How to Become Geographically Literate

Geography is an all encompassing field of study that investigates the boundaries and attributes of human and land groups. Today, as mass communications and better transportation make the world "smaller," being geographically literate is more important than ever. If you want to improve your understanding of the world, follow these steps to become geographically literate.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Understand the terminology. As with the study of any field, the first step to becoming literate or proficient is understanding the important terms of the study. Many of the terms, such as "continent" and "ocean," are basic. Other terms that deal with physical features of the land and of groups of people are much less obvious and need a bit of study for you to understand them.
2. Start with what interests you. Geography is essentially the study of how people and land are grouped according to various criteria. Think about what kind of groupings that most interest you. For example, you can begin studying ethnic, national or economic groupings. Similarly, you can understand the earth's layout according to political, meteorological or physical properties.
3. Get a lay of the land. A good way to start becoming geographically literate is to look at the overall layout of the world (or area you're interested in) from your perspective. Using your physical or social perspective as a means for comparison will help you understand geography by making your location a yardstick for comparing other places and peoples.
4. Use maps. Maps are the best tools to help you become geographically literate. Maps come in all kinds and forms. Hang some basic maps on your wall if you are trying to gain an orientation of how the world is laid out. Replace these maps with more specific and topical maps as your knowledge deepens. Also, refer back to outdated maps to see how the prevailing conception of the world changes over time.

Tips & Warnings

• Good resources for developing geographic literacy include geographic dictionaries, atlases and even popular magazines and websites like "National Geographic."

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