Introduction to GIS

Syllabus

Course Objective                    Prerequisites

Intended Audience                 Course Format

Texts                                    Software and Computer Requirements

Class Schedule                      Grading

Instructor                              Office Hours

Course Objective:

            To gain a basic, practical understanding of GIS concepts and applications using ArcGIS software.

By completing this course, students will:

• Gain a basic understanding of GIS concepts
• Realize the wide range of GIS applications
• Be introduced to the issues of choosing a GIS package, obtaining and evaluating GIS data, implementing a GIS and project management
• Understand the technical language of GIS
• Gain practical experience using ArcGIS (ArcMap, and ArcCatalog)
• Be introduced to GIS career options

Intended Audience:

This course is designed for people who are unfamiliar with GIS, yet have basic knowledge of computers and the internet.

Prerequisites:       None

Course Format:

Remote Learning Section: weekly readings, lab worksheets.

Texts:

Geographic Information Systems & Science 2^nd Edition

     by Paul Longley et al.

     John Wiley &Sons press 2005

ISBN: 047087001X

Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop

     by Tim Ormsby et al.

     ESRI press 2004, 2^nd Edition

ISBN: 158948083X

Software & Computer Requirements:

Computers and software are available for everyone in the GIS Center.  For those taking this course remotely, an ArcGIS compatible computer as described below is required along with the ArcGIS software.  An ArcGIS CD with a 90 day license for the software comes with the lab text. 

            System requirements for ArcGIS are:

                        Platform:                     PC-Intel

                        Operating System:      Windows NT 4.0 with Service Pack 6a or

                                                            Windows 2000 or

                                                            Windows XP (Home Edition and Professional)

                        Memory:                      128 MB RAM

                        Processor:                    450 MHz

Class Schedule:

Week 1.    Introduction to the course

Lecture:  Orientation, course overview, definition of GIS, what it is used for, what is a map, what are its uses, brief history of GIS

            Lab:  Worksheet 1:  Exploring GIS concepts

                     Overview of ArcMap and ArcCatalog buttons

            Reading assignment

Lecture: Longley Ch 1, Ch 2

Lab: Ormsby Ch1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch4

            Evaluation:  Lab worksheet

Week 2.  Mapping the Earth

Lecture:  Issues of determining position on Earth, coordinate systems, projections, spheroids, geodetic datums

Lab:   Tool Review

Worksheet 2 Review ArcMap Tools

Reading Assignment:

            Lecture:  Longley Ch3, Ch 5

Lab:  Tool Review

Evaluation:  Worksheet 2

Week 3.  Digital Maps

Lecture:  Representing maps digitally, types of GIS data, GIs data models, spatial relationships, scale, and topology

Lab:  Data Display in ArcMap (worksheet 3)

Reading Assignment:

                        Lecture:  Longley Ch 4, Ch 8, Ch 9

Lab: Ormsby Ch 5, Ch 6, Ch 7

Evaluation:  Worksheet 3

Week 4.  Spatial Query & Analysis

            Lecture:  Spatial Queries, Spatial Analysis

            Lab:  Data Query (Worksheet 4)

Reading Assignment:

Lecture:  Longley Ch 14

Lab:  Ormsby Ch 8

            Evaluation:  Worksheet 4

Week 5.  Midterm

            Lecture:  Midterm

Lab:  Map presentation – elements of a map

Reading Assignment:

            Lecture:  Review Longley Ch 1 – 5, 8, 9, 14

            Lab:   no

            Evaluation:      Worksheet 5

 Mid Term Test

Week 6.  Cartography & Visualization

            Lecture:  What is a good map, map elements and their use

Lab:  Reports and Graphs 

         Managing data with ArcCatalog 

Reading Assignment: 

Lecture:  Longley Ch 13

            Lab:  Ormsby pg. 215 – 222, 277-281

            Evaluation:  Worksheet 6

Week 7.  Abstraction & Incompleteness, Data Quality & Metadata

Lecture:  Abstraction and incompleteness, how to lie with maps, data quality assurance, metadata

Lab:  Map projections and distance measure

Reading Assignment:

Lecture: Longley Ch 6

Lab: Ormsby Ch 13

Evaluation:  Worksheet 7

Week 8.  Spatial Analysis (cont.)

            Lecture:  Continuation of Spatial Analysis

Lab:  Creating Features (worksheet 7)

            Reading Assignment:

                        Lecture:  Longley Ch 15

                        Lab:  Ormsby Ch 15, review Ormsby Ch 13

            Evaluation:  Worksheet 8

Week 9.  Sample GIS Implementation Case Studies

            Term Project Work

            Lecture:  Case studies of GIS implementation

    Question/Answer, review for final

Lab:  Editing Data (Worksheet 8)

Reading Assignment:

            Lecture: Longley Ch 17, Ch 18

            Lab:  Ormsby Ch 16

            Evaluation:  Worksheet 9

Week 10.  Final Exam

            Lecture:  Exam over Ch 20 (Review of book) and All Lecture Notes

            Lab:  No

            Reading Assignment:

Lecture: Longley Ch 20

                        Lab:  no

            Evaluation:  Final Exam

Grading:

            Lab Exercises              90 Points

            Pop Quiz                     10 Points

            Mid Term Exam          100 Points

            Final Project                100 Points

            Final Exam                  100 Points

            Total                            400 Points

80% is Passing

            Assignments can be handed in at the lab, or the University Black Board System.  In accordance with the Academic Honor Code, students pledge the following:  “Being a student of higher standards, I pledge to embody the principles of academic integrity”.  Help each other out, but do not copy each other’s work.

Instructor:

            Dr. David W. Long

            School of Forestry

            PO Box 10138

            Ruston, LA 71272

            (318) 257-3714

Office Hours:

            Monday through Friday 10:00 to 12:00