III.

Research Methods

In early urban geography, the principal techniques were observation, classification, and detailed descriptive mapping. In the era of spatial analysis, mapping was still important but was used as a tool of primary data collection for theory testing. Increasingly during this period, behavioural techniques, such as questionnaires and surveys, were employed. In contemporary urban geography the wide range of methods employed reflects the sub-disciplines that now account for most urban study. Methods include text analysis, use of published statistics, and interviews or participatory research for qualitative and quantitative analysis. These are used to investigate such themes as suburbanization, industrial relocation, the privatization of local government services, and race or gender issues. Detailed analysis of urban data by modern computer-based tools, such as geographical information systems, is used in, for example, identifying market areas for supermarkets or refining provision of health services.