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Module

GEO1018 : Geographical Analysis (Inactive)

  • Inactive for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Alison Copeland
  • Co-Module Leader: Professor Rachel Woodward
  • Lecturer: Dr Wen Lin, Professor Simon Tate, Dr Emma Ormerod
  • Owning School: Geography, Politics & Sociology
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 10
Semester 2 Credit Value: 10
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

Module outline:

Geography is characterised by a breadth of subject matter that examines the relationships between physical and human aspects of spaces, environments and landscapes. Human geography focuses on the spatial relationships of human activities, and particularly on how social, economic, political and cultural processes and relationships are formed and expressed geographically. Physical geography is the study of the Earth’s surface and near-surface environment and focusses on explaining the processes and spatial patterns in the Earth’s hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere and lithosphere. This module offers an introduction to some of the methods and philosophies that are used in geographical research. The module is wide-ranging and will cover a diverse set of methods appropriate for the collection, analysis and presentation of human and physical geographical data.
Module aims:
•       To consider the nature of geographical data and the methods for their collection, analysis, presentation and mapping
•       To describe quantitative and qualitative methods and approaches to geographical analysis using real-world examples and project work
•       To introduce a range of descriptive and inferential statistical methods for analyzing quantitative geographical data
•       To introduce methods for visualizing and mapping quantitative and qualitative geographic data using graphical and GIS (Geographical Information System) software
•       To provide students the experience of working in teams through project design, data collection, analysis and mapping

Outline Of Syllabus

•       What is geography and what are geographical data?
•       Quantitative and qualitative data in physical and human geography from primary and secondary sources
•       Interviews, participant observation and ethnographic approaches, interpreting textual analysis
•       Summarising and visualizing quantitative data: trends, relationships and differences
•       Mapping geographical data
•       The role of statistics in geographical research: finding patterns, quantifying uncertainty and testing hypotheses
•       Geographical Information Systems (GIS): mapping and analysis of spatially referenced data
Interpreting geographical data: case studies and group project work

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture81:008:00in person lectures (semester 2)
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture81:008:00in person lectures (semester 1)
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion136:0036:00N/A
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesPractical111:0011:00in-person content
Structured Guided LearningStructured research and reading activities221:0022:00Reflections and learning from practicals and seminars (sem 1 and 2)
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesSmall group teaching51:005:00in-person (semester 2)
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesDrop-in/surgery41:004:00in-person (semester 2). Optional
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesDrop-in/surgery41:004:00Drop-in/ Surgery semester 1 (in-person)
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study198:0098:00N/A
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesScheduled on-line contact time41:004:00Asynchronous online fortnightly multiple choice tests (semester 1)
Total200:00
Jointly Taught With
Code Title
GEO1103Quantitative Geographical Analysis
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures, fieldtrip and practical classes complement each other in providing both a theoretical background and practical training in the collection and analysis of geographical data.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Computer assessment1M40fortnightly online multiple choice test (10 questions each time) on understanding of statistical methods and GIS
Portfolio2M60In-class exercises and project write-up (2000 words)
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Online multiple choice tests will ensure the students have grasped the concepts and are able to interpret statistics
Portfolios consisting of in-class exercises and project write-up test knowledge of the subject and ability to collect field data and analyse, interpret and report geographical data from world-world case studies.

Reading Lists

Timetable