Tools for locating places

Geographers use different tools to locate places and features, each suited to a different scale:

• Globe — the whole Earth in 3D; best for the true shape of continents and oceans.
• Atlas — a book of maps; great for finding countries, capitals and physical features.
• Ordnance Survey (OS) map — a detailed map of the UK for a local area.
• GIS — Geographical Information Systems: digital maps (like Google Earth) that layer data so you can zoom, measure and analyse.

Watch out: a globe shows the Earth most accurately, but a flat map is easier to carry and to measure on. Every flat map distorts something (size, shape or distance) — that's the trade-off.

Which tool?

Reading the grid

OS maps are covered in blue grid lines that make a set of squares. The lines let you give an exact grid reference for any place.

• Eastings — the lines that run up and down (vertical); their numbers increase as you go east (right).
• Northings — the lines that run across (horizontal); their numbers increase as you go north (up).

Golden rule — eastings before northings: always read the number along the bottom first, then the number up the side. Remember it as "along the corridor, then up the stairs."

4-figure and 6-figure

A 4-figure reference names a whole square (bottom-left corner). A 6-figure reference imagines each square split into 10 × 10 smaller parts, giving a precise point.

How to build a 6-figure reference: for each direction, take the two-digit grid line, then add how many tenths the point lies beyond it. Reading along, the dot is just past line 34, so its easting is 343; reading up, it is just past line 56, so its northing is 565. Together: 343 565. Eastings first, then northings.

Which comes first?

Give the square

The compass rose

Direction is given using compass points. The 8-point compass adds the in-between directions to N, E, S and W:

Bearings take this further: a full turn is 360°, measured clockwise from north. North = 000°, East = 090°, South = 180°, West = 270°.

Name the direction

Scale turns map into real

Scale tells you how map distance relates to real distance. A scale of 1:25 000 means 1 cm on the map = 25 000 cm on the ground.

So on a 1:25 000 map, every 1 cm you measure is 250 m (0.25 km) in real life. On a 1:50 000 map, 1 cm = 500 m.

Your turn — scale

Your turn — into kilometres

Contour lines show relief

Relief means the shape and height of the land. Contour lines join points of equal height above sea level. Each line is labelled with its height.

Watch out — the key misconception: contour spacing shows steepness, not height. Close lines = a steep slope; widely-spaced lines = a gentle slope. The numbers tell you the height.

Reading the slope

OS symbols and the key

OS maps are packed with symbols so a lot of information fits in a small space. The key (or legend) explains what each symbol means. Some common ones:

Symbol ↔ meaning

Tap a symbol on the left, then tap its meaning on the right.

Maps vs aerial photos

You can pair an OS map with an aerial or satellite photo of the same place. Each gives something different:

• An OS map gives labels, symbols, heights and grid references — precise data you can measure with.
• An aerial photo shows what the place really looks like — colours, buildings, fields — but has no key or grid.

Skill: use the map's grid and key to identify features, then check the photo to see them in real life. Good geographers cross-check both.

Best source for the job

Fieldwork: the enquiry cycle

Fieldwork means going out to observe, measure, record and present real data. A good fieldwork enquiry follows a cycle:

• Question — decide what you want to find out (e.g. "Is the river faster downstream?").
• Collect data — measure and record (tally charts, counts, readings).
• Present data — turn it into sketch maps, plans, graphs or tables.
• Analyse & conclude — spot patterns and answer the question.

Primary vs secondary: data you collect yourself in the field is primary data. Data taken from a website, book or someone else is secondary data.

Skill or fieldwork step?

Tap a card, then tap the box it belongs in.

Presenting fieldwork data

Once you've collected data you must present it clearly so patterns show. Match the data to the right chart:

• Bar chart — comparing separate categories (e.g. number of shops of each type).
• Line graph — showing change over time or distance (e.g. temperature through the day).
• Sketch map / plan — a simple drawn map showing where features are, with a title, north arrow and labels.

Numerical skills: you also work out averages (mean, median, mode) and ranges from your readings — for example, the mean traffic count across three counts.

Your turn — find the mean

Choosing a graph

The skills to remember

You've covered the whole KS3 Geographical skills and fieldwork toolkit. Press Finish to see your score.