2.b representation of place

Question 1

What are the two ways of representing a place?

Answer 1

• formal - any data that has clear locational positioning
• informal

Question 2

Examples of formal representations

Answer 2

• Road network
• Locations of victims with ebola
• Census
• Distribution of soil types

Linked closely with statistics which describe data associated with particular places such as crime figures

Question 3

Informal representations examples

Answer 3

Tv
Film
Music
Art
Photography
Literature
Graffiti
Blogs

Question 4

What are the difference between formal and informal representations?

Answer 4

Formal is entirely statistics and information based, whereas informal uses qualitative inferences and artistic license.

Question 5

What are informal representations?

Answer 5

• Give specific view through sights and sounds
• Can be diverse don’t have to be made by an expert
• Can be differing in viewpoints
• Made from smaller groups - unofficial

Question 6

How do films act as an informal representation as a place?

Answer 6

• Many films rely on their representation of place to tell a story to the viewer - both fictional and real places play an important role in films and sometimes two are combined → E>G Lord of the rings was set in the actual landscape of New zealand

Question 7

Advantages of informal representations

Answer 7

• Can show more place characteristics - ie built environment / physical environment
• Provides a good insight into a place
• Easily available
• Sights and sounds of p;ace
• Diverse multiple perspectives

Question 8

Disadvantages of informal representations

Answer 8

• selective - Does not necessarily reflect the actual world
• Subjective → depends on individuals understanding of a place / what they choose to show
• Often at smaller scale
• ‘Real world’ can be blocked out to preserve a particular viewpoint or political stance created for a ‘purpose’

Question 9

What are formal representations?

Answer 9

• Vast quantitative of data are collected and stored with much of it spatial → invaluable for representing places and allowing them to be described
• Official sources of information
• Objective - use stats and give data from multiple sources so more authentic

Question 10

census

Answer 10

Since 1801 a census completed every 10 years -> includes DOB , gender, educational qualifications, ethnicity, religion , health etc
* Basic source of data is the household
* Up to date census data is vital for govt planning and the allocation of resources to areas such as schools, healthcare and housing

Question 11

How are rural places epresented and how can this be an issue?

Answer 11

People may live in a rural place but commute and do everything in an urban place.

Question 12

Formal representation advantages

Answer 12

• Based on evidence
• Objective - use stats and give data from multiple sources so more authentic
• Accurate & up to date
• Good for comparisons of places
• Changes over time
• Wider scale national,regional and local

Question 13

Formal representations of place disadvantages

Answer 13

• Superficial (appearing to be true)
• Able to be selective as to what is presented
• Doesn’t cover all aspects of place characteristics
• People tend to focus on big numbers - does not take note of smaller details/ variations
• Relies on reliability some surveys may not be done true
• Doesn’t show day to day lives / what it looks or sounds like