Module GEOG1232: INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH (BSc)

Department: Geography

GEOG1232: INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH (BSc)

Prerequisites

• None

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To introduce students to a variety of methods in the study, analysis and research of physical geography
• To introduce students to research in a variety of geographical environments in the UK and overseas
• To enable students to select appropriate methods to study diverse geographical issues
• To develop students' geographical skills of numeracy, data management, manipulation, analysis, display, interpretation and explanation

Content

• This module is designed to give students a broad introduction to research in Geography in Term 1. Lectures will focus on the philosophical and practical issues involved in different research approaches for a range of geographical environments. Students will learn how to approach a topic and formulate research questions, and will be offered a broad introduction to qualitative and quantitative research. In the practicals, students will practice this knowledge as applied to particular research techniques. In Term 2, the module focuses more specifically on a range of current methods in physical geography, offering students more in depth skills acquisition and field and practical learning. Students will undertake a week of residential fieldwork in an overseas location (Portugal) immediately prior to Term 2 where they will practise a variety of field methods on a range of field research topics in fluvial, coastal and hillslope environments. The fieldwork is then the focus of a series of workshops and tutorials in Term 2, which provide mentoring support for the analysis and write up of the field data. The module thereby offers a grounding in physical geography research that prepares students for more advanced technical training and skills development and implementation later in the degree programme.
• Lecture themes (Term 1): Research design, Tools and data collection, Quantitative and qualitative Data analysis, GIS
• Practicals (Term 1): Formulating research questions and problem solving, Use of Excel for data handling and data presentation, Formulating interviews and questionnaires, Introduction to GIS
• Fieldwork (pre-Term 2): The physical environment: 1 week Christmas vacation field course in Portugal
• Practicals (Term 2): Field course follow up workshops (4), Aerial photographs and map skills (2), Field course support Tutorials (3)

Learning Outcomes

• On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
• Understand the linkages between project design, information collection, analysis, display and interpretation
• Demonstrate understanding of basic statistical terminology
• Demonstrate understanding of appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods
• Demonstrate an understanding and practise aerial image interpretation and mapping
• Demonstrate an understanding of a range of methods to undertake geographical analysis and research
• Demonstrate an understanding of sediment types and landform types

• On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
• Design simple research projects using a diversity of approaches and techniques
• Demonstrate ability to select appropriate software packages to undertake geographical analysis and research
• Design a range of methods to undertake geographical analysis and research
• Demonstrate basic competence with analytical methods used in mapping the physical environment
• Formulate basic research questions and proposals in physical geography contexts
• Apply basic statistics to geographical data
• Use key software programmes with a basic level of competence (such as Excel and ArcMAP GIS)

• Basic competence in the use of range of software packages
• Analytical skills
• Designing questionnaires
• Ability to describe, analyse, interpret and synthesise data
• Ability to present findings using oral, written and electronic media
• Ability to work effectively within a group

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lectures will provide an introduction and theoretical background to underpin the fieldwork and practical work. These will be supported by additional reading lists, which will enable the student to build on information provided in the lectures
• Since learning outcomes are focused on skills and methods, practicals and fieldwork will play an important role in the module by providing active learning environments where the students are encouraged to engage with the subject matter
• Formative feedback will allow students to develop skills that will be the focus of summative assessment. This summative work will allow students to demonstrate their ability to describe, analyse, interpret and synthesise data, and present it using oral, written and electronic media
• Fieldwork will enable the student to gain 'hands on' experience of group work, examining, describing and collecting data using a range of techniques and methods in a range of environments
• The module has no essay based examination. In order to align the assessment with the learning outcomes which are focussed on skills, all marks will come from summative assessment

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

A set of self-paced questions and problems, accompanied with fully developped explanatory solutions, that will allow students to work through problems of statistics and GIS as the term progresses.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University