GEOGRAPHY 120.

3
INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS

Module 2: Tools and Methodology in

Geographic Study
2.1 Geographic information Source: Creative Commons

2.2 Maps, scales and projections

2.3 Remote sensing and GIS

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Department of Geography and Planning

 Geographic Information

 Information about Earth’s systems and components

 also called spatial data
 Information associated with specific locations
 Spatial / temporal characteristics of things
 position, size, shape, boundaries
 motion, direction, dispersal, variation
 Geographic Information

 Obtained by observation or sampling

 qualitative or quantitative
 Information may be communicated in many ways:
 descriptions (e.g., names, narratives)
 empirical data (e.g., numeric values, tables, graphs)
 symbols (e.g., points, lines, polygons)
Symbols to Represent Data
Spatial data examples
 Spatial data examples

Climographs depict geographic information

 Geographic Information

 Methods of storage or depiction

 “hard copy” (physical objects, printed material)
 electronic storage (digital data)
 virtual images (transient displays)
 Maps
 The quintessential tools for geographic information
storage and depiction
 Map making is termed cartography
 has evolved into technical geography or geomatics
 Real maps
 tangible (globes, 3D models, 2D maps)
 Virtual maps
 intangible (transient displays)
 conceptual (“mental maps”)
Maps affect
how we
perceive and
understand the
physical world