Using the data you have been given during the practicals (and any other relevant data you can access), discuss which parts of London you would like to move to (i.e. areas that meet your expectation on a series of criteria), and why (i.e. what criteria are important for you – access to hospitals, low crime area, low density, high proportion of parks, etc.; why are those criteria important; and why do you think certain areas have high values for these criteria). Produce maps that support your argument. Also discuss whether or not you think this would be a widely accepted choice for the general public (i.e. would other people choose the same set of criteria?). If your choice is likely to be different (i.e. you are looking for unique qualities), explain why the gap exists, and what you think the general preferred choice of areas might be. Are these areas traditionally known as “nice neighbourhood to live in”? What happens if you dropped/changed some of the criteria? Do these conditions change over time?
The essay should include the following sections (the word counts given here are a rough indication only):
Introduction & Hypothesis (ca. 200–300 words) – what do you expect to see and why?
Literature Review (ca. 300–400 words) – the ideas underpinning the research hypothesis should be fully and appropriately referenced with an academic literature review. This may require additional research and reading.
Methodology & Data (ca. 300–400 words) – which data sets did you employ & why? In addition, this section will require additional research to understand the original collection methodologies, as well as the strengths and limitations of each.
You should also specify that transformations & tests that you have employed. This will entail selecting appropriate techniques from amongst those covered in class. It is not necessary that you apply every technique covered, only that you choose those that best test and validate your hypothesis.
Results (ca. 600–700 words) – where appropriate, you should present tables, charts, and associated metrics (e.g. confidence intervals, significance levels, etc.) in the context of a coherent analytical narrative (please note that contents of tables, maps and figures as well as their captions are excluded from the word count, so feel free to add as many as you like!). You should take as a model clear academic writing that you may have encountered ‘in the field’.
It is not necessary that you discuss every result in detail; rather, you should highlight, interpret, and present the significant findings. In the event that your results do not demonstrate significance, you should consider and discuss reasons why this may have happened and whether the original hypothesis needs revisiting.
Limitations & Reflections (ca. 200–300 words) – you should go beyond the ‘traditional’ limitations section of an academic article, and are invited to reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of a data-led approach to urban analytic research.
Conclusion (ca. 200–300 words) – a presentation of the highlights of the findings and identification of areas for further investigation (if any) as well as relevance to future research.
