Syllabus Sections
Publish Date
01/06/2012 10:05:49
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
GEOG-2470
Spring 2012
01/17/2012 - 03/11/2012
Course Information
Section 002
Lecture
MW 18:30 - 21:10
SAC1 1209
Mary Booth
Office Hours
No office hours have been entered for this term
Disclaimer
The information on this page does NOT contain all the information on the class syllabus. You will receive the complete class syllabus on the first day of class. The syllabus will also be on the Blackboard class site.
Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives
Course Level Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, the student will
- define geography and GIS
- describe scale, projection, and coordinate systems and explain importance of each in GIS
- differentiate between vector, raster, and object-oriented data structures and explain the appropriate use of each of these data structures
- describe various types of GIS data capture
- explain the basics of GIS data storage,
- differentiate between attribute analysis and spatial analysis and describe the appropriate use of each type of analysis,
- produce effective maps of analytical results which adhere to established cartographic standards
- demonstrate proficiency with GIS software
Program Level Student Learning Outcomes
By the end of the Associate of Arts in GIS program, the student will
- use GIS knowledge to choose appropriate problem-specific spatial analyses
- differentiate between attribute and spatial queries and describe the proper use of each
- use GIS technology to retrieve, manage, analyze, and present spatial information
Course Requirements
Grading
Tests
There will be three lecture exams. Each test is worth a maximum of 100 points. You must start the test BEFORE anyone finishes the test, so do not be late on test days. There are NO retests. Make-up tests will only be given in the event that a true emergency prevents you from taking the test at the scheduled time. You must contact the instructor as soon as safely possible if you miss a test. The instructor will determine what constitutes a true emergency.
Lab Projects
There will be two lab projects due throughout the semester. These lab projects will use the skills acquired from the previous lab exercises. The first lab project will be worth a maximum of 50 points, and the second lab project will be worth a maximum of 80 points. Details about the lab projects will be provided on the lab project assignment sheet.
Lab Homework
There will be 5 lab homework assignments. Each assignment is worth 10 points. Late homework assignments will NOT be accepted.
Written Assignment
There will be one written assignment. It will be a map critique. The written assignment will be worth 20 points. Late written assignments will NOT be accepted.
Lab Quiz
On February 27th, there will be an in-lab hands-on lab quiz. You will not be able to use your notes or lab book, but you will be able to use ArcGIS’s help feature. I will give you 3 practice lab quizzes ahead of time. These are intended for you to gain practice with the software before the actual lab quiz. The lab quiz is worth a maximum of 100 points.
Grades will be based on the following:
Lecture exams 300 points
Lab projects 130 points
Lab Homework 50 points
Written Assignment 20 points
Lab Quiz 100 points
Total Points Avalable 600 points
Final letter grades will be assigned according to the following scale:
A 540 to 600 points
B 480 to 539 points
C 420 to 479 points
D 360 to 419 points
F 0 to 359 points
*Note: The grade of “I” (Incomplete) is very rarely assigned in this course. In the event that a true emergency (such as hospitalization) prevents the student from taking the last test, a grade of “I” may possibly be given at the discretion of the instructor. Incompletes must be made up by the deadline published in ACC’s academic calendar (sometime in the middle of the Summer semester, 2012), or the “I” will automatically be converted to an “F”.
Course Subjects
Course Calendar
The instructor reserves the right to change the lecture schedule if necessary.
January 18
What we will cover in class:
- Syllabi
- Getting User IDs and passwords for lab computers
What you must do on your own:
- Watch the videos for the overview of lab chapter 3
- (http://www.austincc.edu/mbooth/hybrid2470/video_lib_hybrid.html)
- Complete all the exercises in chapter 3 in the lab book.
- Read the article “what is GIS?” by Caitlin Dempsey on the GIS Lounge website (http://gislounge.com/what-is-gis/)
- Read Chapters 1 and 2 in the "Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop" lab book. Chapter 1 describes GIS and Chapter 2 introduces you to the ArcGIS software that will be used throughout the semester.
These things are optional:
- Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 3. (http://www.austincc.edu/mbooth/hybrid2470/video_lib_hybrid.html)
January 23
What we will cover in class:
- Introduction/Definition of GIS
- Watch Penn State’s “Geospatial Revolution” videos (Episode 1)
What you must do on your own:
- Watch Penn State’s “Geospatial Revolution” videos (episodes 2, 3, and 4) (http://geospatialrevolution.psu.edu/)
- Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 4 and 5.
- Complete all the exercises in chapters 4 and 5 in the lab book
- Complete Lab Homework #1. It is due at the beginning of class on Jan 30th.
These things are optional:
- Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 4 and 5.
- A great website about GIS careers and Education: http://geoinfo.sdsu.edu/hightech/index.htm
- Peruse the following. Each of these websites illustrates how local agencies are using GIS.
Sidewalk Planning: A GIS-based Approach in Austin, Texas
Capital Area Planning Council's GIS Services
- Read the following article on classification methods. It explains the classification methods used in ArcGIS in more detail. Make sure that you click on each of the links to explore all the classification methods.
Standard Classification Schemes (ArcGIS Desktop Help)
January 25
What we will cover in class:
- Scale, Projection and Coordinate Systems
What you must do on your own:
- Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 6 and 13
- Complete all the exercises in chapters 6 and 13 in the lab book
- For more information on Projections, please read:
- The National Atlas' article on Projections(http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/mapping/a_projections.html)
- For more information about Coordinate Systems, please read:
- ArcGIS Resource Center's article on Coordinate Systems(http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#//003r00000001000000.htm
These things are optional:
- Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 6 and 13.
- If you would like to take ESRI’s online virtual campus course on Projections and Coordinate Systems, send me an email requesting the code for that course. I will get the code for you. You will have one year to complete the online course.
- If you want more information about projections and coordinate systems, the GIS lounge (http://gislounge.com/projections-and-coordinate-systems/) has many tutorials which can provide additional information
- For more information on Scale:
- Map Scale - Measuring Distances on a Map(http://geography.about.com/cs/maps/a/mapscale.htm)
- For more information on Projections:
- The National Atlas' article on Projections(http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/mapping/a_projections.html)
- ArcGIS Resource Center's article on Map Projections(http://webhelp.esri.com/arcgisdesktop/9.3/index.cfm?TopicName=About%20map%20projections)
- For more information about Coordinate Systems, please read:
- ArcGIS Resource Center's article on Coordinate Systems(http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#//003r00000001000000.htm
- If you would like to look at some sources of GIS data for our next lecture, please explore these websites:
-
Foote, Kenneth E. and Margaret Lynch. The University of Colorado – The Geographers Craft – Data Sources for GIS.
[http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/sources/sources_f.html] - Texas Natural Resources Information System (Texas Data) [http://www.tnris.org/DataCatalog/Index.aspx]
-
UT Community and Regional Planning – GIS Data.
[http://soa.utexas.edu/crp/gis/datasets] -
The Capital Area Council of Governments – Geospatial Data.
[http://www.capcog.org/information-clearinghouse/geospatial-data/]. The Texas Natural Resources Information System.
[http://www.tnris.org -
US Maps and Data
[http://gos2.geodata.gov/wps/portal/gos/]. -
ESRI’s The Geography Network.
[http://www.geographynetwork.com/]. -
The GIS Data Depot.
[http://data.geocomm.com
January 30
What we will cover in class:
- Data Sources
- Steps in a GIS project
What you must do on your own:
- Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 7 and 8.
- Complete all the exercises in chapters 7 and 8 in the lab book.
- Complete Lab Homework #2. It is due at the beginning of class on February 6th.
These things are optional:
- Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 7 and 8.
