2.B- informal vs formal representation

Question 1

what are examples of formal data?

Answer 1

• census data
• rainfall totals
• road network
• crime figures
• distribution of soil types
• locations of victims of ebola

Question 2

what is formal data?

Answer 2

closely linked w/ statistics which describe data associated w/ particular places

Question 3

what are examples of informal data?

Answer 3

• literature
• graffiti
• film
• TV Shows
• Music
• photography

Question 4

what is informal data?

Answer 4

• plays a major role in representing places, offering sounds as well as sights.
• it can show the geographical context and zoom in to the detail of the place.
• many films rely on their representation of place to tell their story to the viewer

Question 5

what is census data?

Answer 5

• census is the most well known formal representation
• it has been collected every 10 yrs since 1801
• it collects info from each household, eg. age, gender, occupation etc…..
• when put together these give avg. statistics that represent social and economic characteristics

Question 6

how is New York informally represented?

Answer 6

• gossip girl, friends etc
  > socio-economic profile linked to a lack of diversity.
  > no poverty
• music/rap may show the more deprived side
• photography online shows it as an economic hotspot. however usually only shows Manhattan whereas there are clearly lots of other differing areas.

Question 7

how is New York formally represented?

Answer 7

• crime rates have decreased but are still quite high
• inequalities in diff areas
  > e.g. 30% of people in Bronx below the poverty line
• ethnically diverse/multiculturalism
  > 25% Black/African American in NYC, only 44% white (80% US avg)
  > in some areas, white % is a minority
• 60% Manhatten (most affluent area, v. few unemployed) - management, business, science, arts
• crime on the decrease. 1990 levels very high. crime linked to socio-economic
  > not breaking down NYC by area, will vary spatially
• overall, only 5% unemployment, e.g. it IS a bustling economic area

Question 8

how reliable is informal data?

Answer 8

• subjective
• who is creating the representation? e.g. music - artists might come from different background so have different views
• portrays a place as glamourised when in reality there will be huge inequalities. extremes in portrayal - gossip girl vs poverty of Bronx
• changed over time - Friends seems very out of date compared to B99 for example.
  > looking at a snapshot of time. What’s the purpose of the representation?
• for lots of informal representation it depends on the individual and their identity
• advertising from the place itself. business/tourism attraction. not going to portray the negative

Question 9

how reliable is formal data?

Answer 9

• not attempting to create a certain perception of the place.
• also a snapshot in time, might not be true now