Geographic data

Types of Geographic data

SurveysPhotographsSketchesNumerical data (eg counting the number of a particular item in an area)

Brochures, tourism leaflets etc

Surveys

Ask members of the public some questionsHave to be prepared with questions beforehandAsk the same questions of each person you surveyBe polite, explain who you are and what you are

working onOnly ask 2-3 quick questions: people are busy and

you shouldn’t take up too much of their time.

Photographs & Sketches Field sketching and field photography are fundamental parts of any field

work investigation.

Benefits of sketches: You can annotate your sketch: add notes, create a legend, label items you

want to draw attention to.

Benefits of photographs: Before and after shots could be taken to show differences before and after

an event, for example a rain storm Taking photographs of the same place at different times of the day can

show changes, eg the change in traffic flow at a particular junction, the pedestrian flow across an intersection.

Can also add digital annotations afterwards, but would have to record these on paper during the fieldwork trip as well

Numerical dataCounting the number of a particular item in an area

For example:How many bins are located along Swanston Street: between Flinders & Collins; Collins & Bourke;

How many different types of facilities are located within some of Melbourne’s parks, gardens & reserves (eg playgrounds, public toilets)

How many drain pipes feed into the Yarra River between Princes Bridge (St Kilda Road) and Queensbridge St (bridge just before Casino); and Queensbridge St and Kings Way bridge

Numerical data

Can present in graph format afterwards to make comparisons (see example below)

Can also mark items on a map on the day of the fieldwork excursion

Have printed maps with you on the day to add annotations and rough sketches too

Flinde

rs &

Coll

ins

Collins

& B

ourk

e

Bourk

e & L

onsd

ale

Lons

dale

& LaT

robe

0

4

8

No of bins

No of bins

Brochures, tourism leaflets etc Useful for seeing maps and locations of things, eg: parks; various items

along water ways; public transport, cycle and walking routes. Go to the Visitor’s Centre at Federation Square to collect these items