Syllabus

Short Course Description

Research Methods in Geography

Course number: 0349.2409.01

B.A., 2nd year, 1st semester
Wednesday, 10am-12pm.

Lecturer: Dr. Matan Singer

Course Purpose
The course is aimed at providing knowledge and tools for implementing quantitative research in Geography including: Statistical analysis methods of spatial and non-spatial variables and methods to analyze spatial distributions of spatial phenomena.

Teaching
Classes will be devoted to lectures as well as practicing selected topics. Home assignments aim to develop the skills to use statistical software (e.g., JMP, SPSS) and basic skills in using geographic information systems (e.g., GeoDA).

Prerequisites: Statistics for Geographers
Recommended prerequisites and courses for simultaneous studies: GIS 1 and 2, SPSS

Course Requirements
Home assignments. Assignments are due two weeks after they are distributed. Handing in all assignments is required for getting a grade on the course.
Final exam
Attendance
Students are expected to follow up on updates and comments in the course website on Moodle.

Grades
Assignments: 30%
Final exam: 70%

Follow-up course: Advanced Quantitative Research Methods

Course Subjects
Analysis of phenomena characterized by one and two quantitative variables
Population and sample, normal distribution
Structure of the quantitative research
The use of basic statistics (mean, STD, correlation)
Transformation of variables
Linear regression
SPSS, SAS and JMP
Graphical presentation of results
Multiple linear regression
Analysis of qualitative variables
Comparison between population distributions
Use of the Chi-square criterion
Sample planning
Analysis of spatial patterns
Characterization of point patterns (Poisson criteria, Nearest Neighbor analysis)
Spatial autocorrelation (Moran I)
Local Indices of Spatial Association (LISA)
Summary of the course


ביבליוגרפיה Bibliography |
אילה כהן, שיטות בסיסיות בסטטיסטיקה ויישומיהן, חיפה, מכלול אקדמיה, 2003 (ספריית מדעי החברה, מספר מערכת 001922539)

Bryman, Alan & Cramer, Duncan (1999). Quantitative Data Analysis: A Guide for Social Scientists. London and New York: Routledge.

Clark, W.A.V & Hosking, P.L. (1986). Statistical Methods for Geographers. John Wiley & Sons.

Healey, Joseph F. 2015. Statistics: A Tool for Social Research (10th Edition). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.

Matthews, John A.(1981). Quantitative and Statistical Approaches to Geography- a practical Manual. Pergamon Press.

Shaw, Gareth and Wheeler, Dennis (1994). Statistical Techniques in Geographical Analysis (Second Edition). London: David Fulton Publishers.

Urdan, Timothy C. 2017. Statistics in Plain English (4th Ed). New York, NY: Routledge.

מקורות סרטונים באתר Youtube - קישורים:
Normal distribution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-K0LQeEexk&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Correlation and simple regression
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35NWFr53cgA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocGEhiLwDVc