Sources of geographic information. List of literature on geography

Sources of information include textbooks, gazetteers and encyclopedias, maps and atlases. Information-rich geographic magazines and newspapers.

Many new, useful and interesting things can be learned from radio and television programs: weather forecasts, reports of natural phenomena, natural wonders, the culture of the population of different countries, etc. Nowadays, to obtain the necessary geographical knowledge, they use the services of the Internet - the worldwide computer network. With its help, you can exchange geographic information - cartographic, text, video, audio - in a matter of minutes.

To obtain geographical information and knowledge, various research methods are used. The oldest is the descriptive research method. It consists of describing the object (where it is located, how it has changed over time, how it affects other objects, etc.). The description is carried out on the basis of observations of phenomena and processes. This method is still one of the main ones. The expeditionary method is also ancient. The word "Expedition" means "campaign". An expedition is a business trip of a group of people to study certain objects or phenomena. The material collected during expeditions forms the basis of geography. Based on it, science develops.

The historical method allows us to find out how objects and phenomena arose and developed over time. The literary method consists of studying literature - everything that has already been written on a given topic. The cartographic research method consists of determining the location of objects and plotting them on a map. By skillfully reading geographic maps, a researcher can obtain a lot of necessary information. New methods include aerospace - Studying the Earth's surface using images from aircraft and spacecraft. Using the modeling method, using computer technology, changes in the environment are envisaged.

Globe. Photo: Eamon Curry

Primary sources of knowledge

The primary sources of socio-geographical knowledge are associated with socio-geographical field research, when objects are studied directly on the ground through direct acquaintance with them, through observations, instrumental measurements, as well as interviews, questionnaires, etc. This is usually a study of individual farms and enterprises (agricultural, industrial, construction, recreational, etc.), as well as settlements and places of concentration of production and infrastructure (a set of structures and services that ensure the functioning of industries and the living conditions of society).

The primary source of socio-geographical knowledge can also be field special (thematic) mapping of the territory under study - the actual use of land, population settlement, levels of technogenic load on the territory, its ecological state, etc. For the needs of such mapping, topographic maps are usually used as a basis or plans for land use or land economic structure of administrative-territorial units, individual farms, cities.

Primary sources usually provide socio-geographical knowledge about one’s own state, since it is not often that researchers are given the opportunity to carry out the necessary field research abroad. Therefore, the main sources of socio-geographic knowledge about the world are secondary sources. Secondary sources of socio-geographical knowledge are those that were obtained and organized in a certain way by other researchers. A classic example is various literary sources - historical, geographical, environmental literature.

Now, thanks to the Internet, it is possible to “visit” the largest libraries in the world without leaving home. Among such institutions are the Library of Congress CELA, the German National Economic Library, the Russian National Library, the National Library of Ukraine. IN AND. Vernadsky similar.

To acquire knowledge in the field of social and economic geography, various sources containing organized statistical information are very important. In Ukraine, such sources are government bodies - regional and district state administrations, as well as state management structures - environmental safety and natural resources, sanitary and epidemiological service, water management, forestry, railway and water transport, electricity and gas supply, etc. Important geographic data is often also available from local authorities. Individual enterprises, farms, institutions with their operational accounting and reporting statistical information often turn out to be useful.

Are research and design institutions and organizations that accumulate stock information and scientific information also useful? design developments according to your profile. Public organizations and movements - ethnocultural, religious, political (party), professional, etc. can also have interesting socio-geographical information.

Regarding information about different states, regions or the world in general, it is available on the websites of the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the World Tourism Organization and other well-known international organizations.

The cartographic method is a traditional research method, and the creation of maps is one of their final results. Geographic maps contain information about various phenomena and processes, the boundaries of their distribution. A huge number of thematic maps (navigation, soil, climate, synoptic, geological, hydrological, etc.) contain information necessary not only for people of different professions: geologists and navigators, military and agronomists, builders and architects. Without a good detailed map, hiking in unfamiliar (and especially sparsely populated) places is impossible. Maps are used in planning and conducting field research. They are also the basis for drawing up new maps with different information content.

However, not all geographic data can be displayed on a map. The most important source of information about the nature and natural resources of various territories are geographical descriptions in the form of scientific and popular science publications, journal articles, scientific reports on expeditionary and other research, encyclopedias, dictionaries, statistical collections, etc.

But who said that we only get knowledge about the world around us from scientific publications? The richest source of information, including geographical information, are photo albums, documentaries and feature films, weather forecasts, as well as periodicals about earthquakes, droughts, floods, discoveries, travel, political and economic events. Even postage stamps can tell a lot about the nature and economy of different countries.

And of course, modern research is impossible without the widespread use of information technology. Computer systems designed to collect, store, process and distribute data linked to a system of geographic coordinates are called geographic information systems (GIS). This is an extensive database that digitally accumulates a variety of information relating to any territory, and can be quickly supplemented, updated, processed and be in any form, most often in the form of maps.

The GIS structure can be represented as a system of information layers. The first layer is the cartographic basis: a coordinate grid, terrain contours. Subsequent layers reflect the administrative division of the territory, the structure of the road network, the nature of the relief, hydrography, settlements, type of soil, vegetation, agricultural land, age composition of the population, etc. In essence, GIS is an electronic atlas. But not only. Layers within a GIS can be displayed and viewed separately, like pages of a regular atlas, but they can also be combined in a variety of combinations, compared with each other, and data analysis allows you to create derived layers. That is, based on the existing amount of information, new information arises.

1) Name the first ways people understand the world around them.

Answer: Traveling to new lands, observation.

2) What sources of geographic information do you know?

Answers: Internet information, encyclopedias, geographical maps, etc.

3) What methods does geographical science use?

Answer: Travel, observation, description and characterization, mapping, comparative, static, aerial photography, space.

4) What expeditions to what regions of the Earth have Russian geographers organized these days?

Answer: Inspection of the radioactive waste disposal site in the Sea of Japan and Okhotsk.

5) What methods of studying geography did you use in 6th grade?

Answer: comparative, description, characteristics.

6) Look at the atlas maps. Determine which cards dominate.

a) by territory coverage.

Answer: Continents and oceans.

Answer: general geographical (physical).

Why?

Answer: They carry more information.

7) Determine the distances from the map of the hemispheres, and then from the globe:

Compare the results and draw a conclusion.

Answer:

8) Write what is shown on the map using symbols.

9) Describe one of the atlas maps (your choice).

Name of the card.

Answer: Physical map of the world.

Type of map based on territory coverage.

Answer: Worldwide.

Answer: General geographical.

What is shown on the map and in what ways?

Answer: Relief, rivers, lakes, large cities (inscription and symbols).

10) What information can be obtained from a physical card?

Answer: Names of objects, relief, coordinates of objects.

11) How do you understand the words of the famous geographer that, unlike a book and other sources of information, a map “tells” faster, more accurately, more clearly and more concisely?

Answer: The map shows only what is necessary.

12) A famous cartographer of our day claims that soon knowledge of a map will be as important as knowledge of grammar and mathematics. Express your opinion on this statement.

Answer: Maps began to appear frequently in the media. The ability to understand the contents of a map is important for every person.

13) What do you think came first - writing or a map? Justify your answer.

Answer: A map, since earlier the location of objects was easier to draw, not every person could use writing.

The volume and quality of socio-geographic information, which is “a body of knowledge and a system of data reflecting the features and patterns of the territorial organization of society, the functioning and development of TPS” 1, become important in conducting research and writing research work.

Among the main requirements that can be presented to socio-geographic information are:

– modernity, i.e. it must correspond to the time interval of the study. However, this condition may not be met when conducting a retrospective analysis of the development of the research object;

– targeting, i.e. information must be tied not only to time, but also to a specific territory. In the study of a real object (process or phenomenon) in the spatial aspect, the geographical individuality of the study is realized 1 ;

– the dynamism of information means its constant change, movement in time and space. The evolutionary development of the object of study is determined by the complication of its structure, the involvement of new functional properties, and the increase in the number of factors of its development. This information should not escape the geographer's field of vision;

– correspondence of the information received to the research topic, and therefore to the stated goal. Its relevance and timeliness become important;

– the objectivity (reliability) of information ensures the reliability of the conclusions obtained and recommendations proposed for implementation;

– verifiability. Some of the published socio-geographic information may be questioned about its reliability (correctness), therefore it is necessary to take a critical approach to the selection of information sources and carry out verification (clarification, check) of the received data through other sources. The researcher must be especially selective in approaching materials published on the Internet.

Taking into account the extensiveness of socio-geographical research, a significant amount of information resources can act as a source of the necessary information, including:

– scientific and literary sources, including scientific and popular science publications, monographs, textbooks and teaching aids, ongoing periodicals and collections of scientific works, dissertations for academic degrees, encyclopedic dictionaries, etc.;

– regulatory sources, including any legal acts of international, state, regional and local significance;

– cartographic or graphical information presenting complex processes in a simplified form;

– results of independent field (full-scale) research and observations;

– statistical sources containing data on the course of a particular process, the “behavior” of the object of study;

– archival and stock materials;

– electronic sources;

– results of sociological research;

– data from monitoring studies.

None of the above sources can become “self-sufficient” for conducting socio-geographic research. In the process of work, a complex of theoretical and applied developments (research) of previous researchers is used, as well as data obtained independently during field work, sociological surveys, collection of statistical information, work in archives, etc.

However, information cannot simply be included in the work. It must be analyzed, verified and interpreted in relation to this study. To perform these operations, the student (master's student) must use the time allotted for production and research practices. The broad goal of conducting practical training is to formulate and solve one’s own research problem, to develop skills in applying knowledge in the field of economic, social and political geography to solve applied problems. That is why industrial practice must have clearly defined goals and objectives corresponding to the topic of the selected original scientific research in each course of study.

During the period of practical training, students (master's students) collect and process primary information - statistical data, cartographic materials, graphic-analytical constructions, historical and geographical information, sociological information, develop an original research methodology and determine a set of indicators for the purpose of a deeper and more comprehensive study of the object and subject of observation etc. The main places for the accumulation and storage of geographic information are libraries, scientific institutions, archives, the territorial department of the Federal Statistics Service of the Russian Federation, regional and municipal authorities, employment centers, various organizations and departments.

A student (master's student) can obtain a theoretical basis for the research being carried out from printed sources of geographic information, which are quite diverse in both content and scale. Particular attention should be paid to monographs both on social geography and related disciplines: physical geography, economics, sociology, political science, resource science, ecology, cultural studies, tourism studies, etc. Conceptual ideas, important theoretical positions and practical (applied) data are contained in other sources, including collections of scientific papers, materials of conferences at various levels, scientific reports, etc. The electronic catalog of printed publications that make up the collection of the scientific library of Perm State National Research University is available free of charge on the website www.library.perm.ru. Here you can also get acquainted with new arrivals, scientific journals in foreign languages, access the websites of the US Library of Congress, the Russian State Library (Moscow), the Russian National Library (St. Petersburg), the All-Russian Institute of Scientific and Technical Information (St. Moscow), etc.

A special source of geographic information is the abstract journal “Geography”. It contains abstracts of scientific publications in various areas of geographical science, secondary information materials (bibliographic descriptions, annotations, literature reviews) in conjunction with a reference and search engine. To compile it, over two thousand different sources, Russian and foreign, are used. Each issue includes approximately 1,500 abstracts. The abstract journal "Geography" has been published annually since 1952 (12 issues per year). Numbers for 1998 – 1999 and since 2009 they are in the reading room of the Faculty of Geography, the rest are in the scientific and bibliographic department of the Perm State National Research University library.

Another important literary source of geographical information is dissertations for the scientific degree of candidate and doctor of science. The list of dissertations and dissertations themselves in the specialty 25.00.24 (until 2005 - 11.00.02) - Economic, social and political geography, defended at our university, are stored in the periodical literature department of the Perm State National Research University library. To work with them, you must issue a letter certified by the head of the department where the student (master’s student) is studying.

During any work, new scientific categories, concepts, and terms come into the field of view of a young researcher. In this case, a variety of scientific and bibliographic literature is of great help: dictionaries, encyclopedias, glossaries contained in textbooks and teaching aids. Among them, first of all, it is necessary to name the Great Russian Encyclopedia, the Great Geographical Dictionary, toponymic dictionaries, etc.

An important source of information is the most popular scientific geographical journals, collections of scientific works periodically published by scientific and educational institutions. They publish innovative articles of a theoretical, methodological and applied nature. For many years, collections of scientific papers from Tartu, Perm, Tyumen and other universities were published annually. Geographical journals have gained worldwide fame: “Izvestia RAS. Geographical Series" (Moscow), "News of the Russian Geographical Society" (St. Petersburg), "Geography and Natural Resources" (Irkutsk, journal of the Institute of Geography SB RAS), "Geography at school", "USA and Canada: economics, politics, culture”, “Japan”, “Asia and Africa today” (published by the Institute of Asia and Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences), etc. No less popular are geographical journals published in the country’s leading universities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Voronezh, Perm, Smolensk, Bashkir, Udmurt, etc.

Important information is contained in periodicals on related sciences: economics, sociology, political science, ecology: “World Economy and International Relations” (published by MGIMO (U) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation), “Russian Economic Journal”, “Bulletin of Economics”, “Polis” ( “Political Research”), “Socis” (“Sociological Research”), “Expert”, etc. The list of journals on geographical and related topics available in the scientific library of Perm State National Research University is indicated in the appendix. 2.1.

With the support of federal ministries and departments, journals are published on individual sectors of the economy: “Oil, Gas and Business”, “Coal”, “Automotive Industry”, etc. In them, a researcher can obtain information about the latest technical and technological developments of domestic and foreign scientists. It also contains some data regarding production, consumption, cost, export-import of goods and services.

When writing papers on regional studies, assistance can be provided by the magazines “GEO”, “Around the World”, “National Geographic Russia”, “Tourism”, “Picturesque Russia”, etc., which contain a large amount of popular science information on individual regions of Russia and the world .

It is important to note that the latest issue of most journals lists all material published during the calendar year. Some of these magazines are located in the reading room of the Faculty of Geography of Perm State National Research University.

Another type of periodical press - newspapers - can also include information of interest to a geographer - the so-called current information. Particularly noteworthy in this regard is the newspaper “Geography”, which is a methodological publication for teachers of geography, ecology and natural history (published since 1992) 1 . Among the central newspapers, Rossiyskaya Gazeta stands out - the official printed publication of the Kremlin (Government of the Russian Federation). It reflects events in both domestic and international life. Special editions of the newspaper dedicated to individual regions, countries or types of economic activity are also quite informative. When conducting geographical research at the micro-, topo- and nano-levels, local newspapers published by municipal authorities can be of great importance. They cover the entire spectrum of life activities of the population in a clearly localized territory, and in this regard they are irreplaceable.

A specific type of information is regulatory and legislative documents, including:

– international legal acts (Convention on Human Rights, Kyoto Protocol, UN Maritime Convention, Antarctic Treaty, etc.);

– The Constitution of the Russian Federation, constitutions and charters of regions - subjects of the Russian Federation; constitutions of specific countries;

– interstate pacts;

– declarations, federal agreement;

– codes, federal laws, laws of constituent entities of the Russian Federation and municipalities;

– acts of the President of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation;

– annual messages of the President of the Russian Federation to the Federal Assembly;

– acts, laws, resolutions of the chambers of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation;

– acts of representative and executive bodies of state power of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and local self-government;

– charters of municipalities, etc.

Students and undergraduates can familiarize themselves with all of the listed types of regulatory documents using the “ConsultantPlus” program, access to which is available in the reading room, computer class of the Faculty of Geography and departments.

The importance of using legislative and legal literature in socio-geographical research is explained by the need to establish a legal framework for scientific research, determine the official status of a particular real-life object, and formally evaluate a particular process. Socio-geographical research is based on and follows legal norms. However, research results can serve as an important factor in making changes (additions), improving, improving standards and their implementation in practice in national, regional or municipal development.

In addition to literary sources, cartographic and graphic materials become of great importance in research works on economic and social geography. The latter can contain a large amount of geographical information in a concise, easy-to-read form.

The advantage of cartographic material over textual material is that the map is a visual (generalized) model of the territory. It is distinguished by its brevity and information capacity. The map displays connections between geographical objects, phenomena, processes in dynamics or statics. Textual information cannot give the researcher more than what is written in it. The map can illustrate cause-and-effect relationships and territorial differences. Cartographic materials allow us to most fully diagnose social, ecological, economic, planning, service, political, environmental phenomena and processes. This information is used in the process of visual and measurement analysis of maps, decoding and retrieving information data. That is why this kind of material is usually included in literary sources. However, some maps or map diagrams that have thematic homogeneity can be published in the form of atlases or thematic collections. For example, “National Atlas of Russia” (vol. 1–3), “Socio-economic geography of the world” (authors: V.N. Kholina, A.S. Naumov, I.A. Rodionova. M., 2006), “Regions of Russia” (author: A.L. Chepalyga, I.V. Chepalyga. M., 2006).

A large number of anamorphic maps 1, which clearly show the disproportions of world development, are posted on the website www.worldmapper.org in the public domain (in English).

Graphic materials also carry important information reflecting the statics and dynamics of socio-economic processes. Graphs and diagrams provide a visual representation of the state and trends in the functioning of territorial systems and can be considered as sources for diagnosing and forecasting their future development.

Cartographic and graphic materials can serve as a starting point for research, an impulse for scientific research. Having in his methodological research arsenal the necessary approaches and methods, information resources and general knowledge about the course of a process or the nature of a phenomenon, a specialist in the field of socio-economic geography is able to correctly assess and identify development trends and see the promising state of an object. The result of this research may also be a map or a series of maps with a detailed decoding of the encoded information.

Carrying out research work is impossible without the use of statistical data characterizing the quantitative patterns of life of territorial communities of people in all their diversity (economic, social, political, spiritual, cultural development, natural environment) in inextricable connection with their qualitative content.

In global studies, international statistics published by the UN and its specialized organizations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Resources Institute, the World Trade Organization, Eurostat, etc. are widely used. Among the annual collections, it is necessary to name the “Human Development Report”, published by the UN Development Program, “State of World Population" (published by the UN Population Fund), "World Development Report", "World Development Indicators", "Economic and Social Survey" (World Bank), "Report on the World Social Situation" (UN Department of Economic and Social Development ), “World Resources” (World Resources Institute), “State of Food and Agriculture” (FAO), etc. These and other reports are freely available on the UN website (Russian version) - http://www.un.org/russian/esa/surveys.htm.

A large volume of statistical information, updated annually on more than 100 indicators, is contained on the official website of the US CIA - www.cia.gov in the “Factbook” section (in English). The classification of countries by level of socio-economic development is published annually on the website of the International Monetary Fund – www.imf.org in the “World Economic Outlook” section. Financial indicators of the development of countries around the world are reflected on the World Bank website (www.worldbank.org) in the annual reports of Global Development Finance. Statistics on international trade relations are updated annually on the World Trade Organization website (www.wto.org) in the “Resources” section.

Among the Russian research institutes that study international issues and publish some statistical data, it is necessary to name the scientific organizations that are part of the Russian Academy of Sciences: Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Institute of the USA and Canada, Institute of Europe, Institute of Latin America, Institute of the Far East , Institute of Socio-Economic Problems of Population, Council for the Study of Productive Forces (SOPS), etc.

When studying the processes of development and territorial organization of the Russian Federation and its regions, information from statistical collections is widely used: “Russian Statistical Yearbook”, “Regions of Russia”, “Russia in Figures” (published annually), “Socio-economic situation of Russia” (published monthly, in the country as a whole and in individual federal districts), etc.

Industry statistical information published by the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation (information website – www.gks.ru) is contained in the collections “Transport in Russia”, “Tourism in Russia”, “Healthcare in Russia”, “Small Business in Russia”, etc. .

Geographic studies of the population, geodemographic situation, settlement systems, conditions and living standards of people are usually based on statistical information contained in reports published after all-Russian population censuses (VPN website 2002 - www.perepis2002.ru, VPN website 2010 - www .perepis-2010.ru), statistical collections such as “Demographic Yearbook of Russia”, electronic version of the journal “Population and Society” - “Demoscope-Weekly” (access on the Internet - www.demoscope.ru), etc.

The Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation also prepares collections concerning the relationship between Russia and its partners, for example: “Russia and the CIS Countries”, “Group of Eight in Figures”, as well as collections on federal districts.

Regional studies use statistical data published in the annual statistical collections of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The territorial body of the Federal Statistics Service of the Russian Federation for the Perm Territory (information website - http://permstat.gks.ru) annually publishes the following statistical collections: “Statistical Yearbook of the Perm Territory”, “Economic and Social Situation of the Perm Territory”. In addition, the collections “Municipalities of the Perm Territory. Main socio-economic indicators”, “Industrial production of the Perm region” (published annually), “Perm region: socio-economic results” (published monthly), etc.

Statistical data on the state of the natural environment and measures aimed at maintaining a favorable environmental situation can be gleaned from the annual reports “State and Environmental Protection of the Perm Territory”, “State and Environmental Protection of the City of Perm” (since 2000, available on the website “Nature of the Perm region” – www.permecology.ru).

Industry-specific statistical information is also contained in annual reports on the activities of industrial and transport enterprises posted on company websites.

When conducting microgeographic studies, statistical information can be obtained through field (empirical) studies. The most common are expeditionary studies, during which primary “field” observations and collection of primary information about the processes of functioning of territorial systems take place. They are carried out by studying the geography of population, agricultural production, construction industry, transport, service sector, recreational systems, etc. To conduct such studies, the staff of the Department of Socio-Economic Geography developed a special methodology, which has not lost its significance in modern conditions 1 . In this case, statistical information can be obtained directly from an enterprise, organization, local civil registry office, house management, municipality, or by conducting independent observation.

The researcher can obtain subjective information by conducting sociological surveys, interviews, and questionnaires. Sociological methods make it possible to obtain and analyze the opinions of respondents who are local residents (so-called first-hand information). This is qualitative information, which, however, cannot be considered objective, because depends on a large number of factors directly influencing it (primarily related to human individuality).

However, data from opinion polls and questionnaires are an important source of information in recreational, tourism, medical, behavioral, social, and electoral geography. They are indispensable in research that cannot be measured quantitatively (for example, in studies of lifestyles, the image of a territory, the way of life of peoples and ethnic groups, etc.), in the construction of cognitive and mental maps 1 .

Questioning requires the availability of a ready-made questionnaire, which respondents fill out independently. Therefore, the questions formulated must be understandable to the population. At the same time, they must correspond to the topic of the study, and the answers must provide complete information about the phenomenon or process being studied. Therefore, the wording of questions should be brief, extremely clear and convenient for coding data for the purpose of analysis. You should also pay attention to the composition of the questionnaire and the layout of the questions. The sample of respondents must be representative, i.e. correspond to the population of the area, its gender, age, professional, educational composition.

Conducting interviews requires special training of the researcher, who should not impose his own opinion and express his judgments. In this case, you should pay attention to the environment in which the conversation takes place, as well as the state of the interlocutor. Interviews are often repeated to determine changes in the situation or position of the interlocutor.

It is important to note that some studies may be based on comparison and contrast of quantitative (statistical) and qualitative (opinion survey data) information. Such research is aimed at identifying inconsistencies between the real situation and that described in official sources. In this case, the identified facts themselves serve as a source of geographical information about the state and development of the TPS or its individual structural elements.

Another source of empirical information is hiking and travel, during which one gets acquainted with different countries, regions, national heritage, etc.

Archival and stock materials are an irreplaceable source of historical and geographical information. In the archives you can find information about the socio-economic, political-administrative, demographic, cultural state of a particular territory for a certain historical period.

The State Archives of the Perm Territory (SAPK, website www.archive.perm.ru) is a repository of more than 1 million different documents on paper, photo and electronic media related to the economy, social relations, and demographic features of the development of the Perm Territory since the 18th century. until our time. The GAPC stores cartographic and topographic materials. Data on the history, economy and life of the region’s population in the 20th century. can be obtained from the Perm State Archive of Contemporary History (PGANI, website www.permgani.ru). Working in government archives is subject to certain rules that you must familiarize yourself with before visiting the institution. The quantity and quality of information received depends on the correct execution of requests. Partial information about the documents stored in the archives is posted on the official Internet pages. More complete information can be obtained from thematic collections with a list of documents in the archives themselves. Work with documents, as a rule, is allowed only the next day after the request is submitted.

