GEOG 475/575: Digital Compilation and Database Design

 

Fall 2004 Class Sections meet:

CRN: 15203/15204
Lecture & Lab: T R 16:00-17:50 in 418 (T) and 469 (R) Cramer Hall

Instructor: Geoffrey Duh
Email: jduh@pdx.edu

Webpage: http://web.pdx.edu/~jduh (Select “Courses-> GEOG 4/575” from the pull-down menu.)

Office: 424J Cramer Hall
Office Hours:  M T R 1-2

 

Teaching Assistant: Jan Dougall

Email: gewgaw@spiritone.com

Course Objectives

GEOG 475/575 covers the theory and methods of building GIS databases for applications, ranging from natural resources management, parcel and cadastral mapping, transportation and location analyses, census and land survey, and cartographic representations. Students will learn in lectures several basic and advanced spatial data automation and integration methods, including the use of digitizers, graphic editors, remote sensing, GPS, spatial analysis functions, and spatial data transfer standard (STDS), and use them to build a GIS database through practical components of the course. After completing the course, students will be able to develop and manage a GIS database and understand the critical issues of its design and operation.

Text and Readings

The required textbook for this course is "Introduction to GIS 2nd Edition" (Chang 2004). I also included three optional books. 1) Modeling Our World: The ESRI Guide to Geodatabase Design (Zeiler 1999). This book is easy to read but does not cover the most up-to-date technical information. 2) Designing Geodatabases: Case Studies in GIS Data Modeling (Arctur and Zeiler 2004). The title clearly explains what this book is about. You can use the examples introduced in this book as templates for building your own geodatabases. 3) ArcGIS 9: Building a Geodatabase (ESRI 2004). This is a reference book for building a geodatabase in ArcGIS 9. The procedures are explained in detail. The books are available at the Portland State Bookstore and from Amazon.com.

Additional references:

·        ArcGIS 9 Building a Geodatabase.

·        ArcGIS 9 Geodatabase Workbook.

·        ArcGIS Geodatabase Topology Rules (poster).

·        ArcGIS 3D-Analyst (& ArcScene).

The lecture component of this course consists of discussions of the readings and therefore you should have read the material before class. Students are expected to come to class ready to be active participants in the discussion.

Practical Component

During the lab sessions on Thursdays you will do practical GIS exercises on the computers. If you do not finish the labs during the assigned time periods the lab also has open hours. The practical exercises provide a way to acquire skills using ArcView, ArcGIS, and other software packages and to apply the course concepts to real data.  NH 437/439/448 and CH 1/322/ all have ArcGIS on the computers. The labs are open when classes are not scheduled in these rooms and the NH labs are open on weekends.  CH 475 is also open to students in this class and the computers have ArcGIS.

 

Group Projects:

 

Class will be divided into several groups. Each group will work on a GIS database project of its own choice or assigned by the instructor. Each group should submit a project proposal on the fifth week and a final report by the scheduled final exam time. During the scheduled final examine time, students will present their work to the class. Details of group projects will be announced later in class.

Grading

Lab Assignments 25%
Midterm 15%
Project Proposal 10%
Participation 10%
Final 15%
Project 25%

Attendance to this course is mandatory. You are given two free absences. If you miss more than two class periods then you will be penalized five percent of your final grade per absence. PLEASE DO NOT MISS CLASS. You are expected to take part in the discussions and if you are not in class then you cannot. If you are repeatedly late you will be given an absence. The labs are due by 5pm Thursday the week after they are assigned in the TA's mailbox in Cramer Hall room 424.  You can also give them to the TA during the lab section.


Schedule of Lectures, Readings, and Labs

Date

Tuesday (meet in CH 418)
Discussion Topic/ Readings

Thursday  (meet in CH 469)
Discussion Topic/ Readings/ Lab

Week 1

Sep 28/ Sep 30

Course Overview
Discussion Project Group

Computer Terminology

Introduction (Ch 1)

Map Projection and Coordinate Systems (Ch 2) Slides

Lab 1: SQL, MS Access, and Map Projection

Week 2

Oct 5/ 7

Vector Data Model (Ch 3) Slides

 

Vector Data Input (Ch 4)

Lab 2: Data File Structure, Vector Data Input

Week 3

Oct 12/ 14

Vector Data Analysis (Ch 10) Slides

Spatial Data Editing (Ch 5)

Overview of Group Project

Spatial Data Editing (Ch 5)

Lab 3: Spatial Data Editing, Vector Data Analysis

Week 4

Oct 19/ 21

Attribute Data Input and Management (Ch 6) Slides

Data  Exploration (Ch 9) Slides

Lab 4: Attribute Data Manipulation

Week 5

Oct 26/ 28

Raster Data (Ch 7) Slides

Raster Data Analysis (Ch 11)

Midterm Distributed

Terrain Mapping and Analysis (Ch 12)

Lab 5: Raster and Terrain Data Manipulation
Project Proposal Due

Week 6

Nov 2/ 4

Spatial Interpolation (Ch 13) Slides

Midterm Due

Geodatabase Design (Arctur & Zeiler Ch 1 & 9) Slides

Lab 6: Spatial Interpolation, Creating Arc Geodatabase

Week 7

Nov 9/ 11

Regions (Ch 15) Slides

Guest Lecture: Mark Bosworth on Metro RLIS

Veteran's Day- No Class

Week 8

Nov 16/ 18

Network and Dynamic Segmentation (Ch 16) Slides

Lab 7: Regions, Network and Dynamic Segmentation

Week 9

Nov 23/ 25

Arc Geodatabase Topology (ArcGIS 9 Ch 4 & 5) Slides

Thanksgiving-No Class

Week 10

Nov 30/ Dec 2

Streams and River Networks (Arctur & Zeiler Ch 2) Slides

Final Exam Distributed

Students work on group projects in CH 469.

Lab 8 (Optional): Arc Geodatabase Topology and SDTS

Dec 7/ 9

Student Presentations During Scheduled Exam Time
Tuesday Dec 7: 15:30-18:00 (Schedule)
Project Due (Instructions)

Final Exam Due  on Dec 9 by 5 PM