Due to visiting every settlement being to time consuming, we decided to do a representative sample. We were divided into eight groups, with each group visiting, 1 small, 1 medium, and both the large settlements, Maldon and South Woodham Ferrers. Next, we found the service totals in the settlements we chose. We carried out a survey in the chosen settlements using the weighting system and a logging sheet. We were dropped off at the high street of the settlement and on the logging sheet, we noted every service there. This is how the logging sheet works, every time you see a service you tick the box on the logging sheet, if you saw a newsagent you would tick that box, if you saw it more than once you would tick it repeatedly. For example, you could end up with four ticks on cafe and one tick on antique shop. Once we collected all the services and noted them on the logging sheet, we totalled them up. An example is shown below:
When you have noted the services and how many times you have seen them, you multiply that total by the weighting system score, which is between 1-5. That gives you an overall total for that service. For example:
We then went to Maldon and South Woodham Ferrers and totalled up the services, we used the same method as in the smaller settlements, using the logging sheet, and weighting system because of the larger towns our class was split in half, four groups went to Maldon, and four groups went to South Woodham Ferrers. Each of the 4 groups in the settlement were split in half again in the town centre, 2 group totalled up the top section and the other 2 groups totalled up the bottom section. We than added both sections (top and bottom) to give an overall total number of services for Maldon and South Woodham Ferrers.
Once we collected all the services for the 10 towns, we put our results onto a spreadsheet.
I predict that the settlements with a large population (Maldon, South Woodham Ferrers) will have plenty of services for their population therefore making services proportional to population and that the smaller settlements (Steeple, Bradwell) will have less services for their population.
Critical Appraisal
Like most surveys, there are problems:
1) The first problem is that, some of the services in the towns were not on the logging sheet. This leaves problems; do you not count the services? On the other hand, do you count the services and make up there weighting value?
2) Some shops in the towns may have multiple functions. Such as newsagent/post office. This leaves the problem do you count the service as a newsagent or as a post office, or do count them both.
The solution to these problems are, next time you use the logging sheet, add the service onto the bottom of the logging sheet and decide on an agreed way to deal with them when you return to the centre.
3) When surveying the towns we may have missed certain services. We only counted the services in the town centres; there could have been other services on the side streets or on the edge of town.
The solution to this problem is that, when you are surveying the town centre, take more time, and survey the whole settlement thoroughly.
4) When doing a survey there is always the risk of double counting. There may be a Danger of overlapping areas being surveyed.
The solution is that, you should do the survey twice to be sure and to check over your first results. You should not split into groups and do individual parts; you should do the town as one whole group.
5) The last problem is that, the population figures used in our survey are not very good. They are badly out of date and there is a chance that the settlements we surveyed may have grown or got smaller.
The solution to this problem is that, we should try to get more recent population figures from the council.