Course Module: Changing places (Autumn 2) | Lesson Use of qualitative sources in place representations:
Online Lesson | 01 Dec 2026 | Start: 16:00 | DURATION: 1 HOUR

Specification content

3.2.2.3 Meaning and representation
How places may be represented in a variety of different forms, such as advertising copy, tourist agency material and local art exhibitions in diverse media (eg film, photography, art, story, song, etc), that often give contrasting images to that presented formally or statistically, such as cartography and census data.

3.2.2.2.2 Quantitative and qualitative skills

• Students must engage with a range of quantitative and qualitative approaches across the theme as a whole.
• Quantitative data, including the use of geospatial data, must be used to investigate and present place characteristics, particular weight must be given to qualitative approaches involved in representing place, and to analysing critically the impacts of different media on place meanings and perceptions.
• The use of different types of data should allow the development of critical perspectives on the data categories and approaches.

Learning outcomes
This lesson will help students to understand:

• The difference between qualitative and quantitative sources of geographical information.
• What considerations must be made regarding reliability when using qualitative sources.
• What are the common qualitative sources of information used in presenting place characteristics and what their strengths and weaknesses are.

Suggested timing
1 hour