Geography 300: The Geographer's Craft		Lab One: What is the Geographers Craft?

Introduction: By enrolling in this course, you are essentially declaring your entry into the world of the professional geographer.  Many come to this discipline or this trade, not fully understanding what geography is, nor understanding what geographers do.  This first exercise is designed to help you gain a better understanding of what geography is and is not, what sort of questions geographers ask; and what sort of questions geographers tend not to ask.  In order to accomplish these objectives, students will be introduced to a quick tour of the basic themes and practices that create the rough boundaries that define our discipline, and constitute our professional craft.

Objectives:  The student will demonstrate knowledge of the basic parameters of the Geographic discipline by constructing an essay in which the student analyzes and evaluates multiple perspectives on issues surrounding the basic definition of geography.  

Readings:  Go to the National Council for Geographic Education Website: http://www.ncge.org/publications/journal/classic/

                    You'll need to download them in order to read them.  They are .doc files, so they will open in Microsoft Word or WordPerfect pretty easily. 

                    Downloading files can be a bit dangerous, so you should consider scanning them for viruses before you open them.

                    CSUN has free virus software available to students.  You should do this.  Click here: http://www.csun.edu/itr/news/2005/050124.html

Assignment:

Read the Pattison and Lewis Articles.  Then go to www.google.com or www.yahoo.com and type in the question (in quotation marks)  -- "What is Geography?".   You should visit no less than 10 different websites regarding this query. 

Write an essay of 500-750 words in which you evaluate, analyze and then synthesize the ideas of others, including Pattison and Lewis, who have attempted to define geography.  You are to answer the question "What is geography?" as if someone has asked you (such as your parents) that same question.  You are to explain in this ESSAY what geography.  Your opinion is important, but you should also take care to mention the opinions of others.

I would like you to keep in mind that geography is a topic for a study, but more importantly it is a way of studying and understanding the world.  Most people only know geography as a subject but for you it is a DISCIPLINE.  By majoring in geography, you are entering into training, an apprenticeship, into a craft that is practiced by 'disciplinary practitioners', who call themselves geographers.  The readings discuss some of the ways of this craft discipline.

The essay should be typed in a word processor and sent to Dr. Graves (steve.graves@csun.edu) as an attachment or as plain text.  Please name the file Lab1_"your name", so if your last name is Smith, the file should look something like lab1_smith.doc  

You may want to take a sneak peek the lab exercise over regarding essay construction before you begin writing.

You may also want to include your instructor's definition of geography:  What is geography?... Geography is a discipline in which its practitioners privilege issues of place and space they seek understanding of, and provide explanations regarding, the world in which we live. 

Be sure to remember to take the quiz over the assigned readings. 

Back to Geography

If you have questions or comments, please contact me at steve.graves@csun.edu