Topic 1 : Geography in everyday life

1. What is the relationship between people and nature in their neighbourhoods?

1. Relationship between people and nature

a) local communities and nearby nature areas are dependent upon each other

b) local communities and nearby nature areas mutually affect each other

2. Benefits enjoyed by people and nature

a) nature areas lower air temperatures, remove pollutants and provide space for recreation

b) community activities promote the importance of environmental protection

3. Disadvantages to people and nature

a) wildlife from nearby nature areas may harm people and environmental protection limits development

b) visitors to nature cause soil erosion, damage vegetation, worsen pollution and disturb wildlife

2. How do people acquire a sense of place in their neighbourhoods?

1. Sense of place

a) people associate importance, meanings and memories with specific locations in their neighbourhoods

b) people’s experiences with natural and built environments, and interaction with others at these locations

2. Acquiring a sense of place

a) individuals repeatedly encounter people and objects along familiar paths or roads during regular travel

b) individuals experience significant or memorable events at local landmarks and gathering places

3. Representing a sense of place

a) individuals and organisations use different forms and types of media to express people’s sense of place

b) individuals’ sense of place could be enhanced or contradicted by these different representations

3. What is the relationship between locations in a neighbourhood?

1. Regions

a) areas with similar physical and/or human characteristics or is known for something

b) spheres of influence of services, events and objects on other locations in the area

2. Spatial patterns

a) non-random arrangement of services, events and objects in an area

b) services, events and objects arranged in recognisable shapes, geometry, clusters and at regular intervals

3. Spatial associations

a) tendency of a pair of services, events and objects to locate near each other

b) tendency suggests a connection between a service, event or object and another service, event or object

4. How are neighbourhoods organised in Singapore?

1. Spatial scales in Singapore

a) more than 20 towns spread across the country, catering to different lifestyles

b) each town has a town centre, serving as commercial and social hubs for residents living in its neighbourhoods

2. Spatial hierarchies in Singapore

a) nested areas of different sizes beginning with a single residential unit

b) clusters of residential units form a precinct, which in turn form neighbourhoods that combine into a town

3. Town planning in Singapore

a) serve residents and provide for nature at distinct levels of the precinct, neighbourhood and town

b) create connections and synergies across precincts, neighbourhoods and towns

1. What are sustainable urban neighbourhoods?

1. Sustainable development

a) meet the needs of the present population by achieving high standards of living for all

b) ensure the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

2. Economic and social sustainability in urban neighbourhoods

a) high enough population density to support local businesses, and keep transport and infrastructure costs low

b) small population size to enable regular interaction among residents and to discuss decisions affecting the neighbourhood

3. Environmental sustainability in urban neighbourhoods

a) ample protection for nature and facilities that supports waste minimisation and recycling

b) adopts energy and water efficient design approaches for buildings and landscapes

2. What ecosystem services are found in urban neighbourhoods?

1. Urban neighbourhoods as ecosystems

a) ecosystems consist of living communities and the non-living environment interacting with one another

b) aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in neighbourhoods including ponds, lakes, parks and forests

2. Provisioning and regulating services

a) provisioning services available in neighbourhoods include fresh water and food

b) regulating services in neighbourhoods include microclimate regulation, flood mitigation, air and water quality

3. Cultural and supporting services

a) cultural services in neighbourhoods include aesthetics, education and recreation

b) supporting services in neighbourhoods include soil formation, pollination and photosynthesis

3. What are common hazards in urban neighbourhoods?

1. Fire hazards

a) fires in neighbourhoods are commonly caused by faulty electrical appliances and wiring, and unattended cooking fires

b) negative consequences of fires include burn injuries, smoke inhalation and property damage

2. Air pollution hazards

a) air pollution in neighbourhoods is commonly caused by burning vegetation and industrial and motor vehicle emissions

b) negative consequences of air pollution include respiratory infections, heart disease and lung cancer

3. Traffic hazards

a) traffic accidents in neighbourhoods are commonly caused by speeding, red-light running and drunk driving

b) negative consequences of traffic accidents include serious injury and loss of life

4. How to build sustainable urban neighbourhoods?

1. Environmental stewardship

a) promote volunteerism among neighbourhood residents to share knowledge with others about the importance of healthy ecosystems

b) partner public and private stakeholders in environmental stewardship efforts

2. Disaster risk management

a) reduce neighbourhoods’ exposure to hazards and the vulnerability of people and properties to hazards

b) improve residents’ preparedness in responding to hazards and implement monitoring and warning systems

3. Community resilience

a) strengthen relationships among residents and raise their awareness of potential hazards

b) develop residents’ ability to organise themselves and equip themselves with resources to resist, adapt and recover from a disaster

1. How to design fieldwork?

1. Research questions and hypotheses

a) identify a topic or thesis from textbooks, news articles, websites

b) craft a question that outlines a specific scope and a measurable hypothesis about two variables

2. Data collection sequence through primary and/or secondary sources

a) collect quantitative data, then design qualitative data collection to examine patterns and trends

b) collect qualitative data, then design quantitative data collection to verify observations

3. Limitations and risks

a) adjust research aim, study area, sample size and timeframe according to available resources

b) implement measures to avoid harming oneself, other people and nature

2. How to collect primary data?

1. Sampling

a) use non-probability sampling methods including convenience and quota sampling

b) use probability sampling methods including simple random sampling and stratified random sampling

2. Closed-ended questionnaire surveys

a) create pre-defined responses to questions that are limited to short phrases, single words or numbers

b) use rating scales to guide responses including the Likert Scale, frequency scale and ranking scale

3. Mental maps

a) visualise experiences by drawing features and adding labels onto the base map of a study area

b) conduct semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions exploring features and labels added to the map

3. How to process and analyse data?

1. Closed-ended questionnaire surveys

a) interpret responses using measures of frequency including counts and percentages

b) interpret responses using measures of central tendency including mean, mode and median

2. Mental maps

a) analyse how well maps represent reality and how features and labels are drawn or added

b) examine how memories of experiences are represented on maps and described during semi-structured interviews

3. Patterns and relationships

a) visualise positive and negative correlations using scatter plots and best-fit lines

b) identify recognisable geometric shapes, clusters and repetitions

4. How to present findings?

1. Maps

a) represent spatial information using dots, lines and polygons

b) provide title, date, orientation, scale, legend, author and source(s) on maps

2. Graphs

a) use bar graphs and pie charts to show distributions

b) use line graphs to show trends and relationships between two variables

3. Photographs and texts

a) use satellite and aerial images to display spatial information

b) use colour-coded quotations and word clouds to represent qualitative analyses