Identify and describe the five basic types of research questions for GIS projects, providing an example of each.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Ans: The first basic type of research question for GIS projects is, “What exists (or is occurring) at a specific location?” An example of this type of research question is, “What is the prevalence of tobacco cigarette smoking in urban versus rural regions in the province of Quebec, Canada?” The second type of research question is, “Where should something be located?” An example of this type is, “Where in Sao Paulo, Brazil should a new long term care facility be located to optimize both the environmental quality of life for residents and accessibility for visitors?” The third type is, “What changes have occurred in a particular place over a period of time?” An example is, “How did maternal and infant mortality rates differ in Iraq versus Iraqi Kurdistan in the decade leading up to and following the implementation of the northern no-fly zone in Iraq in 1991?” The fourth type is, “Are there patterns in the geographic data? If so, what are they?” An example is, “What is the incidence and prevalence of overweight and obesity in neighborhoods in London, United Kingdom, relative to indicators of socio-economic status and food security in the built environment? Is overweight and obesity associated with lower socio-economic status and food security?” Finally, the fifth type is, “What can be predicted if certain geographic or socio-environmental characteristics are changed?” An example of this kind of research question is, “How does compliance for antiretroviral medication among HIV-positive adults in Fort Portal, Uganda change when volunteers regular deliver medication via regular home visits, versus centralized dispensaries?”