Unit name | Geographical Methods 1 |
---|---|
Unit code | GEOG15040 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | C/4 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
Unit director | Mr. Thomas |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
None |
Co-requisites |
All other units in year 1 BSc/MSci Single Honours Geography |
School/department | School of Geographical Sciences |
Faculty | Faculty of Science |
The unit is comprised of two elements. Digital Data & Geography provides an introduction to the use, processing and presentation of spatial data to examine geographical phenomena. Geographical Data Analysis develops skills for empirical enquiry using quantitative methods and software. Both elements provide foundational ability in IT and analytical skills, which are used and developed in subsequent years.
Element 1: Digital Data & Geography - A ten-week element, with a weekly 1 hour lecture and a timetabled practical (also includes an introduction to the School's IT facilities during week 0 - the introductory week). The key topics are: knowing about the sources and nature of geographical data; the use of software packages for displaying, summarizing and mapping geographical data; an introduction to GIS and using numerical data to examine and interpret geographical phenomena.
Element 2: Geographical Data Analysis - This element provides an introduction to the perspectives and methods of geographical data analysis. The key topics covered are: Spatial Analysis; probability theory, inference and hypothesis testing; Models, functions and simple regression.
The aims of this Unit are
On completion of this Unit students should be able to:
Element 1
Element 2
Lectures, practicals, group work and reading tasks.
On-line assessment both formative and summative. All of the semester one examination and the bulk of the final examination will be an on-line assessment .
Element 1 Individualy assessed practical sessions 5% A group project & presentation in week 10 5%% One hour on-line examination covering all of Semester one 15%
Element 2 Practical folder documenting GDA project 25% Two hour examination covering the whole course 50% Total for unit 100% A successful pass in the Unit is conditional on achieving a mark of at least 40% in the final examination which covers the whole course. This requirement is in addition to achieving an overall Unit mark of at least 40%.
ESSENTIAL READING:
RECOMMENDED READING:
Handouts with reading relevant to specific lectures will also be given.
Recommended Bookshop texts:
Harris, R. and Jarvis, C. (2011) Statistics for Geography and Environmental Science. Pearson. NB For element 2 and for year 2 Spatial Modelling unit.