GEO2103 Quantitative and Research Methods in Geography

Introduction to quantitative statistical methods in Geography. Data organization: estimation of missing values, range and frequency distributions. Graphical presentation of Statistical data. Tests of data homogeneity and adequacy. Measures of central tendency and data distribution. Normal and binomial distribution. Measures of dispersion, skewness and kurtosis. Elementary probability theory and relationship to hypotheses. Tests of significance/ test of hypotheses: the students’ t-test, Chi-square (x2) and f-ratio test. Relationships between variables: correlation coefficients, simple linear regression analysis. Nearest neighbour analysis, exponential models (decay and growth). Introduction to factor analysis. 

Course Objectives

• Acquire skills of identifying and explaining research problems 
• Determine objectives and hypotheses for research problems 
• Acquire skills of data collection analysis, report writing and presentation, etc.
• understand and appreciate the role of statistics in spatial analysis of Geographical phenomena. 
• To explain the use of descriptive statistics in establishing comparison between samples
• To establish the contribution of various Geographical phenomenon in explaining a geographical problem
• To understand and appreciate the use of sample in explaining a Geographical problem