Asking Geographic Questions Successful geographic inquiry involves the ability and willingness to ask, speculate on, and answer questions about why things are where they are and how they got there. We should speculate about possible answers to questions because speculation leads to the development of hypotheses that link the asking and answering stages of the process.
Hypotheses guide the search for information.
Acquiring Geographic Information Geographic information is information about locations, the physical and human characteristics of those locations, and the geographic activities and conditions of the people who live in those places. To answer geographic questions, we should start by gathering information from a variety of sources in a variety of ways. The skills involved in acquiring geographic information include locating and collecting data, observing and systematically recording information, reading and interpreting maps and other graphic representations of spaces and places, interviewing, and using statistical methods. Primary sources of information, especially the result of fieldwork, are important in geographic inquiry. Fieldwork involves conducting research in the community by distributing questionnaires, taking photographs, recording observations, interviewing citizens, and collecting samples.