Читать книгу GIS Research Methods - Steven J. Steinberg - Страница 70

The questions in this section focus on the ideological structure of your study. These questions are designed to be asked early on in the research process, usually before you begin implementing your research methodology. When answering these questions, some background research may be necessary; this research should be done before beginning the actual project and going out into the field. You may be able to conduct much of your background research through a literature review and an Internet search or through talks with local experts and others who are familiar with the study site to gain a good understanding of the existing relationships. However, your contact with people in your study site will depend on whether you have established social ties there, how accessible or remote your study site is, and the availability of and access to technology (phones, Internet, etc.) at the site. Sometimes a small pilot study is useful to ensure your approach is acquiring the necessary data and is not confusing to those doing the collection or to those responding to questions. Pilot testing the analysis can also help ensure that the data can be analyzed as expected.

Of course, it is important to collect the proper information from each location, respondent, or unit of analysis in your study. This information is commonly referred to as a variable. What is a variable? A variable can be defined as a domain of attributes that relate to a particular concept. For example, the variable gender might be defined as the three attributes male, female, or other. So what is an attribute? An attribute is a characteristic that is associated with a particular object or person. The following questions might help you define the concepts to be used in your study:

What is your research question?

What is your main dependent variable?

What are your independent variables?

What are the main hypotheses of your study?

Are there any geographic features that you have already identified as variables in your study? If so, what are they? Are they manufactured or natural features?

Could any of the geographic features contained in your study site potentially affect the issue that you are studying?