Fund materials are stored in archives, scientific institutions, as well as in the personal libraries of scientists, travelers, local historians, etc. These can be scientific reports, field diaries, dissertations, theses, manuscripts of research articles, etc.

Theses, final qualifying bachelor's theses and master's theses defended at the Department of Socio-Economic Geography since 2007 are issued for use by students (master's students) upon appropriate request. The use of this source of geographic information is advisable at the very beginning of the study in order to become familiar with existing developments in the research field, clearly define the spatiotemporal boundaries of independent scientific research, and clarify any other information. In this case, in the text of the research work it is necessary to refer to the stock materials of the department.

New information capabilities are brought by the computerization of the research process, which became possible thanks to the development of information and communication technologies. The intellectualization of human labor, the transformation of information into the subject of instant transmission, long-term storage and active practical use give rise to the demand for the creation of electronic sources of information.

Among the latter, the global information network Internet stands out, allowing you to obtain the necessary information in the shortest possible time. Search engine mechanism (multilingual: Google, Yahoo!, Inktomi, AltaVista, Alltheweb, Bing, DuckDuckGo; Russian-language: Yandex, Mail.ru, Rambler, Aport, Nigma, Qip.ru, Guenon; English-language and international: AskJeeves, Teoma, MSN , TinEye, Ask.Com, MyWay, AOL, About.Com, EarthLink, etc.) ensures the opening of a large number of pages of different posting times in different languages. The uniqueness of searching for information on the Internet is due to its immediacy, volume and specific focus. It is important to take into account that obtaining the most accurate information about a phenomenon (object or process) is determined by the correct formulation of the search query. At the same time, it is necessary to remember the shortcomings of online publications 1: one should beware of redundancy of information, its bias, and therefore it is necessary to sample it and check it using official sources.

Among the many information capabilities of the Internet, it is necessary to mention Internet encyclopedias, in which any user can be not only a reader, but also a creator of new articles. The unique multilingual universal online encyclopedia "Wikipedia" (www.ru.wikipedia.org) contains more than 450 thousand pages in Russian in all areas of knowledge (including other languages - more than 13 million articles). Another popular electronic encyclopedia is Krugosvet (www.krugosvet.ru).

“The Great Encyclopedia of Cyril and Methodius” (BEKM) is the most authoritative multimedia encyclopedic publication in Russia, created with the participation of leading Russian scientists: academicians, doctors of science and corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The fundamental nature, completeness of content, breadth of coverage and versatility of materials have made BEKM the leader of the domestic market of information and reference literature.

The multimedia format provides a fundamentally new level of presentation of material: the combination of text, photographs, interactive tables, three-dimensional models, diagrams, audio and video fragments makes encyclopedic articles visual, multidimensional and fascinating.

A list of the most popular and useful sites in socio-geographical research is given in the appendix. 2.2.

Electronic sources of information are not limited to online publications. These also include geographic information system (GIS) databases, maps created with their help, electronic catalogs and atlases. The latter have gained popularity and widespread use in recent decades. GIS technologies allow you to perform various manipulations with data, combine various indicators with each other and build appropriate maps. Electronic sources of geographic information are portable. Among the popular electronic atlases we will name the “Social Atlas of the Regions of Russia”, containing extensive analytical information and cartographic materials on a wide range of socio-economic problems of Russia and its regions, various integral indices of social and economic development of the regions of the Russian Federation (developed by the Independent Institute of Social Policy, www.atlas .socpol.ru).

In recent years, information from monitoring observations has become widely used. Many regions have ongoing environmental, social and political monitoring. Monitoring information 1 is most often stored in regional geographic information systems. This information has dynamic properties, because collected regularly, processed and stored for a long time. A dynamic series of information makes it possible to get an idea of the phenomenon being studied not only for a specific date, but also for a long period of time, and therefore, identify development trends and predict future changes.

Modern sources of information significantly expand the possibilities of socio-geographical research and stimulate scientific research in all fields of science.