- Possible Sources of Data:
- Texas County Data: http://www.county.org/resources/countydata/index.asp
- Harris County: http://pdata.hcad.org/GIS/
- City of Austin: ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/GIS-Data/Regional/coa_gis.html
- Williamson County GIS links: http://www.williamson-county.org/CountyDepartments/GIS/Links/tabid/533/language/en-US/Default.aspx
- Texas Natural Resources Information System (Texas data) [http://www.tnris.org/DataCatalog/Index.aspx]
- High Resolution Ortho Imagery (USGS): http://seamless.usgs.gov/website/seamless/products/highortho.asp
- National Atlas raw data download: http://www.nationalatlas.gov/atlasftp.html?openChapters=chpbound#chpbound
- The National Map Seamless Server: http://seamless.usgs.gov/website/seamless/viewer.htm
- ArcGIS Resource Center: http://resources.esri.com/arcgisonlineservices/index.cfm?fa=home
- US-Mexico Border Environmental Health Initiative: http://borderhealth.cr.usgs.gov/datalayers.html
- USDA (One stop Source for Natural Resources Data): http://datagateway.nrcs.usda.gov/
- The Berkeley/Penn Urban & Environmental Modeler's Datakit: http://www.dcrp.ced.berkeley.edu/research/footprint/
- GIS Climate Change Scenarios: http://www.gisclimatechange.org/
- Kenya data: http://www.wri.org/publication/content/9291
- NatureServe Animal Data: http://www.natureserve.org/getData/animalData.jsp
- Conservation GeoPortal: http://www.conservationmaps.org/index.jsp
- GAP Analysis Program: http://gapanalysis.nbii.gov/portal/server.pt
February 1
What we will cover in class:
- Vector Data Structure
- Data Quality, Accuracy and Precision
What you must do on your own:
- Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 9 and 10
- Complete all the exercises in chapters 9 and 10 in the lab book.
- Complete lab homework #3. It is due at the BEGINNING of class on February 8th.
These things are optional:
- Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 9 and 10.
- Read Barbara Parmenter’s (Tufts University) article on GIS Data Structures: http://ocw.tufts.edu/data/54/676127.pdf
February 6
What we will cover in class:
- Raster Data Structure
What you must do on your own:
- Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 11 and 12
- Complete all the exercises in chapters 11 and 12
- Complete lab homework #4. It is due at the BEGINNING of class on Feb 13th
- Start working on Lab Project #1
These things are optional:
- Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 11and 12.
February 8 and 13
What we will cover in class:
- Test 1 (first hour of class on Feb 8th – don’t be late!)
- Cartography
- Map Critiques
What you must do on your own:
- Finish Lab Project #1. Lab Project 1 is due Feb 20th.
- Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 18, and 19
- Complete all the exercises in chapters 18, and 19
- Complete the written assignment (Map Critique). This written exercise is due Feb 22nd.
These things are optional:
- Read (http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/cartocom/cartocom_f.html). This website was developed by Kenneth E. Foote and Shannon Crum, The Geographer's Craft Project
- If you want to more information on cartography, request a code from me for the ESRI virtual campus course on cartography (http://training.esri.com/acb2000/showdetl.cfm?DID=6&Product_ID=831). To request this code, send me an email (mbooth@austincc.edu)
February 15
What we will cover in class:
- Data capture
What you must do on your own:
- Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 14 and 15
- Complete all the exercises in chapters 14 and 15
- Complete lab homework #5. It is due at the BEGINNING of class on Feb 27th.
These things are optional:
- For a tutorial on GPS by Trimble, go to: http://www.trimble.com/gps/index.shtml
February 20 and 22
What we will cover in class:
- Test 2 (first hour of class on Feb 20th)
- Database Management
- Queries
What you must do on your own:
- Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 16 and 17
- Complete all the exercises in chapters 16 and 17
- Start working on Lab Project 2. It is due March 7th.
These things are optional:
- Read ArcGIS 10 Desktop help – Statistical Analysis http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/Statistical_analysis/002s0000000n000000/
- For a basic primer on Statistical Analysis, go to: http://graphics.clemson.edu/vdp/Basic_Stats.pdf
Feb 27
What we will cover in class:
- Lab Quiz on February 27th – first 75 minutes of class
- Statistical Analysis
What you must do on your own:
- Continue working on Lab Project 2. It is due March 7th.
