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Geography > Data Handling > Flashcards

Data Handling Flashcards

1
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of graphical techniques?

A

Advantages:

  1. Shows data visually to help understanding
  2. Helps non-specialists and non-geographers to understand more complex data
  3. Quickly summarises data
  4. Compare data sets
  5. Understand/compare patterns in data
  6. Assess data over time
  7. Aid further statistical testing

Disadvantages:

  1. Time consuming and/or difficult to create
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2
Q

What are the advantages of dot maps?

A

Advantages:

  1. Effective in showing the spatial density.
  2. Shows variation and pattern.
  3. Easy to interpret.
  4. Purpose is easily understood.
  5. Easy to generate on a computer.
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3
Q

What are the disadvantages of dot maps?

A

Disadvantages:

  1. Actual values can’t be seen.
  2. Dots crowded/can lead to clustering – not very accurate.
  3. Time consuming if done by hand.
  4. Small countries aren’t represented accurately.
  5. Easy to make a mistake/be subjective.
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4
Q

What are the advantages of isoline maps?

A

Advantages:

  1. Drawn easily on computers.
  2. Can see areas of equal value.
  3. Can see gradual changes.
  4. Avoids the problem of
    boundary lines.
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5
Q

What are the disadvantages of isoline maps?

A

Disadvantages:

  1. Do not show discontinuous
    distributions.
  2. Only work where there is
    plenty of data spread over the
    study area and the changes
    are gradual.
  3. Small lines and numbers on
    graphs can be difficult to
    read.
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6
Q

What are the advantages of choropleth maps?

A

Advantages:

  1. Visual impression of change over a
    space- gives general impression.
  2. General anomalies can be
    identified.
  3. Easily done by hand or on the
    computer.
  4. Doesn’t breach data protection.
  5. Good for data which involves
    density reading.
  6. Easy to interpret via a key.
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7
Q

What are the disadvantages of choropleth maps?

A

Disadvantages:

  1. Gives false impression of abrupt
    change at the boundaries.
  2. Variations within each area are
    hidden.
  3. Reading exact figures is impossible.
  4. Assumption of uniform conditions throughout an area.
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8
Q

What are the advantages of proportional symbol maps?

A

Advantages:

  1. Very visual
  2. Can represent a large range
    of data.
  3. Not dependent on size of
    the area.
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9
Q

What are the disadvantages of proportional symbol maps?

A

Disadvantages:

  1. Difficult to produce.
  2. Impossible to extract exact data
  3. Overlap can occur making it
    confusing and difficult to
    read/interpret.
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10
Q

What are the advantages of flow maps?

A

Advantages:

  1. Very visual impression
  2. Can show movements easily such as
    traffic/migration etc.
  3. Desire lines show trends in migration
    of population.
  4. Gives clear sense of direction.
  5. Clear location component.
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11
Q

What are the disadvantages of flow maps?

A

Disadvantages:

  1. Hard to draw.
  2. Flows can be in the same
    direction/overlap.
  3. May be difficult to show meeting
    point of the wide bands without
    overwhelming the map.
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12
Q

What are the advantages of sphere of influence maps?

A

Advantages:

  1. Visual representation of trends.
  2. Can be used at different scales.
  3. Can be used for a variety of services.
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13
Q

What are the disadvantages of sphere of influence maps?

A

Disadvantages:

  1. Time consuming and complex to construct.
  2. Does not explain the reasons behind the trends.
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14
Q

What are the advantages of cross sections?

A

Advantages:

  1. Easy to overlay annotations.
  2. Easy to ascertain trends, patterns and relationships.
  3. Versatile in use - different scales/areas.
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15
Q

What are the disadvantages of cross sections?

A

Disadvantages:

  1. Subject to human error.
  2. Steep slopes are more problematic to mark the contours on.
  3. Difficult to read with many annotations.
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16
Q

What are the advantages of annotated overlays?

A

Advantages:

  1. Brings out key features/points showing you understand the context.
  2. Can be linked for context to the written paragraph-supporting the point.
  3. Highlight aspects linked to your chosen context.
17
Q

What are the disadvantages of annotated overlays?

A

Disadvantages:

  1. Hard to find enough to annotate.
  2. Requires more space.
  3. Hard to balance between labelling and explaining in detail.
  4. Too much detail can detract attention from the map.
18
Q

What are the advantages of transects?

A

Advantages:

  1. Provide a visual overview of the area.
  2. Can show a section of a river/valley or part of a rural/urban landscape.
  3. Several transects from a central point can be compared.
19
Q

What are the disadvantages of transects?

