. (6 marks)

DSE-GEOG-FBQ-SAMPLES7 7
 MARKING SCHEME FOR SAMPLE FIELDWORK-BASED QUESTION

Urban Study Marks

(a) - lower cost 1

- less technical support needed 1
- allowing different groups to collect data simultaneously/ data collection not confined by
quantities of instruments 1
- quantification of qualitative data 1
- time-efficient 1 (3)

(b) Reasons for differences in data:

- differences in time/ sites/ frequencies of data collection 1
- personal judgement (differences in criteria of scoring) 1
- personal reasons (misinterpretation of scoring criteria/ errors in calculation) 1
- different opinions among group members 1 (2)

Ways to reduce differences: (Should be related to the above reasons)

- compromising time/ sites/ frequencies of data collection 1
- compromising scoring criteria before field study 1
- raising reliability of data among different group members by collecting data at the same site 1
- taking photos as evidence 1
- collecting data by more objective ways, e.g. measuring noise levels with decibel meter 1 (2)

(c) (i) - accuracy 2 (2)

10

8 
Scores on urban environmental quality

6  

4 

3  

2 

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Distance from city centre (km)

DSE-GEOG-FBQ-SAMPLES8 8
 Urban Study (cont.) Marks

(c) (ii) - hypothesis valid: the closer to the city centre, the worse is the environmental quality 1
- scores on urban environmental quality rise with increasing distance from the city centre 1
- site A closer to city centre: environmental quality worse (scores on urban environmental
quality: 2)/
- site H further away from city centre: environmental quality better (scores on urban
environmental quality: 8) 1 (2)

Explanation:
- higher vehicle flow/ lower air quality/ more severe noise problem near city centre 1
- lower building quality in inner city 1 (1)

(d) Notes:
1. Award appropriate marks according to the QUALITY and DEPTH of arguments; do not count
the number of points only.
2. Max. marks should be given to good quality answers with well-elaborated arguments and
demonstrating good knowledge on relevant geographical concepts.
3. Award appropriate marks to relevant and reasonable answers not included in this marking
scheme.

Marking criteria:
 Accurate and detailed description of other information/ data necessary for a further study on the
urban environmental quality and their methods of collection
 Relevant information/ data:
- types and flow of vehicles
- flow of people
- types of land uses
- height and quality of buildings
 Date collection methods/ Sources of data: 6
- questionnaire survey
- street interview
- instruments
- maps
- websites/ government data
 Coherent, systematic and logical presentation of relevant arguments
 Quoting accurate and detailed examples of field study
 Accurate description of other information/ data necessary for a further study on the urban
environmental quality and their methods of collection
3–5
 Systematic and logical presentation of relevant arguments
 Quoting appropriate examples of field study
 Brief description of other information/ data necessary for a further study on the urban
environmental quality and their methods of collection
1–2
 General presentation of relevant arguments
 Quoting brief examples of field study

Max. 18

DSE-GEOG-FBQ-SAMPLES9 9