These things are optional:
- Read ArcGIS 10 Desktop help – What is geoprocessing? http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/What_is_geoprocessing/002s00000001000000/
- Read ArcGIS 10 Desktop help – An introduction to the commonly used GIS tools. Read that web page and also click on the links for Overlay and Proximity Analysis and read those pages as well. http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/An_introduction_to_the_commonly_used_GIS_tools/002s00000006000000/
Feb 29 and Mar 5
What we will cover in class/lab:
- Spatial Analysis
- Continue working on Lab Project #2
What you must do on your own:
- Continue working on Lab Project #2
- Read the Legal Issues handout that the instructor will give you.
These things are optional:
- For a scholarly look at Spatial Analysis, "Geospatial Analysis" by de Smith, Goodchild and Longley addresses the full spectrum of analytical techniques that are provided within modern GIS and related geospatial software products. http://www.spatialanalysisonline.com/
March 7
What we will cover in class/lab:
- Test 3 (first hour of class)
- Project #2 Presentations
Readings
Readings
January 18
Required:
- Watch the videos for the overview of lab chapter 3
- (http://www.austincc.edu/mbooth/hybrid2470/video_lib_hybrid.html)
- Read the article “what is GIS?” by Caitlin Dempsey on the GIS Lounge website (http://gislounge.com/what-is-gis/)
- Read Chapters 1 and 2 in the "Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop" lab book. Chapter 1 describes GIS and Chapter 2 introduces you to the ArcGIS software that will be used throughout the semester.
Optional:
- Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 3. (http://www.austincc.edu/mbooth/hybrid2470/video_lib_hybrid.html)
January 23
Required:
- Watch Penn State’s “Geospatial Revolution” videos (episodes 2, 3, and 4) (http://geospatialrevolution.psu.edu/)
- Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 4 and 5.
Optional:
- Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 4 and 5.
- A great website about GIS careers and Education: http://geoinfo.sdsu.edu/hightech/index.htm
- Peruse the following. Each of these websites illustrates how local agencies are using GIS.
Sidewalk Planning: A GIS-based Approach in Austin, Texas
Capital Area Planning Council's GIS Services
- Read the following article on classification methods. It explains the classification methods used in ArcGIS in more detail. Make sure that you click on each of the links to explore all the classification methods.
Standard Classification Schemes (ArcGIS Desktop Help)
January 25
Required:
- Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 6 and 13
- For more information on Projections, please read:
- The National Atlas' article on Projections(http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/mapping/a_projections.html)
- For more information about Coordinate Systems, please read:
- ArcGIS Resource Center's article on Coordinate Systems(http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#//003r00000001000000.htm
Optional:
- Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 6 and 13.
- If you want more information about projections and coordinate systems, the GIS lounge (http://gislounge.com/projections-and-coordinate-systems/) has many tutorials which can provide additional information
- For more information on Scale:
- Map Scale - Measuring Distances on a Map(http://geography.about.com/cs/maps/a/mapscale.htm)
- For more information on Projections:
- The National Atlas' article on Projections(http://www.nationalatlas.gov/articles/mapping/a_projections.html)
- ArcGIS Resource Center's article on Map Projections(http://webhelp.esri.com/arcgisdesktop/9.3/index.cfm?TopicName=About%20map%20projections)
- For more information about Coordinate Systems, please read:
- ArcGIS Resource Center's article on Coordinate Systems(http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#//003r00000001000000.htm
- If you would like to look at some sources of GIS data for our next lecture, please explore these websites:
-
Foote, Kenneth E. and Margaret Lynch. The University of Colorado – The Geographers Craft – Data Sources for GIS.
[http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/sources/sources_f.html] - Texas Natural Resources Information System (Texas Data) [http://www.tnris.org/DataCatalog/Index.aspx]
-
UT Community and Regional Planning – GIS Data.
[http://soa.utexas.edu/crp/gis/datasets] -
The Capital Area Council of Governments – Geospatial Data.
[http://www.capcog.org/information-clearinghouse/geospatial-data/]. The Texas Natural Resources Information System.
[http://www.tnris.org -
US Maps and Data
[http://gos2.geodata.gov/wps/portal/gos/]. -
ESRI’s The Geography Network.
