Key Methods in Geography

"Its range is far broader than the majority of methods texts, being concerned with both human and physical geography... Given the seriousness with which Key Methods in Geography approaches all aspects of research, it will continue to find wide favour among undergraduate geographers." - Times Higher Education Textbook Guide "All geographers, whatever their interest, need to do research. This book will help them get started in the best possible way, with thoughtful advice on everything from project design, through choice of methods, to data analysis and presentation. The editors have assembled an impressive array of authors, all experts in their chosen field." - Tim Burt, University of Durham "Excellent book. Valuable teaching aid. Well written and covers a wide range of methods thoroughly." - Sue Rodway-Dyer, Exeter University "This is an excellent book and deals with a number of topics (which I teach) outside of the tutorial module where it is a recommended text for geographers. A very useful textbook throughout a 3 year Geography programme." - Ian Harris, Bangor University Key Methods in Geography is an introduction to the principal methodological issues involved in the collection, analysis and presentation of geographical information. It is unique in the reference literature for providing an overview of qualitative and quantitative methods for human and physical geography. An accessible primer, it will be used by students as a reference throughout their degree, on all issues from research design to presentation. This second edition has been fully revised and updated and includes new chapters on internet mediated research, diaries as a research method, making observations and measurements in the field, and the analysis of natural systems. Organized into four sections: Getting Started in Geographical Research; Generating and Working with Data in Human Geography; Generating and Working with Data in Physical Geography; Representing and Interpreting Geographical Data; each chapter comprises: A short definition A summary of the principal arguments A substantive 5,000-word discussion Use of real-life examples Annotated notes for further reading. The teaching of research methods is integral to all geography courses: Key Methods in Geography, 2nd Edition explains all of the key methods with which geography undergraduates must be conversant.

Table of Contents:
PART ONE: GETTING STARTED IN GEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH Getting Started in Geographical Research: How This Book Can Help - Nick Clifford, Shaun French and Gill Valentine How to Conduct a Literature Search - Mick Healey and Ruth L Healey Ethical Practice in Geographical Research - Iain Hay Health and Safety in the Field - Joanna Bullard PART TWO: GENERATING AND WORKING WITH DATA IN HUMAN GEOGRAPHY Making Use of Secondary Data - Paul White Conducting Questionnaire Surveys - Sara L McLafferty Finding Historical Sources - Miles Ogborn Semi-Structured Interviews and Focus Groups - Robyn Longhurst Participant Observation - Eric Laurier Geography and the Interpretation of Visual Imagery - Rob Bartram Participatory Research Methods - Myrna M Breitbart Working in Different Cultures - Fiona M Smith Internet Mediated Research - Clare Madge Diaries as a Research Method - Alan Latham PART THREE: GENERATING AND WORKING WITH DATA IN PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY Getting Information About the Past: Palaeo and Historical Data Sources of Climate - Catherine Souch Making Observations and Measurements in the Field - Alice Turkington Sampling in Geography - Stephen Rice Analysing a Natural System - Ellen Wohl Numerical Modelling in Physical Geography: Understanding Explanation and Prediction in Physical Geography - Stuart N Lane Using Remotely Sensed Imagery - Paul Aplin PART FOUR: REPRESENTING AND INTERPRETING GEOGRAPHICAL DATA Data Handling and Representation - Richard Field Mapping and Graphicacy - Chris Perkins Using Statistics to Describe and Explore Data - Danny Dorling An Introduction to Geostatistics - Adrian Chappell Using Geographical Information Systems - Michael Batty Statistical Analysis Using PASW (formerly SPSS) - John H McKendrick Coding Transcripts and Diaries - Meghan Cope Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis - Bettina van Hoven Analyzing Historical and Archival Sources - Iain S Black Analysing Cultural Texts - Marcus A Doel Writing Essays, Reports and Dissertations - Michael Bradford Understanding Assessment - Robin A Kearns

About the Author :
Nick Clifford is Professor and Head of Department at King’s College London. Shaun French is Associate Professor in Economic Geography at the University of Nottingham. Professor Valentine has held prestigious international visiting fellowships at the Universities of Sydney, Australia and Otago, New Zealand and has visited and given keynote addresses at a range of prestigious international conferences. She was co-founder and co-editor of the international journal Social and Cultural Geography, and co-edited Gender, Place and Culture. She has undertaken international research in Europe, Africa and the USA and is committed to developing the University of Sheffield's international strategy within the Faculty of Social Sciences.

Review :
'The second edition of Key Methods in Geography, part of what is now a well-established series, offers a broadly conceived overview of the planning, execution and presentation of geographical research. Its range is far broader than the majority of methods texts, being concerned with both human and physical geography. The book also tackles all-too-often neglected contexts of research such as health and safety ethics. In doing so, it makes clear that these should be seen more as form-filling hurdles to be negotiated before hitting the field. In addition, the volume covers areas - such as conducting a literature search, writing essays, reports and dissertations and understanding assessment - that technically lie beyond the remit suggested in the title, but that undoubtedly enhance its impact. Given the seriousness with which Key Methods in Geography approaches all aspects of research, it will continue to find wide favour among undergraduate geographers...the influence of the editors is apparent in the consistency of tone, style and pitch among the book's 35 contributors. All of the authors are experienced in the area they discuss and offer a general overview rather than one overly focused on their own research. Clearly the editors recognise their audience well and have briefed accordingly' -- Tim Hall, University of Gloucestershire 'All geographers, whatever their interest, need to do research. This book will help them get started in the best possible way, with thoughtful advice on everything from project design, through choice of methods, to data analysis and presentation. The editors have assembled an impressive array of authors, all experts in their chosen field. It will be an especially stimulating source for geography students embarking on their undergraduate dissertations' -- Professor Tim Burt 'An excellent and very comprehensive text and highly recommended for all our undergraduates (around 120 students). The topics covered are very important for undergraduate dissertations and even postgraduate work. It is much more comprehensive than some other texts and is much more specific to the environmental/spatial sciences. This is definitely a text that will be strongly recommended to our students' -- Dr. Paul McKenzie