2025 HCI Prelims H1 Geog Paper 1 ANSWERS

2025 HCI Prelim H1 Geography ANSWERS 1 Four 17-year old students undertook an investigation about the perception of the elderly population of the level of liveability in Toa Payoh town. They crafted the following hypothesis: ‘The elderly aged 65 years and above living in Toa Payoh experience a high level of liveability.’ The students conducted research on Age-Friendly Cities and decided to focus on the following factors that affect liveability of the elderly: • Community support and health services • Outdoor spaces and buildings • Transportation The students collected primary data by conducting a survey in May in a central area in Toa Payoh town on two weekday afternoons. When they were unable to reach their targeted sample size of 50 respondents, the students decided to expand their number of responses for the survey by asking their peers, who have elderly relatives living in Toa Payoh, to help administer the survey. In addition to the survey, the students conducted face -to-face interviews with 6 elderly residents in Toa Payoh. The students also collected data by conducting on-site surveys of specific sites and recorded some physical features they observed in Toa Payoh town. Resource 1 shows sites in Toa Payoh town where the surveys are conducted. Resource 2 shows the data collection sheet used by students for the survey. Resource 3 shows the survey findings. Resource 4 shows physical features observed in Toa Payoh town during the on-site surveys. (a) Explain why the hypothesis is appropriate for the investigation. [3] Suitable scale: • The study is based in Toa Payoh town which is manageable for the 4 four students especially when they have narrowed down to one location to administer the survey Researchable/measureable • Data can be collected by conducting surveys/interviews with the elderly population Clearly defined • Independent variable: Toa Payoh town • Dependent variable: Level of liveability • Age group of the population is defined (b) With reference to Resource 1, suggest the challenges that the students may face when conducting the survey. [4] Ease of communication • Language barrier can cause issues in communication with survey participants. Some may not be able to converse in or read English, which is the language used in the survey • Some students may speak too fast and the elderly may not fully understand the purpose of the survey and may choose not to participate Willingness of passers-by to participate • Unwillingness of the public to do the survey • Passers-by who are rude and dismissive who may even be aggressive Availability of participants • Lack of passers-by on weekday afternoons in both locations • The hawker centre seemed closed for cleaning and this may reduce the number of passers -by

Page | 2 of 10 (c) With reference to Resource 2, explain one strength and one weakness of the recording sheet. [5] Strengths • The items are short and written in simple terms, hence is easy to understand • The survey items are organised in categories which helps the participant focus on the main factors as they read the individual items Weaknesses • Certain terms used such as ‘sufficient’ and ‘easily’ may be understood differently by different individuals and this can affect the accuracy of the data collected Strength/Weakness • The inclusion of the ‘neutral’ option may be important , as its absence demands that a respondent with a neutral opinion give a different answer, thus biasing results. • However, it could also be the case where a middle option is not included to force the respondent to take sides. There is also the issue of a relatively high proportion of participants choosing neutral as an option when they cannot decide or are not forced to choose one side. (d) Explain the ethical considerations that the students should take note of when conducting interviews with the elderly. [4] • The students should not interrupt the interviewees in their daily activities. They could make an appointment with the interviewees first, ensuring that they can make time and are available for the interview. • Informed consent must be obtained, typically in written form, ensuring that participants understand what their involvement entails. Participants should be fully informed about the purpose, procedures, and potential risks of the study before they agree to t ake part. The information should be presented in clear, accessible language, avoiding jargon or technical terms. Participants should be aware that their participation is voluntary, and they can withdraw at any time without penalty. • Researchers must protect the privacy of participants by ensuring that their personal information and responses are kept confidential. Data should be made anonymous where possible, with the removal of names or other identifying details replaced with pseudon yms. The researcher must ensure that the collected data is stored securely, whether in physical or digital form, to prevent unauthorized access. • Participants should be treated with respect, and their dignity must be upheld throughout the research process. The students should be sensitive to cultural, social, and personal differences and avoid questions or behaviour that could be considered intrusive, offensive, or disrespectful. The students must take care not to cause physical, psychological, or emotional harm to participants. This includes being mindful of sensitive topics that could trigger distress. • The students must be aware of potential power imbalances between themselves and participants, especially in contexts involving vulnerable groups (e.g., elderly, children, marginalized communities). Participation must be entirely voluntary, and there should be no pressure or coercion for individuals to take part. • The students should also be aware of the needs of the elderly participants and cater to them to ensure that they fully understand the questions of the interview and feel comfortable in communicating their views with them. Students should try to translate t heir interview questions into Chinese dialects or Malay where necessary. A volunteer translator can be recruited to convey the meaning and intent of the interview questions correctly. (e) Use a sketch graph to represent the ‘mean score for each factor’ shown in Resource 3. [4]

Page | 3 of 10 (f) The data representation method should include the following • Title of diagram • Labels on axis • Accurate construction of bar graph The students concluded that the elderly living in Toa Payoh experience a high level of liveability . With reference to Resources 1, 3 and 4, evaluate the validity of their conclusion. [10] Possible Approaches: Candidates could refer to Resources 1, 3 and 4 to consider how accurate and reliable the collected data are for drawing conclusion about the level of liveability for the elderly in Tao Payoh. Candidates could look at the way data are collected and assess if the methods used could make accuracy and reliability of the data questionable. For instance, they could look at • the sample size for the surveys and interviews – the sample size needs to large enough for reliable results but small enough to be manageable for the students. A sample size of 100 may produce more reliable results. • Some surveys were conducted on behalf of the students by their friends . T he use of data collected not by the students themselves may be less reliable as the students would not be present address any questions • sampling method for the survey participants outside of the MRT station and the hawker centre – convenience sampling is biased. However, the students do not have another option. • sampling method for the interviews – how the interview participants were sel