1. GEOG 1230 Lecture 2 Types and Sources of Geographical Data

2. Geographical Data Defined Components Importance Types of Data Data Sources Your Assignment Next time Lecture Structure

3. Geographical Data Defined Data defined: Facts about a phenomenon that enable us to understand, explain and make decisions OED - something known or assumed as fact, which forms the basis of reasoning or calculation Data are NOT information, we turn data into information Example…

4. Geographical Data Defined IF Geography is concerned with the description and explanation of phenomena that occur on (or near) the Earth’s surface THEN Geographical data are facts that describe these phenomena and their location on the Earth

5. Components Geographical data has three components: Temporal component - provides a record of when the data was collected Thematic – describes some attribute or variable of a phenomenon (geographical) Spatial – describes geometry, location or shape

6. Temporal Component In the form of: a record of when the data was collected a series of repeat data sets at different times

7. Thematic Component Can include non-spatial descriptive or quantifiable characteristics including: Socio-economic information demographics housing statistics migration transportation economics retailing

8. Examples

9. Thematic Component Environmental or natural resource information geology vegetation hydrology soils topography

10. Example

11. Spatial Component The spatial component can be recorded using one of two models: location orientated approaches; or object orientated approaches Location orientated where every element in an image are assigned a spatial reference Time is represented as multiple images

12. Example

13. Spatial Component Object orientated using spatial entities including: points – 0D (no length/breadth/depth) lines – 1D (length) polygons – 2D (length/breadth) volumes – 3D (length/breadth/depth) Time is recorded using separate data layers

14. Example

15. Importance Why do we need geographical data? Everything is related to everything else but things that are near to each other are more related than things that are far apart

16. Example

17. Importance Why do we need geographical data? Everything is related to everything else but things that are near to each other are more related than things that are far apart Not always true but illustrates the importance of spatial relationships

18. Importance Collecting and analysing data about the world in which we live helps us: simplify very complex surroundings into understandable, shareable information get from place to place understand past, present and future social organisation and behaviour understand how/why we use resources Our behaviour in space often reflects our past patterns of behaviour

19. Types of Data There are many ways of categorising geographical data: primary/secondary qualitative/quantitative human/physical by method of collection

20. Primary/Secondary Not just a geography issue Primary data - collected and analysed by the same individual Secondary data - collected by someone else Why is this important?

21. Qualitative/Quantitative Qualitative data are non-numerical and can only be classified into categories i.e. colour, education level, male/female Quantitative data are measured on a numerical scale represents a quantity or amount of something i.e. height (in cm) or weight (in kg)

22. Human/Physical Why is this a fundamental division in academic geography (i.e. BSc and BA)? often require different approaches often require different background info However: very difficult to divide many sub-categories and areas of overlap Example: soil data

23. By Method of Collection Data can be classified by the method it was collected: direct measurement remote sensing – photography, satellite cartographic – derived from maps administrative and statutory – by-products of other processes census and surveys

24. Data Sources There are many sources of geographical data some are still only in hardcopy many are available digitally many are available online Examples? This is going to be your job!

25. Your Assignment In the library (allow ~1.5 hours) compile a list of at least 6 sources of geographical data. Provide: the name of the source where it can be found a 1-2 sentence description publisher other useful information

26. Your Assignment use the library catalogue, Athens resources, the internet and other library resources Submit in box in basement of main building by Wed Oct 15 th

27. Next Week Your input will be compiled Will discuss some sources of geographical data