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Handouts.

GPS 0244 Introduction to GIS.

Course Website.

https://sites.google.com/view/gps0244fall2024/home

Announcements.

  • Welcome back!

Class #1

Wednesday 4 September 2024

What is GIS? (Part 1)

​

  1. Let’s Map!
  2. What is GIS?
  3. GIS vs. MS Excel
  4. Course Logistics

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Course Schedule.

Week

Class

Date

Class Schedule / Topics

Week 1

Class #1

W (9/4)

Part 1: What is GIS?

Week 2

Class #2

M (9/9)

Part 1: What is GIS?

Week 2

Class #3

W (9/11)

Part 1: What is GIS?

Week 3

Class #4

M (9/16)

Part 2: Web GIS

Week 3

Class #5

W (9/18)

Part 2: Web GIS

Week 4

Class #6

M (9/23)

Part 2: Web GIS

Week 4

Class #7

W (9/25)

Part 2: Web GIS

Week 5

Class #8

M (9/30)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping

Week 5

Class #9

W (10/2)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping (Online Class)

Week 6

Class #10

M (10/7)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping

Week 6

Class #11

W (10/9)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping

Week 7

No Class

M (10/14)

Indigenous People Day

Week 7

Class #12

T (10/15)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping

Week 7

Class #13

W (10/16)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping

Week 8

Class #14

M (10/21)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping

Week 8

Class #15

W (10/23)

Midterm Exam / Test #1

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GPS 0244 Introduction to GIS.

Class #1

Wednesday 4 September 2024

What is GIS? (Part 1)

​

  • Let’s Map!
  • What is GIS?
  • GIS vs. MS Excel
  • Course Logistics

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Let’s Map: The Living Atlas of the World.

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Let’s Map: The Living Atlas of the World.

https://livingatlas.arcgis.com/en/home/

​

  • Search or Browse.
  • Maps & Layers.
  • Categories: Basemaps, Imagery, Boundaries, People, Infrastructure, and Environment.

​

Try:

​

  • US Current Wildfires
  • Live Stream Gauges
  • ACS Poverty Status Variables - Boundaries
  • Follow your interests!

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GPS 0244 Introduction to GIS.

Class #1

Wednesday 4 September 2024

What is GIS? (Part 1)

​

  • Let’s Map!
  • What is GIS?
  • GIS vs. MS Excel
  • Course Logistics

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What are Maps?

What are Maps?

​

Maps are windows into the world.

​

  • Maps shape our views of the world.
  • Maps provide context that we otherwise can’t ‘see’.
  • Maps tell us what is important and what is not important.

​

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What is Geography?

Tobler’s First Law of Geography

​

"Everything is related to everything else, but near things are more related than distant things."

​

⇒ Quantifiable spatial patterns!

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What is GIS?

Geography.

  • Where? - Why? - How? things occur on Earth.
  • Geography is to Space what History is to Time.

​

Geographic Information / Geospatial Data.

Information that includes the location of the information in a consistent mathematical format (street address, latitude/longitude, x/y/z coordinates, etc.).

​

Geographic Information System.

Geographic information that is systematically organized as a database.

​

⇒ If we have geographical information, organized in a systematic manner, then we can use computers for quantitative geographic analysis.

⇒ Computers are dumb, but good at one thing: doing the same thing over and over again really fast as long as your data are systematically organized.

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What is GIS?

GIS: Four Key Concepts.

​

  1. The Data Layer Concept
  2. The Database Concept
  3. A GIS makes maps.
  4. A GIS is NOT a map.

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GIS Concept #1: The Data Layer or Sandwich Concept.

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The data underlying the GIS are stored in series of related database tables.

GIS Concept #2: The Database Concept.

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Today we make maps on the computer using a GIS.

That alone is boring.

Today we also write on a computer or do math on a calculator or spreadsheet.

​

⇒ A GIS makes intelligent and meaningful maps.

​

  • Maps that you can edit and update.
  • Maps that are interactive.
  • Maps that are multidimensional (including time).
  • Maps that contain many and new layers of information.
  • Maps that show and quantify spatial relationships and patterns.

