Short Report: Data Exploration in QGIS
Introduction
This is your first piece of assessment for the unit. It tests the skills and knowledge
you have acquired in the unit within weeks 1-5. You have been introduced to the
functionality of QGIS and this first assignment provides a reflection on you
demonstrating your basic spatial analysis and cartography skills. It is worth 30% of
the unit assessment.
Requirements
? Word limit: 1000 words maximum
? Submission format: Word document only
? Word file size: less than 20mb
? There is no limit on the number of graphics used within your report
? Please note there are strict penalties for infringing these requirements full
guidelines are in the unit outline for you to refer to. These include what is
included in the word count, penalties for exceeding the word count and/or
incorrect file submission (and size), late submissions and plagiarism.
Please see the unit outline for full information on word count/plagiarism
instructions and the submission deadline.
Marking criteria
A full marking criteria matrix can be found in the assessment folder on Blackboard.
Please check this to ensure you meet all the higher level criteria for producing an
outstanding assignment. In addition, you need to provide sufficient response to the
assignment brief as detailed below. Assuming you submit your assignment on time,
your assignment will be graded and marks returned with individual feedback prior to
the deadline for your second assignment. Critically reflect on this feedback so you
can learn from any mistakes and demonstrate improved GIS skills in your second
assignment.
Assignment brief
This is a short assignment and you will need to be both precise and concise for
reporting your findings. The brief of the assignment is for you to think of a
geographical research question based on the data provided for use QGIS. You will
need to generate a research question, which needs to ask something whereby you
will undertake a geospatial investigation to answer the question. You need to select
TWO variables only from the sociodemographic data provided. Your analysis will be
at the LGA level for the state of WA. If you wish to use one of the reference variables
(LGA area or total population) to calculate a density or rate variable, you can do this
and then use your processed variable to answer your research question. You need
to be able to use your two selected variables, along with a spatial analysis
methodology, to answer your research question. Regarding the spatial analysis
operations you can select any analysis options within QGIS which we have
already covered in the computer labs – the correct selection will depend on the
research question that youve defined.
GIS Assessment Geography and Planning UWA
Your report should be structured around the following sub-sections and include at
least one map. Make sure you label each section with an appropriate sub-heading.
Based on the topic of your selected research question, you will need to undertake
some literature searches and reading of the academic literature; this will need to go
beyond the core reading list for the unit as the citations will need to support your
topic.
? Report title
? Your selected research question
? Background information to your selected subject
? Description of data and methodology
? Results and discussion
? Conclusion – a statement that summaries your key findings (1-2 sentences
only)
? Reference list (using Harvard style see library website if you need help for
formatting)
Your report needs to be professionally written and presented. Do not include a table
of contents or any appendices these are not required for this report. Only include
visual material which is relevant for communicating your findings effectively (be
selective). Remember, this is not a repeat of the labs, but a chance for you to use
your skills from the labs to be selective for the analyses you want to undertake and
use results to support answering your research question. You may like to undertake
all the lab analyses on your data and look at what is appropriate for including in your
final report, or your research question may drive the selection of your methods for
analysis so you can pre-select what you want to present in your report then
undertake the analyses.
Submission
Submit your assignment by the submission deadline (see the unit outline document)
via the assignment link on Blackboard in the assessments folder. Your work will be
automatically run through Turnitin for plagiarism checking, so please ensure you are
familiar with the university policy (further information can be found in the online unit
outline link).
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