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Asking
geographic questions
In beginning a geographical inquiry you need to be able ask
geographic questions which drive your inquiry about the place,
issue or problem that you are investigating. Geographic
questions can be placed into four main types of questions:
What is it? Where is it? Why is it there? Why care?
What is it?
Questions that get you to think about different aspects of the place
you are investigating and may include: What is the place like? Is it a natural
or cultural feature? What type of natural or cultural feature? What are its
dimensions? What is it made from?
Where is it?
A spatial question about location. Where is it type questions may include:
What is its latitude and longitude? Where is it on a map of the world?
Where is it in relation to other geographic features (i.e. its situation?
How accessible is this feature? Is it a remote location? How are these
features distributed?
Why is it there?
These are the questions which get you to analyse a place to find the
reasons for it being where it is. These questions may include: What are the
processes/agents that have created this place? With what is it associated?
How is it connected to other places? What are the consequences of it being
there? Has it changed over time?
Why care?
Why is this place/problem/issue important? Should it be like this? Should
something be done about it? What should be done about it? What can I do
about it?
When beginning to ask yourself geographic questions you may find it easier to keep the
questions simple and as you become more proficient the questions will become more complex.
Be confident enough to ask your own geographic questions - those listed above are examples
only, there are lots more! If you’re not sure if a question is geographic - ask your teacher.
Being able to ask geographic questions enables you to engage in doing geography by posing
geographic questions to guide a geographic inquiry. As you progress through the inquiry
process you may even find that your initial questions will need some refining or perhaps even
more questions will come to mind, that is OK.
Now let’s practice developing your own geographic
questions!
© 2015 R.Swindail
Asking geographic questions
Your task: ! 1. Study the photograph below,
!
!
2. Write four geographic questions about this landscape that you would like to
!
!
find the answers to,
!
!
3. Using the internet answer your geographic questions and prepare to share
!
!
them with the class.
!
!
Note: one geographic question and answer is given to you as a clue.
What is it?
- Answer -
Source: Shutterstock
Old Faithful
My geographic questions:
Question 1 Answer -
Question 2 Answer -
Question 3 -
Question 4 Answer -
© 2015 R.Swindail
Answer -
Asking geographic questions
Your task: ! 1. Study the photograph below,
!
!
2. Write four geographic questions about this landscape that you would like to
!
!
find the answers to,
!
!
3. Using the internet answer your geographic questions and prepare to share
!
!
them with the class.
!
!
Note: one geographic question and answer is given to you as a clue.
Where is it?
- Answer -
Source: Shutterstock
the Arizona Desert
My geographic questions:
Question 1 Answer -
Question 2 Answer -
Question 3 -
Question 4 Answer -
© 2015 R.Swindail
Answer -
Asking geographic questions
Your task: ! 1. Study the photograph below,
!
!
2. Write four geographic questions about this landscape that you would like to
!
!
find the answers to,
!
!
3. Using the internet answer your geographic questions and prepare to share
!
!
them with the class.
!
!
Note: one geographic question and answer is given to you as a clue.
Who used to live here?
- Answer Cappadocians from about
600BC for 1500 years
My geographic questions:
Question 1 Answer -
Question 2 Answer -
Question 3 -
Question 4 Answer -
© 2015 R.Swindail
Answer -