GIS Concept #3: A GIS makes Maps.

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A GIS is a geospatial database that can make a map.

​

  • Or a chart.
  • Or a table.
  • Or a poster.
  • Or a report.
  • Or a video.
  • Or an app.
  • Etc.

GIS = Intelligent and Meaningful Maps.

A GIS visualizes and analyzes data to quantify spatial relationships, patterns, and trends in the form of maps, reports, and charts.

GIS Concept #4: A GIS is NOT a map.

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A GIS Poster.

  • 5 maps.
  • 1 results table.
  • 2 charts visualizing the results.
  • Text explaining and discussing the analysis and results.
  • All the required map elements.

​

Plus.

  • Written report documenting the analysis, presenting the results, and discussing the implications.
  • Web map to share the project with stakeholders.
  • Available printed and online.

GIS Map vs. GIS Poster.

The GIS poster with the 5 data frames and associated legends was created in ArcGIS. The table and pie charts were created in MS Excel and copied/pasted into ArcGIS.

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What is GIS?

Big Picture: GIS is a Concept.

​

The location of things and their interactions are (often) not random or independent.

Instead, the world is characterized by spatial patterns and relationships. A GIS allows us to visualize (map) and analyze these spatial patterns and relationships.

​

Daily Reality: GIS is Hardware, Software, Data, People, and Methods.

​

Hardware: MS Windows, GPS, printers, scanners, smartphones, WWW, etc.

Software: ArcGIS, QGIS, IDRISI, etc.

Data: Cloud-based, server-based, local (create /download, modify).

People: Scientists, planners, consultants, police, military, business, etc.

Methods: Spatial statistics, mapping, surveying, remote sensing, etc.

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What is GIS?

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GPS 0244 Introduction to GIS.

Class #1

Wednesday 4 September 2024

What is GIS? (Part 1)

​

  • Let’s Map!
  • What is GIS?
  • GIS vs. MS Excel
  • Course Logistics

Data as Tables.

The original data, great for calculations, but boring = not easy to see or quantify relationships.

​

Data as Charts or Maps.

Easier to see and quantify change, trends, patterns, and relationships. A map is just a certain type of chart.

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Data vs Geospatial Data.

Data & Charts.

​

Organized in rows and columns as tables = databases.

​

  • One column = x-axis.
  • Other columns = data series on the y-axis.

​

Example 1: Years vs Revenue

Example 2: Artist vs Spotify streams

​

⇒ The data and the chart are linked.

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Data vs Geospatial Data.

Data & Charts.

​

Organized in rows and columns as tables = databases.

​

  • One column = x-axis.
  • Other columns = data series on the y-axis.

​

Example 1: Years vs Revenue

Example 2: Artist vs Spotify streams

​

⇒ The data and the chart are linked.

Geospatial Data & Maps.

​

Organized in rows and columns as tables = databases.

​

  • One column = spatial data (the location/geometry of the feature).
  • Other columns = attribute data (the attributes of the feature).

​

Example 3: Countries / Population

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⇒ The geospatial data & map are linked.

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Mapping With MS Excel (or Google Sheets).

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GIS is NOT a map. GIS is a database to make a map. Or something else.

GIS = A Geospatial Database.

​

You can create a linked map from those data.

​

  • Maps are not always the best way to visualize geospatial data.
  • Maps are just charts that you can use for geospatial data.

​

You do not have to create a map.

You can also create graphs, tables, or reports.

Whatever makes the most sense.

​

  • You can create a map and make it look the way you want to, but the underlying data remain unchanged.
  • But, if you change your underlying data, then your map will change accordingly.

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  1. The Question.�No question = no study.

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  • The Data.�Find it or create it.�Explore it and understand it.�Clean it and modify it.

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  • The Analysis.�Spatial statistics in 2D, 3D, or 4D.

​

  • The Visualization = Storytelling.�Maps, charts, tables, text, reports, diagrams, websites, blogs, videos, animations, podcasts, etc. (usually in combination).�Whatever works best for your analysis and your audience.

