Core Concepts of the Four Traditions of Geography

Core Concepts of the Four Traditions of Geography Geographer William D. Pattison introduced his four traditions of geography at the annual convention of the National Council for Geographic Education in 1963. With these precepts, Pattison sought to define the discipline by establishing a common vocabulary in the geographic community at large. His goal was to create a lexicon of basic geographical concepts so that the work of academics could be easily interpreted by laymen. The four traditions are the Spatial or Locational Tradition, the Area Studies or Regional Tradition, the Man-Land Tradition, and the Earth Science Tradition. Each of these traditions is interrelated, and they are often used in conjunction with one another, rather than alone. Spatial or Locational Tradition The core concept behind the Spatial Tradition of geography relates to the in-depth analysis of the particulars of a place- such as the distribution of one aspect over an area- using quantitative techniques and tools that might include such things as computerized mapping and geographic information systems, spatial analysis and patterns, aerial distribution, densities, movement, and transportation. The Locational Tradition attempts to explain the course of human settlements in terms of location, growth, and in relation to other locales. Area Studies or Regional Tradition Unlike the Spatial Tradition, the Area Studies Tradition determines as much as it is possible to glean about a particular place in order to define,  describe, and differentiate it from other regions or areas. World regional geography, along with international trends and relationships are at its center. Man-Land Tradition The focus of the Man-Land Tradition is the study of the relationship between human beings and the land they live on. Man-Land looks not only at the impact people impose on their local environment but conversely, at how natural hazards can influence human life. Along with addition population geography, the tradition also takes into account the ramifications that cultural and political practices have on the given area of study as well. Earth Science Tradition The Earth Science Tradition is the study of planet Earth as the home to humans and its systems. Along with the physical geography of the planet, focuses of study include such things as how the planets location in the solar system affects its seasons (this is also known as Earth-sun interaction) and how changes in the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere impact human life on the planet. Offshoots of the Earth Science Tradition of geography are geology, mineralogy, paleontology, glaciology, geomorphology, and meteorology. What Did Pattison Leave Out? In response to the four traditions, in the mid-1970s, researcher J. Lewis Robinson noted that Pattisons model left out several important aspects of geography, such as the factor of time as it relates to historical geography and  cartography (mapmaking). Robinson wrote that by dividing geography into these categories- while admitting consistent themes do run through all four- Pattisons precepts lacked a unifying focus. Robinson did, however, concede that Pattison had done a good job of creating a framework for the discussion of the philosophical tenets of geography.   As a result, while its not the be all and end all, most geographic studies are likely to at least begin with Pattisons traditions. While not perfect, they have nonetheless become essential to the study of geography since first being adopted. Many of the more recent specialized areas of geographic study are, in essence, new and improved versions- reinvented and using better tools- of Pattisons original ideas.

4 Creative Ways to Advance Your Career

4 Creative Ways to Advance Your Career There’s no worse feeling in the world for a job hunter than finding the perfect position but being eliminated from consideration simply because you fail to meet one requirement. There may be some ways around these â€Å"must-haves,† but in most cases failure to meet the job description - or even one small component of it - can remove you from the running. Instead of taking a chance on it happening again, cover your bases by padding your resume with one or more of these four sought-after skills. 1. Basic CodingWhile a weekend-long program in basic coding won’t land you a job as a software engineer, it will round out your resume. Sites like Codeacademy offer free lessons in a range of programming languages, including PHP, HTML, Python, Javascript, CSS and others. Each lesson is short, powerful, and delivers just what you need to add â€Å"Programming† to the â€Å"Skills† section of your resume.2. Public SpeakingTen percent of people love public spe aking, 10 percent are terrified of it, and the remaining 80 percent are somewhere in the middle - they know it’s not going to be very fun, but they also know they’ll survive the experience.Aside from helping you pass the â€Å"good communication skills† requirement part of a job description requirement, there’s another important reason the majority of people should work on this skill: why would you want a job when you can merely tolerate a major aspect of it? Comfort with public speaking won’t just land you a job; rather, it will continue to be a useful skill throughout your life.Coursera’s â€Å"Introduction to Public Speaking† course is free, always open, and delivers useful instruction and plenty of opportunities for practice through its public speaking curriculum, including a series of videos totaling 18 hours, videos, and peer assessments.3. Graphic DesignGraphic design skills are highly desirable for a wide range of positions, particularly with the growth of social media, digital technology, and ever-popular infographics. While fudging knowledge of Adobe Photoshop, InDesign or Illustrator on your resume can lead to catastrophic results - particularly if you’re called upon to demonstrate your knowledge or experience - it is possible to learn the basics on your own.For example, Adobe offers tutorials designed to help everyone from novices to experts expand their skill set, while online education website Lynda’s â€Å"Photoshop CC Essential Training† offers the training you need to feel comfortable working with Photoshop.4. Website BuildingAn increasing number of employers are requesting that candidates include links to personal websites along with their application materials. Don’t have one of your own? Unfortunately, this may indicate a lack of initiative and/or the inability to keep up with 21st century expectations.Rather than risking coming off as unmotivated, take advantag e of classes aimed at helping beginners acquire the knowledge they need to to build their own websites. The Muse’s â€Å"Your Guide to Building a Personal Website That’ll Land You a Job,† offers the perfect starting point.The best part of many of these web courses and tutorials? Many are taught during a single day or weekend so you can increase your job marketability without investing significant additional time or expense. Your resume will thank you for it.