science

Geographic data and information

Geographic data and information is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Geographic data and information rather than just read about it. In short: Geographic data and information is defined in the ISO/TC 211 series of standards as data and information having an implicit or explicit association with a location relative to Earth (a geographic location or geographic position). It is also called geospatial data and information, georeferenced data and information, as well as geodata and geoinformation.

Key takeaways

Geographic data and information belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Geographic data and information to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Geographic data and information from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Geographic data and information is defined in the ISO/TC 211 series of standards as data and information having an implicit or explicit association with a location relative to Earth (a geographic location or geographic position). It is also called geospatial data and information, georeferenced data and information, as well as geodata and geoinformation. Geographic data and information is stored in geographic databases and geographic information systems (GIS). There are many different formats of geodata, including vector files, raster files, web files, and multi-temporal data. Spatial data or spatial information is a broader class of data whose geometry is relevant but it is not necessarily georeferenced, such as in computer-aided design (CAD), see geometric modeling.

Fields of study Geographic data and information are the subject of a number of overlapping fields of study, mainly:

Geocomputation Geographic information science Geographic information science and technology Geoinformatics Geomatics Geovisualization Technical geography "Geospatial technology" may refer to any of "geomatics", "geomatics", or "geographic information technology." The above is in addition to other related fields, such as:

Cartography Geodesy Geography Geostatistics Photogrammetry Remote sensing Spatial data analysis Surveying Topography Geospatial analysis Geospatial intelligence

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Geographic data and information

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Geographic data and information claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Geographic data and information before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Geographic data and information ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Geographic data and information

In research: Geographic data and information appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Geographic data and information in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Geographic data and information is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Geographic data and information, Geography stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Geographic data and information outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Geographic data and information in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Geographic data and information means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Geographic data and information out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Geographic data and information in simple terms?

Why does Geographic data and information matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Geographic data and information?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Geographic data and information.