Geography Skills A summary

Investigations Choosing a topic area Topics into a question or hypothesis Consider scale/accessibility/spatial Make sure it is realistic in time available/achievable Use of theories Clear aim/sub questions Risk assessment

Plan/strategy method/plan Limitations/justifications Collection of primary or secondary data Sampling size, types (linear, point, random, areal … pragmatic for rivers systematic … speed sampling, using grids ….stratified sampling over different soil types Location time

Points to check/think about (make sure data is accurate(!), reliable, register anomalies) Collecting data in Arran, Cambridge in Local study Quantitative and qualitative Subjective and objective Sampling (unbiased, precise, large enough, collected easily) Questionnaires (design one that will collect data about tourists in Norwich) / surveys (design one to collect information on tourist attractions in Norwich) /interviews (design on the street interviews with tourists in Norwich.)

Types of data Discrete data = Distinct parts - crop yields Ordinal = Ranked Continuous= Continuous –wind speed/temperature Areal = Per km2 Time-series = Intervals/time lapse – rainfall Period = Intervals like census

Presenting data Graph, photo, satellite, ICT, pictograms, histograms, frequency curves, overlays, maps, tables, models, pie charts, triangular charts, dispersion diagrams, scatter charts Maps.. topographic, geology, GOAD, Land-use, postcode maps, dot maps, chloropleth, proportional maps, isoline maps, flow maps Weather maps, GIS

Analysis and interpretation What does your data show? What can this tell you about your area of study? How can this be applied in future? How may other groups use this data?

Risk assessment What are the potential risks and how can they be minimised?

SWOT analysis S – Strengths = W – Weaknesses = O – Opportunities = T – Threats =