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LITERACY PRACTICES IN GEOGRAPHY

Identifying Literacy Practices in Geography

Yvette Guevara

University of California Santa Barbara

Authors Note

0This paper was prepared for Jennifer Johnson’s ACE Writing 2 class on May 8, 2019.

Correspondence about this paper can be addressed to Yvette Guevara at yguevara@ucsb.edu.

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Abstract

This paper identifies literacy practices that are used in the field of Geography. Literacy practices

are practices that focus on speaking, reading, and writing. This paper specifically identifies three

primary practices in geography: analyzation, objectivity, and communication. By The

conclusion of the three practices was done by observing my own geography class, geography of

surfing, conducting an interview with a student from my class, and analyzing academic journals

in the discipline of geography. This paper is able to properly identify what the conventions to

the literacy practices listed above are. By using examples this paper is able tocan help one

understand how those literacy practices are used in a geography class and in the professional

field of geography.
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Geography and Literacy Practices

In the world of science, geography is otherwise known as a spatial science. The reason is

that geography is based on answering the question of how and why certain things aspects of

life got to where they are today. Since this area of study is so particular with trying to develop

theories and ideas there are certain literacy practices that are evident in the field. I am

currently taking a geography course this quarter and based off my observations three

prominent literacy practices are analyzation, objectivity and collaboration. These practices are

used every lecture and section to ensure that we think like a geographer since in these

practices are often used in the professional field.professional field they are used just as much.

Analyzation

Explaining our thought process regarding surf culture is the most significant aspect of

this discipline. Spatial reasoning ties into the analyzation of a certain topic in geography. In the

case of surfing, surrounding areas, weather type, and ocean floor bottoms must be taken into

consideration when concluding as to why a swell is so strong. One of the most important

practices is making sure we, the students, are able to analyze certain geographical locations and

interpret why a certain culture or weather type happens there. To put this skill into practice our
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professor has four different assignments that we do throughout the quarter. They are writing

assignments that are different from what your usual EnglishEnglish or Hhistory paper (Gabriel

Personal Interview). As mentioned before, oOur geography class is themed around surfing and

one of our assignments is choosing a country and certain surf break to surf and researching its

history and how the surf culture became so prominent in that area. We were allowed tocould

make any claim that we thought broughbelieve brought surf culture to that area so long as as

long as we haved a reasonable explanation behind it. This is called spatial reasoning and is the

basic premise of about every Geography class according to my professor. In an academic

journal called “Geography of Suicide in Taiwan” by Shu-Sen Chang, Jonathan A.C. Sterne,

Benedict W. Wheeler, Tsung-Hsueh Luc, Jin-Jia Lin, and David Gunnell, the purpose of this study

is to find patterns in suicide rates in Taiwan. The researchers take into account the sex of the

individual, their economic background, and area in which they live in to find a pattern in suicide

rates. It was discovered that most individuals who committed suicide in Taiwan were of median

income and have low education levels. Another pattern was high income individuals committed

suicide because of family struggles such as divorce or academic pressure. (Chang et.al 2011). In

the study several maps and other data the researchers developed was carefully analyzed to

come to the conclusions mentioned above. “Towards a geography of fitness: an ethnographic

case study of the gym in British bodybuilding culture” by Gavin Andrews, Mark Sudwell and

Andrew Sparkes, a study was done to analyze gym culture and its inner workings. It is stated

that a hierarchal system is in place and Rob, the owner of the gym, walks around making sure

he indirectly practices the rules. This is done so that those below him do not forget that there is

order in the gym. By establishing his “code of conduct” it establishes order in his gym and
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knocking the hierarchy in place behind him (Andrews, et al). After observing your surroundings,

analyzing and trying to go into depth as to how and why something, in the case of my class: surf

culture, is how geographers have a better understanding of not only the earth in a scientific

view but small things such as a daily visit to the gym.the world and its people who inhabit it.

