GEOG 488/588
Introduction to
Geographic Information Systems
CRN: 61362/61390
Spring 2008
Lecture: TR
10:00-11:50 in 413 Cramer Hall
Labs in 469 Cramer Hall: (choose 1)
T 12:00-13:50, W
12:00-13:50, R 18:00-19:50
Instructor:
David Banis Email: dbanis@pdx.edu
Office: 424N Cramer Hall Office
Hours: TW 12-2 or just stop by
Course Folder:
I:/Students/Instructors/dbanis/GEOG488_588
Teaching
Assistant:
Email: waynec@pdx.edu
Course
Objectives
GEOG 488/588 is an introductory course covering the
theory and application of geographic information systems (GIS). The course
includes an overview of the general principles of GIS and practical experience
in its use. The practical component involves the use of the desktop GIS
software package ArcGIS 9. Both the theoretical and practical components of the
course are important. Without a theoretical understanding of GIS methods,
you will make poor geographic modeling decisions and when necessary you will
not be able to migrate to a new or different GIS software package. Without
a practical understanding of GIS software, your theoretical knowledge cannot be
put to use. All
students must complete a final project in which they investigate a GIS
application in depth.
Text
and
The text for
this course is "Geographic Information Systems and Science 2nd
Edition," written by Longley, Goodchild,
Maguire, and Rhind 2005. The book that will be used
for the computer labs is "Getting to Know ArcGIS
Desktop 2nd Edition" written by ESRI, 2004. Both books are
required.
Lectures
A pdf of the
Powerpoint slides shown in class will be posted in the I:
drive folder after the material has been presented. In-class exercises
will be assigned periodically to reinforce key concepts. If you are present in
class to do the assignment, you get credit. These exercises cannot be made up.
Computer
Labs
The lab
sessions will be independent study where you will do practical GIS exercises on
the computers. These exercises provide a way to acquire skills using ArcGIS and to apply the course concepts to real data. You
will be given access to the computer lab in Cramer Hall 469 which you can use
any time (except when other classes are being held).
The lab book
comes with a 180-day version of ArcGIS 9, which
allows you to do some of the lab assignments on your own computer (Windows NT,
2000, or XP required). When you load the software on your computer, be sure to
say yes to evaluating extensions, specifically Spatial Analyst. This trial
version of the software does not include all the tools you have available in
the lab version.
Project
The project is
intended to provide a deeper understanding of GIS through an investigation of a
particular research problem. You will need to acquire the spatial data and the
project should involve some type of spatial analysis using the GIS software
packages that we use in class. That means you must do more than just make maps.
There are three stages to the project (the dates they are due are listed on the
course schedule):
1. Submit a one
or two page project proposal. It should include a research question, a detailed
description of the spatial and attribute databases you will use, and a
conceptual description of the methods you will use. Each student or
group should discuss the proposal with the instructor before turning it in.
2. Schedule
your presentation for either day during the final week of class.
3. Oral
presentations. Every presentation must include the following sections: an
Introduction, Datasets Used, Analysis Methods, Results, and Conclusions. Turn
in a printed Powerpoint presentation.
Graduate
students will work on projects individually; a two-person graduate student project
team is acceptable with an appropriate increase in project scope. Undergraduates
will work on the project in groups of three. Groups can be self-selected, or
group partners will be assigned by the instructor by the end of Week 3.
It is suggested
that you use secondary GIS data sources available online to do your
project. While you are welcome to digitize or do a GPS survey to create
your own spatial dataset, doing so is very time-consuming and is not the
purpose of this project. Performing a spatial analysis is the purpose of this
project. The grade for your project is based on the cohesiveness and logic
of your research question, and the appropriateness of the methods and
techniques. The complexity and comprehensiveness of your project will not be
criteria for judging the quality of your project.
Exams
The midterm will
consist of objective questions and short essay questions. The final will be
take-home essay questions that you will have a week to complete.
Grading
488: 588/591:
Lab Assignments 40% Lab
Assignments 30%
In-class Exercises 5% In-class
Exercises 5%
Midterm 20% Midterm
20%
Final 20% Final
20%
Project 15% Project
25%
Academic Integrity
You are responsible for the content and
integrity of the academic work you submit. The guiding principle of academic
integrity shall be that your submitted work, examinations, and projects must be
your own work. Note that cutting and pasting sources from the internet is considered
plagiarism. If you need help determining what is or is not plagiarism, please
talk to the instructor.
Course Schedule
|
Date |
Tuesday |
Thursday |
Lab |
|
April
1/3 |
Course
Overview Intro
to GIS (Pages 1-33) |
Applications
|
Lab
1: Introduction to ArcGIS |
|
April
8/10 |
Data
Models |
Cartography,
Map Production, and Geovisualization (Pages
263-313) |
Lab
2: Symbology and Classification |
|
April
15/17 |
Data
Sources and Metadata |
Georeferencing (Pages
109-126) |
Lab
3: Projections, Data Sources, and Data Acquisition |
|
April
22/24 |
Data
Models (continued) |
Geographic
Databases |
Lab
4: Queries, Selecting Features by Location, Joins and Relates |
|
April
29 May 1 |
The
Nature of Geographic Data |
Uncertainty
Project
Outline Due |
Lab
5: Building a Geodatabase, Creating Features, and Editing Features and
Attributes |
|
May
6/8 |
Midterm |
GIS Data Collection |
Lab
6: Preparing Data for Analysis and Spatial Analysis |
|
May
13/15 |
Vector Analysis Techniques (Pages 315-339) |
Vector
Analysis Techniques (continued) Raster
Analysis |
Lab
7: Geocoding Addresses and Making Maps |
|
May
20/22 |
Raster
Analysis (continued) |
Spatial
Statistics and Optimization Techniques Project
Scheduling |
Lab
8: Vector Spatial Analysis |
|
May
27/29 |
Spatial
Modeling |
ArcGIS Extensions |
Lab
9: Introduction to Raster Spatial Analysis |
|
Jun
3/5 |
GIS Software Final exam posted |
Student
Presentations |
Work
on Project |
|
Jun
10 |
Remaining
Student Presentations Final
Exam Due |
|
|