TI 152: Geography in practice

Module Code:  TI152 Module Title:  Geography in Practice  Module Weighting: 5 ECTS credits Semester:  1 + 2 1BA Co ordinator:  Dr Kieran Hickey  Module Co ordinator:    Dr Alma Clavin  Teaching Staff:   Dr Alma Clavin Dr Stephen Galvin and others

Course outline available here.  (updated shortly)

Course Aims

This course aims to:

1. provide students basic skills for appropriate literature citation and essay
   writing in geography
2. introduce field components and provide students with field-based skills in
   both human and physical geographies
3. provide students with basic cartographic skills e.g. skill of recognising spatial
   distribution patterns and spatial relationships
4. offer students a small group working environment, where group work can
   ensure student accountability and enhance group communication skills
   

Lecture Schedule and Content

Practical 1 (week 5 semester 1, assignment due week 7 semester 1)
This practical will lay the groundwork for conducting research at university level, focusing on sources of information, referencing and plagiarism. Three lectures will be provided: (1) Sources of information (including Blackboard introduction); (2) Referencing and plagiarism; and (3) Essay writing. The assessment for this practical will be the production of one essay of approximately 1500 words. Further information on the essay title will be provided by teaching staff in due course.

Practical 2 (weeks 9 and 10 semester 1, assignment due week 12 semester 1)
Three concurrent Galway-based fieldtrips in physical geography will be provided. The three topics are: (1) Earth materials (2) Biogeography; (3) Coastal Environments. Each topic covers a 2-hour fieldtrip. The corresponding lectures in week 8 will focus on (1) Measurement (2) Reading the physical landscape and (3) Fieldtrip topics.  In week 9, each student will choose one topic (out of three) and a time slot. Students will work in groups (5 students per group) to construct an argument using field observation (1000-words essay).

Practical 3 (Semester 2 - weeks to be arranged)
Practical 3 will review two essential geographic methods: mapping and data representation. Lectures to introduce this practical are: (1) Mapping in Geography, (2) Introduction to GIS, and (3) Graphing and data representation. This exercise will require 2 sessions in a computer lab in weeks 5 and 6. One week will be required for the GIS component of the exercise, and one week for the Excel portion. The assessment will include one map, 3 charts (one line chart, one bar chart and one pie chart) and a 250-words report.

Practical 4 (Semester 2 - weeks to be arranged)
Three concurrent Galway-based fieldtrips in human geography will be provided. Three topics are: (1) Economic/Food geography; (2) Environmental geography; (3) Cultural geography. Each topic covers a 2-hour fieldtrip. The corresponding lectures in week 9 will focus on (1) Linking theory and practice, (2) Importance of fieldwork; Reading the landscape; (3) Fieldtrip topics.  For the fieldtrip, each student will choose one topic (out of the three) and a time slot. Students will work in groups (5 students per group) to construct an argument using field observation and not less than 5 references (1000-words essay).

Assessment

100% Course Assessment
Practical No. 1: Essay (1500 words)
Practical No. 2: Group report (5 students, 1000-words essay)
Practical No. 3: One map and 3 charts, plus a 250 words report
Practical No. 4: Group report (5 students, 1000-words essay)

Attendance

PLEASE NOTE THAT ATTENDANCE AND COMPLETION AT ALL LECTURES, PRACTICALS AND FIELDTRIPS IS COMPULSORY AND LACK OF ATTENDANCE IS THE BIGGEST CAUSE OF FAILURE IN FIRST YEAR. FAILURE TO ATTEND AND SUBMIT EVEN ONE PIECE OF CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT DRAMATICALLY REDUCES YOUR CHANCES OF PASSING.

Coursework Deadlines:

TI 152: Practical 1; Essay – Due to be submitted to Clodagh Raleigh’s office (Room 106) before 12.30pm on tbc

TI 152: Practical 2; Group Fieldtrip Report – Due to be submitted to Clodagh Raleigh’s office (Room 106) before 12.30 noon on tbc  

All course work needs to include an assessment cover sheet available to download from the Department of Geography Website (See Appendix 2 for sample).

2nd semester practical deadlines to be given at a later date.

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