Unit 1 (Thinking Geographically

Spacial Patterns

How and where different geographical features occur on the earth's surface.

Relative Distance

Measures social, cultural, or political differences or similarities between two locations.

Relative Direction

Describes one location in reference to another.

Map Scale

Distance between areas represented by specific items found on the key.

Scale

How much of the world we are seeing on the map.

Reference Maps

Display specific geographic locations.

Thematic Maps

Specialize in displaying geographic information.

Absolute distance

Distance that can be measured in feet, miles, kilometers, or meters.

Absolute Direction

Cardinal directions (north, east, south, west).

Clustering & Dispersal

Show how different phenomena are organized across an area.

Elevation

Measures the height of geographic features relative to sea level.

Compass Rose

Indicates the cardinal directions and can give intermediate directions as well.

Large Scale Map

Shows a small area in loads of detail.

Small Scale Map

Shows a large area in less detail.

Choropleth

Visualizes data from a specific geographic region in different colors.

Cartogram

Distorts the size of geographic shapes to display differences in data.

Graduated Symbol

Also known as a 'proportional map'.

Dot Distribution

Uses dots to visualize the location of certain data points.

Isoline Map

Uses lines to depict changes in data.

Mercator Projection

Shows latitude and longitude lines which meet at exactly 90-degree angles.

Peters Projection

Depicts continents according to the true size of their landmass.

Goode Homolosine Projection

Accurately depicts the shape of each continent.

Polar Projection

Depicts continents accurately by the poles.

Robinson Projection

A compromise between Mercator and Peters with minimal distortion in land masses.

Field Observations

When a researcher physically goes to a place and makes written observations about what they see.

Census

Gathers information about a government’s citizens.

Quantitative Data

Numbers-based data.

Qualitative Data

Characteristics or qualities data.

Geospatial Technology

Hardware and software that can examine and measure geographical features.

GPS

Used to determine location.

GIS

Used to analyze data for the purpose of answering research-based questions.

Moving/Relocation

Decisions based on data regarding where individuals or groups might move.

Flow

Describes the patterns of connection between two places.

Place

Describes the way humans modify a particular space.

Time-Space Compression

Describes the decreased distance between two places as measured by time or cost.

Distance Decay

The further apart two things are, the less connected they will be.

Random Dispersal

No uniformed way of distribution of phenomena.

Clustered

Everything is distributed in one or more specific areas.

Dispersed

Phenomena are spread out.

Linear

Phenomena are in a line.

Circular

Phenomena surround a central node.

Geometric

Phenomena appear to be in a regular and orderly fashion.

Environmental Determinism

Environment determines culture.

Possibilism

Humans determine culture, mainly.

Analysis

Observing and thinking about data to draw conclusions.

Global Scale

The largest scale, representing the entire planet.

Regional Scale

Large chunks or regions, such as Afro-Eurasia.

National Scale

Single country analysis.

Local Scale

Scale focused on province, state, or city.

Region

A geographical unit that shares some unifying principle.

Formal Regions

Regions linked by common traits with clear boundaries.

Perceptual Region

Regions defined by people’s shared beliefs and feelings with vague boundaries.

Functional Regions

Regions organized around a shared function with a central node.