This week we will look at our first Maps and Diagrams. It’s important to understand the different types of maps so that you can choose the most appropriate for the data you have collected, and the message you want to express.
Choropleth maps are something you’ve come across many times in your study of Geography. At Advanced Higher you should know their name, how to put one together and their strengths and weaknesses.
Proportional symbols maps are one you will have come across, but less frequently. They’re trickier and quite time consuming to put together, but can be effective visual tools to communicate information.
flow line maps – task found here
Sphere of influence maps
Use:
• Show geographic reach of a settlement/service (e.g., how far people travel to use a service).
Advantages:
• Clear visualisation of catchment area and service hierarchy.
Disadvantages:
• Hard to map if visitors travel very long or irregular distances.
• Requires reliable origin-location data.
Geographical Techniques
Traffic and pedestrian surveys are used to count and characterise the density and flow of traffic. They are usually used alongside other survey techniques such as measuring air quality, environmental quality or land use.
For example, a traffic survey might be undertaken to examine whether the introduction of Glasgow’s LEZ has increased traffic in other parts of the city centre.
A pedestrian survey might be undertaken to evaluate the success of new walking routes through a national nature reserve.
We will:
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conduct both kinds of surveys using both a click counter (for a simple count) and tally marks (to note different types of vehicles, for example).
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talk about how to decide on an appropriate location
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consider factors such as time and weather which may impact survey results
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visit an electronic people counter as an alternative way to gather data