The combination of various geographical data makes it possible to expand the research problem, conduct comprehensive research, most reliably diagnose the current geosituation in any territory and extend development trends into the near future. At the same time, a significant amount of available information confronts the researcher with the problem of responsibility for the choice of data used, and, consequently, the final results of scientific research. A solution to this problem can be found in the creation of national geoinformation databases, the active use of geoinformation technologies and increasing the motivation for conducting research work.

Economic and social geography of the world is a socio-geographical science, the subject of study of which is the general patterns of development and distribution of population and economy on the globe, as well as in individual regions and countries. The most important goals of her research are the search for rational settlement and economic placement and optimization of the relationship between the development of society and nature.

Methods of geographical research - methods of obtaining geographical information. The main methods of geographical research are:

1) Cartographic method. A map, according to the figurative expression of one of the founders of Russian economic geography, Nikolai Nikolaevich Baransky, is the second language of geography. The map is a unique source of information! It gives an idea of the relative position of objects, their sizes, the degree of distribution of a particular phenomenon, and much more.

2) Historical method. Everything on Earth develops historically. Nothing arises out of nowhere, therefore, to understand modern geography, knowledge of history is necessary: the history of the development of the Earth, the history of mankind.

3) Statistical method. It is impossible to talk about countries, peoples, natural objects without using statistical data: what is the height or depth, area of territory, reserves of natural resources, population, demographic indicators, absolute and relative production indicators, etc.

4) Economic and mathematical. If there are numbers, then there are calculations: calculations of population density, fertility, mortality and natural population growth, balance of migration, resource availability, GDP per capita, etc.

5) Geographical zoning method. Identification of physical-geographical (natural) and economic regions is one of the research methods of geographical science.

6) Comparative geographical. Everything is subject to comparison: more or less, profitable or unprofitable, faster or slower. Only comparison allows us to more fully describe and evaluate the similarities and differences of certain objects, as well as explain the reasons for these differences.

7) Method of field research and observation. Geography cannot be studied only while sitting in classrooms and offices. What you see with your own eyes is the most valuable geographical information. Description of geographical objects, collection of samples, observation of phenomena - all this is the factual material that is the subject of study.

8) Remote observation method. Modern aerial and space photography are great assistants in the study of geography, in the creation of geographical maps, in the development of the national economy and nature conservation, and in solving many problems of mankind.

9) Geographic modeling method. Creating geographic models is an important method for studying geography. The simplest geographical model is the globe.

10) Geographic forecast. Modern geographical science must not only describe the objects and phenomena being studied, but also predict the consequences that humanity may come to in the course of its development. Geographic forecast helps to avoid many undesirable phenomena, reduce the negative impact of activities on nature, rationally use resources, and solve global problems.

Previously, during my school youth, I thought that geographical sources were only a textbook, a map and a geography teacher. But, with the development of technology and the desire to leave the Earth without “blank spots”, man has created many quick and easy ways to study the planet. Many sources of information tend to become outdated, and people need to take care of updating them.

Main geographical sources

Geography, as a science common to all mankind, also presupposes a standard set of sources:

The map is the oldest source of geoinformation.
Experimental research is the practical study of the planet by man through travel and expeditions.
Geoinformatics - the use of high technologies (satellite images, creation of computer models).
Museums and storage facilities are a way to preserve and replenish received geoinformation and objects.

The trend in the development of computer technology suggests a gradual shift away from maps on tangible (paper) media due to their property of constant obsolescence. For example, a map of the Amazon River basin can be safely thrown away after 50 years - so quickly does it change the topography of the territories through which it flows.

The role of geographical sources

Their main role is to preserve and increase geographical knowledge, as well as inform people about it. Science cannot do without the accumulation of sources that will allow people to use the acquired knowledge both economically (construction, mining) and for personal needs (travel organization). Oddly enough, we use geoinformation sources almost every day. The simplest example is a GPS navigator.

It is he who helps us find a street in a large city and build a route to it. Another commonly used source would be space weather satellites. If earlier, to find out the weather, we looked at the thermometer outside the window, now we receive this information from the Internet, where it gets from weather satellites, naturally, after it is processed at the Hydrometeorological Center.