Value of Big Data
- Geospatial data is data information that has a location
- Much of this data come from big data sets
- The census is an example of a big data set as it surveys the entire country and needs computational analysis to start making sense of the patterns
- The census asks a number of questions which creates lots of complexity in the data, another feature of big data sets
- Understanding geospatial data and its different forms allows geographers to infer spatial patterns and see the relationship between people, environment and place
- A spatial pattern simply means that there is a pattern in the data based on the place
- For example, many data indicators in the indicators reveal a north-south divide which is a spatial pattern
- Geospatial data can be qualitative or quantitative
- When analysing geospatial data it is important to compare one source with another to check for reliability
- Maps are an excellent example of geospatial data but when using their consideration must be given to:
- Whether the map is choropleth or proportional
- How this will affect the visual representation of the spread
A choropleth map showing the proportion of people born in the UK from the 2021 census
- The choropleth map from the UK 2021 census shows the proportion of people born in the UK. A map like this has abrupt boundaries that suggest a significant change as soon as a country boundary is crossed which is not likely to be the case in reality
Proportional Symbols map showing the results of the 2017 general election
- The proportional symbols map plots the results of the 2017 general election, this type of geospatial data illustrates the difference between many places very well and shows data associated with a more specific location than a choropleth map can
- However, the proportional symbols make it very difficult to calculate the actual value, even if there was a key, and the size of the symbols can obstruct the map underneath, making the positioning less accurate
Exam Tip
When approaching your data analysis six markers you have to look to see if you find a relationship between the variable or figures you are shown. It is not just about describing what you see in the figure but analysing if a relationship exists, if it is a strong relationship and if there are any outliers or anomalies to the relationship.
Things to look for:
- The general pattern, is a headline that could describe the figure in one statement
- The most and least, are they the same in both figures?
- If there is a relationship between the two figures is it a positive or negative one?
- How strong the relationship is
- The outliers or anomalies that do not fit the pattern or relationship