Short Report: Data Exploration in QGIS

Introduction

This is your first piece of assessment for the unit. It tests the skills and knowledge

you have acquired in the unit within weeks 1-5. You have been introduced to the

functionality of QGIS and this first assignment provides a reflection on you

demonstrating your basic spatial analysis and cartography skills. It is worth 30% of

the unit assessment.

Requirements

 Word limit: 1000 words maximum

 Submission format: Word document only

 Word file size: less than 20mb

 There is no limit on the number of graphics used within your report

 Please note there are strict penalties for infringing these requirements – full

guidelines are in the unit outline for you to refer to. These include what is

included in the word count, penalties for exceeding the word count and/or

incorrect file submission (and size), late submissions and plagiarism.

Please see the unit outline for full information on word count/plagiarism

instructions and the submission deadline.

Marking criteria

A full marking criteria matrix can be found in the assessment folder on Blackboard.

Please check this to ensure you meet all the higher level criteria for producing an

outstanding assignment. In addition, you need to provide sufficient response to the

assignment brief as detailed below. Assuming you submit your assignment on time,

your assignment will be graded and marks returned with individual feedback prior to

the deadline for your second assignment. Critically reflect on this feedback so you

can learn from any mistakes and demonstrate improved GIS skills in your second

assignment.

Assignment brief

This is a short assignment and you will need to be both precise and concise for

reporting your findings. The brief of the assignment is for you to think of a

geographical research question based on the data provided for use QGIS. You will

need to generate a research question, which needs to ask something whereby you

will undertake a geospatial investigation to answer the question. You need to select

TWO variables only from the sociodemographic data provided. Your analysis will be

at the LGA level for the state of WA. If you wish to use one of the reference variables

(LGA area or total population) to calculate a density or rate variable, you can do this

and then use your processed variable to answer your research question. You need

to be able to use your two selected variables, along with a spatial analysis

methodology, to answer your research question. Regarding the spatial analysis

operations – you can select any analysis options within QGIS which we have

already covered in the computer labs – the correct selection will depend on the

research question that you’ve defined.

GIS Assessment – Geography and Planning UWA

Your report should be structured around the following sub-sections and include at

least one map. Make sure you label each section with an appropriate sub-heading.

Based on the topic of your selected research question, you will need to undertake

some literature searches and reading of the academic literature; this will need to go

beyond the core reading list for the unit as the citations will need to support your

topic.

 Report title

 Your selected research question

 Background information to your selected subject

 Description of data and methodology

 Results and discussion

 Conclusion – a statement that summaries your key findings (1-2 sentences

only)

 Reference list (using Harvard style – see library website if you need help for

formatting)

Your report needs to be professionally written and presented. Do not include a table

of contents or any appendices – these are not required for this report. Only include

visual material which is relevant for communicating your findings effectively (be

selective). Remember, this is not a repeat of the labs, but a chance for you to use

your skills from the labs to be selective for the analyses you want to undertake and

use results to support answering your research question. You may like to undertake

all the lab analyses on your data and look at what is appropriate for including in your

final report, or your research question may drive the selection of your methods for

analysis so you can pre-select what you want to present in your report then

undertake the analyses.

Submission

Submit your assignment by the submission deadline (see the unit outline document)

via the assignment link on Blackboard in the assessments folder. Your work will be

automatically run through Turnitin for plagiarism checking, so please ensure you are

familiar with the university policy (further information can be found in the online unit

outline link).