what would a geographer conducting research be most likely to do

A geographer would research, for example,  the land forms and oceans, the climatic patterns, such as wind patterns and their influence on other aspects, such as trade patterns or culture.

Geographers usually conduct research on the following topics:
1. The structure of the earth and how the building blocks of the earth relate to one another. For example, how our modern continents were created, how mountains were formed and how the earth's oceans impact on the land. 2. Climatology - rainfall patterns, droughts, how storms form and develop and how clouds form etc. 3. Population studies - Geographers can how people, their cultures and politics impact the earth. 4. Mapwork - Geographers can build maps and 3D models of the natural elements and how they relate to each other.