Data Presentation Techniques in Geography
This page introduces various cartographic and diagrammatic techniques for geography exams, focusing on three main categories: cartographic, graphical, and diagrammatic methods.
Cartographic Techniques
Cartographic techniques involve the creation and use of maps to represent geographical data. Some key types of maps in geography include:
- Annotated maps
- Located graphs and charts
- Flow/desire line maps
- Choropleth maps
- Isoline maps
- Topological maps
Definition: A desire line map shows where people have travelled from to reach a particular destination.
Definition: A flow line map uses different line widths to represent the volume of people migrating from one place to another.
Highlight: Spheres of influence use proportional circles to illustrate the impact of a place on its surroundings, such as comparing a small corner shop to a large theme park.
Graphical Techniques
Graphical techniques involve various types of graphs and charts used to present geographical data:
- Bar graphs and histograms
- Pie charts
- Stacked/compound bar charts
- Line graphs
- Scatter graphs
- Pictograms
Example: Located maps plot graphs at different points on a map to measure various values for different parts of a town.
Diagrammatic Techniques
Diagrammatic techniques include:
- Field sketches
- Diagrams
- Annotated photos
- Spider diagrams for qualitative word data
Vocabulary: Isoline maps join up different parts of an area with the same value, such as rainfall levels or pedestrian counts.
Vocabulary: Topological maps show a simplified version of reality, like the London Underground map.
Vocabulary: Choropleth maps use color on a map, with darker colors generally representing higher data values.
