This document provides definitions and explanations of various geographic and statistical concepts. It discusses questionnaires, measures of central tendency, statistical series, measures of central location, dispersion, relative and absolute distance, location quotients, Lorenz curves, sampling methods, interviews, and observational methods.

1. Geography

2.  A list of questions that are answered by many
people. A questionnaire is used to collect
information about a particular subject
 प्रश्‍
नों‍की‍ऐसी‍सूची‍जिसका‍उत्तर‍अनेक‍व्‍
यजति‍दें;
प्रश्‍
नावली‍(ववषय-ववशेष‍क
े ‍संबंध‍में‍िानकारी‍इकट्ठा‍
करने‍क
े ‍ललए‍प्रयुति)

3.  Class frequency refers to the number of
observations in each class; n represents the
total number of observations in the entire
data set. For the supermarket example, the
total number of observations is 200. The
relative frequency may be expressed as a
proportion (fraction) of the total or as a
percentage of the total.

4.  In statistics, a central tendency (or measure
of central tendency) is a central or typical value for a
probability distribution. It may also be called a center or
location of the distribution. ... The most common
measures of central tendency are the arithmetic mean, the
median, and the mode.
 There are three standard measures of central
tendency that geographers use: Mean: This is the most
useful measure and requires a simple calculation. It is also
known as an average. Median: When all of the figures in a
data set are placed in order from lowest to highest (a rank
order), the median is the middle value

5.  With example that if there are unequal class
intervals in a series, then the median will be
same without matching the equal class
intervals. ... The value of 30th item lies in 30-
60 class interval.

6.  Statistical series:
 It is a systematic flow of data in a logical or specific order. There are
three types of series in Statistical series,
 1. Individual Series
 2. Discrete series
 3. Continuous series.
 Explanation:
 Individual series is where the value of the variable occurs only one time.
The value only occurs at a single time.
 In the discrete series, there are different values of a variable given in a
discontinuous manner with their respective frequencies.
 Here one of the values has a frequency of more than one.
 In the continuous series the different values of the variables are shown
in a continuous manner with their respective frequencies. These series
can be arranged in a descending or in ascending order.

7.  Mean Center. Example: The mean center is
the average X and Y coordinate for a series of
points on a map. The mean center is
analogous to the mean of a set of
observations. Mean centers can be calculated
for any coordinate system, however it is much
easier to calculate with projected (rather than
geographic) data.

8.  The Standard Distance is a value representing
the distance in units from the Mean Center
and is usually plotted on a map as a circle for
a visual indication of dispersion, the Standard
Distance is the radius

9.  In geography, when measured in a standard
unit of length, this is referred to as
absolute distance. ... Relative distance is a
measure of the social, cultural and economic
relatedness or connectivity between two
places - how connected or disconnected they
are - despite their absolute distance from
each other

10.  Location Quotients (LQ) are a simple tool used to determine
the spatial distribution (clustering/dispersal) of a phenomenon
in a district, compared to an entire region (used for spatial
data, human geography, economics). The value of each
Location Quotient is given by the formula above using the
share (S) of the phenomenon observed, the sum of the shares,
the total (T) phenonemon and the grand total (sum of T)
Location Quotients (LQ) are frequently used in demography,
economics and any type of location analysis.

12.  The Lorenz Curve is a graphical method used to display the concentration of
activities within an area (e.g. the degree of industrial specialization within an
urban area). Fieldwork data may be used but it is more common to use
secondary sources (e.g. census data, etc). This technique is particularly useful
as it provides a good visual comparison of any observed differences and from it
a precise index (Gini Coefficient) can be calculated.
The further away the Lorenz Curve is from the "line of perfect equality"
(diagonal), the more diverse is the sample and the more unevenly the values are
spread out . This is very useful to estimate how wealth is distributed among a
population: if a country's Lorenz Curve is distant from the line of perfect
equality, it means a small % of the population controls most of the wealth and
that the country's income distribution is uneven.

13.  In a perfectly equal country, 60% of the population should earn
 60% of the country's wealth, but in this example:
 60% of the population of country X earns 20% of the country's wealth
60% of the popuation of country Y earns 15 of the country's wealth
 This means that the income distribution in country Y is more unequal than in country X

14. To draw a Lorenz Curve, follow these
steps:
1.Gather the data (e.g. census data
from two cities)
2.For each set of data, rank the
categories and order them by rank in
a table
3.Convert each value in a % of the
total
4.Calculate the running totals (ie
cumulative %, by adding the % of one
line to the ones before)
5.Graph ranks (horizontal) against

15.  A perfectly equal income distribution would
be one in which every person has the same
income. In this case, the bottom N% of society
would always have N% of the income. This can
be depicted by the straight line y = x; called
the "line of perfect equality." ... This curve is
called the "line of perfect inequality."

16.  Judgment sampling/Purposive sampling is a
common nonprobability method. The researcher
selects the sample based on judgment. This is
usually an extension of convenience sampling.
For example, a researcher may decide to draw
the entire sample from one “representative” city,
even though the population includes all cities.
When using this method, the researcher must be
confident that the chosen sample is truly
representative of the entire population.

17.  Snowball sampling is a special nonprobability method
used when the desired sample characteristic is rare. It
may be extremely difficult or cost prohibitive to
locate respondents in these situations. Snowball
sampling relies on referrals from initial subjects to
generate additional subjects. While this technique can
dramatically lower search costs, it comes at the
expense of introducing bias because the technique
itself reduces the likelihood that the sample will
represent a good cross section from the population.

18.  An interview is essentially a structured
conversation where one participant asks
questions, and the other provides answers. In
common parlance, the word "interview" refers
to a one-on-one conversation between an
interviewer and an interviewee. ...
An interview may also transfer information in
both directions.

19.  Personal Interview is the foremost tool to judge the abilities of a
person. • In the face-to-face contact between the interviewer &
interviewee, it is possible to record more than only verbal
responses; which are often superficial. Personal Interview is the
foremost tool to judge the abilities of a person.
 Types of personal interview
 Unstructured informal interview.
 Structured standardised interview.
 Depth interviews.
 Telephone Interviews.
 Interview approach in the field: It is important that the
interviewer keeps as low a profile as possible in the rural setting.

20.  The observation method involves human or
mechanical observation of what people actually do or what
events take place during a buying or consumption situation. “
Information is collected by observing process at work. ”
 The four types of observational roles we discuss here are based
on the distinctions made by the sociologist Raymond Gold in
1958 but apply to any field of research.
...
 Complete Observer.
 Observer as Participant.
 Participant as Observer.
 Complete Participant.