Objectivity

Objectivity is practiced very often in geography. Professor Sweeney during every lecture

shows us graphs that determine the wind pressures and formation of swells in the ocean during

lectures. The graphs are rather complex to readread, and he goes into great detaildetail

describing them in class. The graphs support the information that is he is presenting to us and

gives it credibility. In geography when analyzing a region, having a clear foundation of what you

are working with before you jump into analyzing is important. My TA in our section once stated

that basing your theories off ofoff data already given would allow us to understand geography

for our assignments. In two assignments we are required to take a region of our choice and

figure out whether or notwhether surfing there would be a good idea or when would be the

best time of the yearbest to surf that break based on data of weather and surf conditions. I was

able to make the connection that objectivity is important in and out of the classroom based on

a study conducted by Cadita De FrietasFreitas Dewes. In her research called “Understanding

climate impacts on Mexican Rainfed Maize,”, Dewes is trying to make connections with the

effects of maize in Mexico and how the changing climate will affect it. In the first chapter of her

findings, she listed the projected changed that are to come for maize in Mexico (Dewes 2013).

As mentioned before, in geography you trythe main goal is to come upthink of with an

explanation as to why something may have happenedoccurred in a given area. Dewes claimed
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the drought in Mexico has slowly become more severe because of the rise in temperatures (28).

By After supplying a fact, she then tells the audience of the effects that the rising temperature

can have for the Maize in the long run, while having more articles and other references keeping

her theories credible.

Communication and Collaboration

Communication and collaboration isboth share an equal amount of significance in the

the most important part of the field of geography. In class, Professor Sweeney and my TA Zach

will have lessons prepared so that it is in effect. Every lecture we have, the professor presents

iclicker questions either before or during lectures. Not only is it to make sure we are paying

attention, but to give us students a chance to talk to each other and try to figure out, for

example, what surfboard was made for royals in Hawaii or how to calculate the period of a

wave. While interviewing Gabriel he mentioned that his section “put together small

presentations to present to their class” (interview). The TA assigned groups in the class a topic

that regarded the realm ofwas in regards to surfing and in those 15 minutes were in charge

ofoversaw working together to put a presentation together for the class. Rather than having

the TA throw speak for 50 minutes and bore the class with information at them, the students

learned the material from each other and keep a collaborative atmosphere. Geography heavily

relies on collaboration since in the articles that I referenced and articles that I came across

while doing my research for this assignment were written by groups of people. About every

article I came across was written by several students and professors. That being said, theThe

communication and collaboration done in class is a reflection as reflectedto what is practiced in

the professional field.

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Making sure you communicate within your group, class and or department is just as

important, much as keeping close contact with what you study. By this, I mean depending on

what you research or study in geography you will come across people of different cultures and

backgrounds. lLike in Dewes’ study. Dewes, she works closely with professors in the

department of geography at the University of California CSanta Barbara to assist her in her

study. Another example is in the gym medical study and , all the authors are referenced

throughout the study. A few people oversaw gathering data and coming to different

conclusions in the study. Taking each other’s ideas and wWhether it is to agree or disagree on a

statement, having a team to bounce ideas off ofoff was prominent in this study (Andrews

Chang et al. 20112005).

Conclusion

Based on my findings, geography revolves around three primary literacy practices: analyzation,

objectivity, and communication. Analyzing how a specific culture is prominent in a country or

why specific animals live in certain regions well enough to be supported by facts is essential in

geography. It is a mix of thinking creatively to explain life on earth. Being able to communicate

that to your audience, team, classmates, and professor is essentially the essence of geography.

All three of these practices are not necessarily so obviously put to practice. One can be more

prominent than the other and they all have an equal amount of importance in supporting

someone's work in geography, whether it be in or out of the classroom.

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References

Dewes, C., & University of California, Santa Barbara. Geography. degree granting institution.

(2013). Understanding climate impacts on Mexican rain fed maize. Santa Barbara, Calif.]:

University of California, Santa Barbara.

Chang, et al. “Geography of Suicide in Taiwan: Spatial Patterning and Socioeconomic

Correlates.” Health and Place, vol. 17, no. 2, 2011, pp. 641–650.Andrews, Sudwell, &

Sparkes. (2005). towards a geography of fitness: An ethnographic case study of the gym

in British bodybuilding culture. Social Science & Medicine, 60(4), 877-891.

Dewes, C., & University of California, Santa Barbara. Geography. degree granting institution.

(2013). Understanding climate impacts on Mexican rain fed maize. Santa Barbara, Calif.]:

University of California, Santa Barbara.

Rodriguez, Gabriel. (2019, 05 04). Personal interview