A

Disadvantages:

  1. A single one has limited value.
  2. Incorrect or exaggerated scales can be misleading.
  3. Only takes a single point in time.
  4. Time consuming and difficult to represent reality accurately.
20
Q

What are the types of data?

A

Nominal Data - named data which cannot be placed in order.

Ordinal Data - named data which can be placed in order.

Ratio Data - real numbers with a true zero.

Interval Data - real numbers with no true zero e.g. temperature (there is always a temperature).

21
Q

What are the types of sampling?

A

Random - sampling without bias.

Systematic (Regular) - sampling at regular intervals.

Stratified - random selection from sets of organised groups.

22
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of calculating the mean?

A

Advantages:

  1. Basic calculation is easily understood.
  2. All data values are used in calculation.
  3. Used in many statistical procedures.

Disadvantages:

  1. May not be a meaningful value e.g. 2.4 children per family.
  2. Affected strongly by extremities in data.
23
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of calculating the median?

A

Advantages:

  1. Concept is easy to understand.
  2. Can be determined for all but nominal data.
  3. Not influenced by extremities.

Disadvantages:

  1. Data must be arranged in rank order.
  2. Cannot combine medians in statistical calculations.
24
Q

What are the advantages and disadvantages of calculating the mode?

A

Advantages:

  1. Easy to understand.
  2. Not affected by extremities.
  3. Can be obtained for qualitative data.

Disadvantages:

  1. Not all data sets have a modal value.
  2. Some data sets have multiple modal values.
  3. Multiple modal values are often more difficult to interpret.
25
Q

What is a null hypothesis?

A

A statement expressing no relationship between factors.

26
Q

What is an alternative hypothesis?

A

A statement expressing a relationship between factors.

27
Q

What are the advantages of Spearman’s rank?

A

Advantages:

  1. Relatively quick and easy calculation if data set isn’t too big.
  2. Uses data that can be ranked easily.
  3. Doesn’t assume normal distribution.
  4. Spearman correlation can be used when the assumptions of the Pearson correlation are markedly violated.
28
Q

What are the disadvantages of Spearman’s Rank?

A

Disadvantages:

  1. It requires a sample of at least 7 - less than 7 observations can make meaningless
    correlations.
  2. Only tests linear relationships and two sets of variable data.
  3. Can be difficult to work out for large data sets.
  4. Doesn’t use the actual values.
  5. Correlation does not imply causality.
29
Q

What are the advantages of Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient?

A

Advantages:

  1. Uses actual values of data.
  2. It not only indicates whether there is a correlation between any two variables, but also determines the exact extent, or degree, to which they are correlated.
30
Q

What are the disadvantages of Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient?

A

Disadvantages:

  1. More complex and time-consuming calculation than Spearman’s, so more likely to make an error.
  2. Assumes values are normally distributed.
  3. Affected strongly by extremities.
  4. Only tests linear relationships and two sets of variable data.
  5. It is based on a large number of assumptions.
31
Q

What are the advantages of Linear Regression?

A

Advantages:

  1. Better than using your own judgement.
32
Q

What are the disadvantages of Linear Regression?

A

Disadvantages:

  1. Cannot be used for non-linear relationships.
  2. Does not explain the correlation.
  3. Sensitive to extremities in data.
33
Q

What are the advantages of the Chi Square Test?

A

Advantages:

  1. Tests the relationship between variables.
  2. Easy to compute and interpret.
  3. Not affected by distribution (less work for students to do).
  4. Can be used for nominal and interval data.
34
Q

What are the disadvantages of the Chi Square Test?

A

Disadvantages:

  1. Cannot compare more than two categories.
  2. Greater than 20 observations required.
  3. Invalidated if expected values are less than 5 (lost time since this is only noticed during calculation)
  4. Does not determine strength of the relationship.
35
Q

What are the advantages of Nearest Neighbour Analysis?

A

Advantages:

  1. Very flexible - any data type can be used as long as its locational.
  2. Doesn’t need normal distribution (less work for investigators).
  3. Simple calculation with few steps.
  4. With a large sample size it is very reliable.
  5. The index can be compared between areas of similar size.
36
Q

What are the disadvantages of Nearest Neighbour Analysis?

A

Disadvantages:

  1. Can be time consuming with a large data size.
  2. Size of area can alter data if too large.
  3. Only useful to understand distribution.
  4. Doesn’t show relationship between factors or give reasons.

Geography (4 decks)

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