Data ⇒ Information ⇒ Knowledge ⇒ Action.

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GPS 0244 Introduction to GIS.

Class #1

Wednesday 4 September 2024

What is GIS? (Part 1)

​

  • Let’s Map!
  • What is GIS?
  • GIS vs. MS Excel
  • Course Logistics

Inner Triangle: GPS 0244

Outer Triangle: GPS 0344

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Course Logistics: Dates/Times/Website.

Introduction to GIS (Fall 2024)

​

GPS 0244-001 MW 15:10-16:25 Wilson 202A

​

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Course Schedule (Part 1).

Week

Class

Date

Class Schedule / Topics

Week 1

Class #1

W (9/4)

Part 1: What is GIS?

Week 2

Class #2

M (9/9)

Part 1: What is GIS?

Week 2

Class #3

W (9/11)

Part 1: What is GIS?

Week 3

Class #4

M (9/16)

Part 2: Web GIS

Week 3

Class #5

W (9/18)

Part 2: Web GIS

Week 4

Class #6

M (9/23)

Part 2: Web GIS

Week 4

Class #7

W (9/25)

Part 2: Web GIS

Week 5

Class #8

M (9/30)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping

Week 5

Class #9

W (10/2)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping (Online Class)

Week 6

Class #10

M (10/7)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping

Week 6

Class #11

W (10/9)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping

Week 7

No Class

M (10/14)

Indigenous People Day

Week 7

Class #12

T (10/15)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping

Week 7

Class #13

W (10/16)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping

Week 8

Class #14

M (10/21)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping

Week 8

Class #15

W (10/23)

Midterm Exam / Test #1

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Course Schedule (Part 2).

Week

Class

Date

Class Schedule / Topics

Week 9

Class #16

M (10/28)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping

Week 9

Class #17

W (10/30)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping

Week 10

Class #18

M (11/04)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping

Week 10

Class #19

W (11/06)

Part 3: ArcGIS Pro Mapping

Week 11

No Class

M (11/11)

Veteran’s Day

Week 11

Class #20

W (11/13)

Part 4: ArcGIS Pro Geospatial Analysis

Week 12

Class #21

M (11/18)

Part 4: ArcGIS Pro Geospatial Analysis

Week 12

Class #22

W (11/20)

Part 4: ArcGIS Pro Geospatial Analysis

Week 13

Class #23

M (11/25)

Part 4: ArcGIS Pro Geospatial Analysis

Week 13

No Class

W (11/27)

Thanksgiving Recess

Week 14

Class #24

M (12/2)

Part 4: ArcGIS Pro Geospatial Analysis (Online Class)

Week 14

Class #25

W (12/4)

Part 4: ArcGIS Pro Geospatial Analysis

Week 15

Class #26

M (12/9)

Special Topics

Week 15

Class #27

W (12/11)

Special Topics

Week 16

Class #28

M (12/16)

Final Exam / Test #2 (08:00 - 10:00)

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Assessment

Assessment Tool

Description

% Course Grade

Test #1 / Midterm

In-class test

10 percent

Test #2 / Final

In-class test

10 percent

Project #1

Web GIS Project

15 percent

Project #2

Mapping with ArcGIS Pro Project 1

15 percent

Project #3

Mapping with ArcGIS Pro Project 2

15 percent

Project #4

Geospatial Analysis with ArcGIS Pro Project

15 percent

Assignments

~Daily short assignments

20 percent

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Handouts.

GPS 0244 Introduction to GIS.

Course Website.

https://sites.google.com/view/gps0244fall2024/home

Announcements.

  • Welcome back!

Class #1

Wednesday 4 September 2024

What is GIS? (Part 1)

​

  • Let’s Map!
  • What is GIS?
  • GIS vs. MS Excel
  • Course Logistics

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Review and Reflection.

  • The 3 most interesting things.
  • The 2 most confusing things.
  • The 1 burning question.

​

Process.

  • Think - Pair - Share.
  • Look further into it on your own.

​

You need to synthesize what is most relevant to you by reflection.

Review & Reflection.