[http://www.geographynetwork.com/]. -
The GIS Data Depot.
[http://data.geocomm.com
January 30
Required:
- Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 7 and 8.
Optional:
- Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 7 and 8.
- Possible Sources of Data:
- Texas County Data: http://www.county.org/resources/countydata/index.asp
- Harris County: http://pdata.hcad.org/GIS/
- City of Austin: ftp://ftp.ci.austin.tx.us/GIS-Data/Regional/coa_gis.html
- Williamson County GIS links: http://www.williamson-county.org/CountyDepartments/GIS/Links/tabid/533/language/en-US/Default.aspx
- Texas Natural Resources Information System (Texas data) [http://www.tnris.org/DataCatalog/Index.aspx]
- High Resolution Ortho Imagery (USGS): http://seamless.usgs.gov/website/seamless/products/highortho.asp
- National Atlas raw data download: http://www.nationalatlas.gov/atlasftp.html?openChapters=chpbound#chpbound
- The National Map Seamless Server: http://seamless.usgs.gov/website/seamless/viewer.htm
- ArcGIS Resource Center: http://resources.esri.com/arcgisonlineservices/index.cfm?fa=home
- US-Mexico Border Environmental Health Initiative: http://borderhealth.cr.usgs.gov/datalayers.html
- USDA (One stop Source for Natural Resources Data): http://datagateway.nrcs.usda.gov/
- The Berkeley/Penn Urban & Environmental Modeler's Datakit: http://www.dcrp.ced.berkeley.edu/research/footprint/
- GIS Climate Change Scenarios: http://www.gisclimatechange.org/
- Kenya data: http://www.wri.org/publication/content/9291
- NatureServe Animal Data: http://www.natureserve.org/getData/animalData.jsp
- Conservation GeoPortal: http://www.conservationmaps.org/index.jsp
- GAP Analysis Program: http://gapanalysis.nbii.gov/portal/server.pt
February 1
Required:
- Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 9 and 10
Optional:
- Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 9 and 10.
- Read Barbara Parmenter’s (Tufts University) article on GIS Data Structures: http://ocw.tufts.edu/data/54/676127.pdf
February 6
Required:
- Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 11 and 12
Optional:
- Watch the videos for the all the exercises in Chapters 11and 12.
February 8 and 13
Required:
- Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 18, and 19
Optional:
- Read (http://www.colorado.edu/geography/gcraft/notes/cartocom/cartocom_f.html). This website was developed by Kenneth E. Foote and Shannon Crum, The Geographer's Craft Project, Department of Geography, The University of Colorado at Boulder
- If you want to more information on cartography, request a code from me for the ESRI virtual campus course on cartography (http://training.esri.com/acb2000/showdetl.cfm?DID=6&Product_ID=831). To request this code, send me an email (mbooth@austincc.edu)
February 15
Required:
- Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 14 and 15
Optional:
- For a tutorial on GPS by Trimble, go to: http://www.trimble.com/gps/index.shtml
February 20 and 22
Required:
- Watch the videos for the overviews of lab chapters 16 and 17
Optional:
- Read ArcGIS 10 Desktop help – Statistical Analysis http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/Statistical_analysis/002s0000000n000000/
- For a basic primer on Statistical Analysis, go to: http://graphics.clemson.edu/vdp/Basic_Stats.pdf
Feb 27
Optional:
- Read ArcGIS 10 Desktop help – What is geoprocessing? http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/What_is_geoprocessing/002s00000001000000/
- Read ArcGIS 10 Desktop help – An introduction to the commonly used GIS tools. Read that web page and also click on the links for Overlay and Proximity Analysis and read those pages as well. http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.html#/An_introduction_to_the_commonly_used_GIS_tools/002s00000006000000/
Feb 29 and Mar 5
Required:
- Read the Legal Issues handout that the instructor will give you.
Optional:
- For a scholarly look at Spatial Analysis, "Geospatial Analysis" by de Smith, Goodchild and Longley addresses the full spectrum of analytical techniques that are provided within modern GIS and related geospatial software products. http://www.spatialanalysisonline.com/