APHG Unit 1 - Thinking Geographically

Absolute Direction

Based upon the four cardinal points/compass bearings of north, south, east, west.

Absolute Distance

A measure of the space between objects using a standard unit like miles or kilometers.

Absolute Location

A position of a place or item on the Earth's surface using latitude and longitude.

Area Distortion

The depiction of items on a map are either too large or too small as a result of this form of distortion.

Census Data

A form of quantitative information that records demographic information about members of a given population.

Clustering

Distribution of items in close proximity to one another.

Direction Distortion

The depiction of items on a map that causes improper locations and changes in compass bearings between two points.

Dispersal

Distribution of items over a wide geographic area.

Distance Decay

The decrease in interaction between two phenomena, places, or people as distance between them increase.

Distance Distortion

The depiction of items on a map that causes an increase or decrease in the spacing between objects on a map.

Elevation

Height above a given level, typically sea level.

Environmental Determinism

19th century geographic theory that says that the physical environment predisposed social, economic, and political development of societies.

Field Observation (Fieldwork)

Collection of raw data outside of laboratory, library, or workplace that includes qualitative methods like informal interviews, direct observations, participation in the life of groups, collective discussions, and so on.

Flows

The movement of people, ideas, product, commodities, capital, etc. in a constant stream from one location to another. E.G. the flows of rural-to-urban migration.

Formal Region

An area of space inhabited by people who have internal uniformity and homogeneity; typically with defined boundaries.

Functional Region

An area of space with a central node or point from which specific political, social, economic, or other activity flows; borders and boundaries adjust as improvements in communication and transportation technologies improve.

Geographic Information System

A system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all forms of geographic data.

Geographical Data

Data or information that identifies geographic features, locations, and boundaries on Earth that can be accessed, manipulated, and analyzed using geospatial software like GIS.

Geospatial Data

(aka geographical data)

Global Scale

The geographic study of information related to the entire world.

Land Use

Management and modification of natural environments or wilderness into built environments such as settlements and semi-natural habitats such as arable fields, pastures, and managed woods.

Landscape Analysis

In Human Geography: A method of fieldwork where one discovers geographic patterns and collects, desribes, and interprets geographic data related to human activities.

Local Scale

The geographic study of information of a small area like a neighborhood, village, or small town.

Map Distortion

The outcome of transferring the three-dimensional Earth onto a flat surface; results in changes to distance, direction, shape, and area.

Media Reports

A form of geographic data collection that includes digital, radio, television, and print resources related to news, quarterly journals, and other forms of publishing.

National Scale

The geographic study of information related to the entirety of a single country.

Natural Resources

Materials or substances such as minerals, forests, water, and fertile land that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain.

Online Mapping

The use of software within a website to create, maintain, and analyze maps.

Online Visualization

Within geography, referred to as geovisualization. A set of tools and techniques supporting the analysis of geospatial data through the use of interactive visualization like virtual reality or augmented reality.

Pattern

The regular arrangement or placement of objects on Earth's surface.

Perceptual Region (Vernacular)

An area defined by the beliefs and feelings of shared cultural identity.

Personal Interviews

A qualitative data collection method where people are asked a series of questions related to events, opinions, and experiences to construct meaning, which often differs due to class, ethnicity, age, sexuality, etc.

Photographic Interpretation

The examination of images for identifying objects and patterns and for judging their significance.

Place

One of the five themes of geography; the physical and human characteristics that help us understand what it is like at a location.

Policy Documents

A form of geographic data that originates from written documents related to the use of space.

Possibilism

The theory that the environment sets constraints or limitations on culture, but that culture is otherwise determine by social conditions.

Reference Maps

Showing where something is in space, physical features like landforms, coastlines, waterways and political data boundaries, settlements, transportation or other networks for their own sake.

Regional Analysis

Examination of the similarities and differences relative to the relationships between people and places.

Regional Scale

The geographic study of information related to a region.

Relative Direction

Based in less formal means of demonstrating a course of movement. (For example: The Far East was termed such by those in Western Europe. It was the furthest points of the known world to these individuals. The Midwest was termed as such by those living in the Northeastern portion of the U.S. to distinguish it from the West. Far and Mid- in these examples demonstrate a relative direction. Other examples include near, far, in, out, etc.)

Relative Distance

Measurements in non-absolute criteria, such as travel time or psychological factors. (For example, the number of street lights you must pass through could affect your sense of distance, especially if you hit every red light).

Relative Location

One's location based up the distance and direction from another known location.

Remote Sensing

Data collected from a distance without visiting or interacting directly with the phenomenon of interest.

Satellite Imagery

Pictures of Earth taken by imaging satellites, typically operated by government agencies or businesses.

Satellite Navigation System (Sat Nav)

The use of satellites to provide a geospatial position on Earth's surface. (For example: GPS).

Shape Distortion

The depiction of items on a map that stretch or shrink the size of the objects being studied.

Space

Locations that lack meaning and, therefore, have many ways of attemping to understand the human activities and interactions within these locations. (For example: Economic geographers attempt to use measures of the interaction between consumers, producers, flows of goods and services, etc. within given spaces to give meaning to the relationships that exist - economic space.)

Sustainability

The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level of production to avoid the depletion of natural resources and maintain an ecological balance.

Thematic Maps

Maps that attempt to reveal the spatial distribution of one or two attribute data sets.

Time-Space Convergence

A measure in the change in the effort required to overcome distance, the average rate of decline in travel time between two places over time. (For example: Cars travel faster than stagecoaches; the opposite would be space-time divergence where effort to overcome distance has increased - needing a visa to travel to a country)

Travel Narratives

Written accounts focusing on the connection between the traveler and the traveled spaces.