MS Ch. 6 and 8 are about behavioral and experimental research (and data). You are required
to respond to Question #1,2. It is important to demonstrate your comprehension
of the readings. Logics of argument counts. Distill your thoughts and present your arguments
concisely and logically. Word limits are included to help you to write better. You can surely
write less. You also have some leverages to exceed the word limits slightly. Quality is more
important than quantity.
Submit your responses in a pdf document to the Discussion Board. Include the question number
in each of your response/answer.
1. Ch. 5 is relatively dry and straightforward, addressing issues on observational research
and coding data. Despite most topics are not geography-specific, the authors briefly
touched on a significant spatial methodological issue. On p.71, second paragraph: “As in
all areas of geographic and environmental research, your analysis scale optimally
matches the scale of the phenomenon you are studying.” This is the concept of
operational scale. Please read the chapter on “Fractals and Scale in Environmental
Assessment and Monitoring” by N. S-N Lam. How does “operational scale” play a role in
your research? (200 words)
2. In the beginning of Ch. 7, the authors discuss empirical control and one way of control is
statistical. Previous class discussion points out that positivist approach can establish
correlation but rarely causation. In the context of statistical control, how can the issue of
causality be addressed differently in experimental and nonexperimental settings? (150
words)
the book link is
https://archive.org/details/introductiontosc0000mont