Page 54 - 6446

location also allows us to improve our understanding of temporal change by comparing
spatial patterns over time.
After a controversial start, GIS has become widely accepted in many areas of
geography. Historical geography has been relatively slow to adopt the technology and the
approach. A major reason for this is the perception that GIS is a quantitative tool. When it was
heavily associated with a quantitative, scientific approach, there were justifications for this
suspicion. However, as GIS has developed it is becoming increasingly clear that it can be used
with imprecise, qualitative sources. This makes it a far more applicable approach in historical
geography as it allows it to be used in both the quantitative and qualitative elements of the
discipline.
This is not to say that the use of GIS is problem-free. There are significant costs
associated with buying GIS software and learning how to use it. Acquiring data, either by
purchasing it or by capturing it yourself, can also be expensive. Even once these building
blocks are in place there are still many complexities to be faced. Making appropriate use of
Geographical Information to gain understanding of a research question requires intellectual
skills as well as the technical skills required to use the software. Maps frequently suggest
patterns or relationships but are rarely capable of identifying the processes causing them. On a
more conceptual level, using GIS may impose a chronological view of history based on
certain types of data that are well suited to its data model. This may be at odds with the
approach that many historical geographers like to adopt. It is also important to note that GIS
is not applicable to all forms of research in historical geography, as it requires the data to be
modelled in a particular way.
Although in its early stages, there is a growing understanding of the potential for using
GIS. It has the capacity to allow researchers to open up new areas of geographical enquiry and
to re-open areas where the complexity of data has traditionally hampered progress. A
difficulty in the development of GIS in historical geography is that it requires expertise in
conducting historical research, expertise in conducting geographical research, and expertise in
using spatially referenced data within a GIS environment. At present, few people possess all
of these skills. These disciplinary boundaries present significant obstacles to progress,
obstacles that this book aims to resolve.

2. Answer the questions:
1. What is the fundamental ability of GIS compared to any other form of database?
2. In what areas of geography is GIS accepted?
3. How do you understand the term “quantitative tool”?
4. What are the advantages of GIS?
5. What are the disadvantages of GIS?
6. What is the future of GIS?

3. Give the English equivalents from Text 12:

База даних, місце знаходження, просторовий, набір даних, картографія,
кількісний метод, науковий підхід, підозра, програмне забезпечення, складові
елементи, хронологічний порядок, ранній етап, розуміння, потенціал, історична
географія, перешкоди.

4. Fill in the blanks with the words from the following text. Translate the
sentences into Ukrainian:

1. The capability to handle location also allows us to improve our understanding of
__________ by comparing spatial patterns over time.
2. After a __________, GIS has become widely accepted in many areas of geography.