GEO 565 Options
Option 1 - Annotated Bibliography uploaded
to the web
Option 2 - Term Paper
Option 3 – Original Mapping Mashup and
Report uploaded to the web
Choose which option you want by Tue.,
January 18th
Options 1 and 2 due by 5:00, Fri., March 11th
NO EXTENSIONS!
GEO 565
Annotated Bibliography (Option 1)
MUST be web-based
Don’t know HTML? Don’t panic!
Resources will be available - it’s easy!
Upload your page(s) by Friday, March
11th, 5:00 p.m.
See dusk.geo.orst.edu/gis/projects.html
GEO 565 Term Paper (Option 2)
20 pages (double-spaced) INCLUDING
figures and references
MS-word doc sent by email preferred
flexible on subject matter of paper
specify and follow a scholarly journal
format!!
specify key words
points will be subtracted if these
specifications are omitted
Suggested Term Paper Content
look at current uses of GIS in your area
of interest … or related fields
identify potential for furthering research
research/management questions
describe a study in progress (proposal?)
UK Meteorological Office
GEO 565 Project (Option 3)
Original mapping mashup integrating at least
THREE data sets and/or data services
MUST have prior GIS experience
(GIS/cartography course, job, internship)
MUST submit a proposal by Jan. 18th
Must STILL complete Labs 1-6
Detailed instructions and examples at
dusk.geo.orst.edu/gis/projects.html
Mashup + full documentation
Due 4:00 p.m., Mar. 16th - NO final exam
What is GIS?
What is GIScience?
Longley et al., GI Systems & Science, VR 100
Preface, Chapter 1
Place Matters…, VR 102
Some Basic GIS Concepts...
Mapping is key but is NOT the whole story.
A GIS is NOT simply for MAKING maps
maps at different scales, projections, colors
… not simply for STORING maps or
images.
In fact, it stores the DATA from which these
are created.
An Analysis Tool...
for every piece of data it specifies:
what it is
where it is
how it relates to other pieces of data
things in common
see spatial relationships or create NEW
relationships
Geographic Information System
Container of data
Container of maps
Inventory of geographically distributed features and
facilities
Computerized tool to automate time-consuming tasks
Analysis tools for solving geographic problems
Spatial decision support system
Method for revealing patterns and processes in
geographic information
Geographic Information System
Organized collection of
Software
Hardware
Network
Data
People
Procedures
Software
People
Data
Network
Procedures
Hardware
Major Questions for a GIS:
What exists at a certain location?
Where are certain conditions satisfied?
What has changed in a place over time?
What spatial patterns exist?
What if this condition occurred at this
place? (modelling, hypothesis testing)
For example...
Toxic Substance Locations:
District 24
District 16
14 George Boulevard
Proposed School Locations:
124 Elm Street
35 White Road
Toxic Substances
14 George Blvd.
x
o 124
Elm St.
o 35
16
White Rd.
24
School Locations
Information on the World
How it looks – Form or Pattern
How it works – Process
Knowledge about process more
valuable than form, because can be
used to predict
GIS combine
General scientific knowledge in software
Specific information in databases
Global Accessibility
Featured in Science, vol 323, January, 2009
Major Questions for YOU...
What ARE my questions?
How much data do I need and of what
quality?
How can I combine my data to answer
my questions?
The Process of GIS (i.e., GIScience)
Think about a place or a topic ...
Ask a question about it ...
Analyze data to make a map ...
Explore the patterns that appear ...
Enhance the data or modify the analysis ...
Ask a new question …
Repeat ...
Defining GIS
Different definitions of a GIS have evolved in
different areas and disciplines.
map coordinates,
Database of spatial and often non-spatial,
computer-based link between them.
All GIS definitions recognize that spatial data
are unique because they are linked to maps.
Spatial/Geospatial/Geographic Data?
Latitude and longitude
Street address
x and y coordinates
Range and township
Location shown on a map
Non-spatial Data?
Name
Gender
Income
SSN or student ID number
Political party
Attributes in a
Database
Attribute data are
stored logically in
flat files.
i.e., matrix of
numbers and values
stored in rows and
columns, like a
spreadsheet.
ID Name
Population
A
White
1250
B
Blue
3245
C
Green
2111
D Yellow
5435
A
C
D
B
The Data Model
A conceptual description (mental
model) of how spatial data are
organized for use by the GIS
GISs have traditionally used either
“field” or “object” data models
A Field Data Model Uses a Raster
or Grid Data Structure.
Grid extent
Rows
Grid
cell
Resolution
Columns
“Rasters are Faster...”
maps directly onto computer memory
structure (array).
easy to understand, read, write, draw
Rasters are Faster...
natural for scanned or remotely sensed
data.
continuous surfaces (e.g., topography)
spatial analytical operations are faster.
compression is easier
“Rasters tell WHAT occurs everywhere.”
“ Rasters are Faster, but Vectors are
Correcter! ”
Can represent point, line, and area features
more accurately.
Far more efficient than grids.
Not where EVERYTHING occurs (continuous
phenomena)…
But WHAT occurs everywhere …
Work well with GPS receivers.
Object/Vector Feature Types
Feature Type
Single Part
Multi-Part
Point
Line
Area
Annotation
A
Object/Vector Feature Types
3 Distinguishing Characteristics
of a GIS vs. Other Systems
1. provides links between points, lines,
areas, grids and their ATTRIBUTES in a
database
2. provides algorithms for ANALYSIS of
spatial data
3. “spatially intelligent” - “thinks” points, lines,
areas, grids are actual spots on Earth’s surface
- e.g., switching projections, computing
distances
GIS “Layers,”“Themes,”“Overlays”
GIS is a multi-Billion dollar
business.
annual software revenues top $1 billion,
increasing ~14% yearly
ESRI and Intergraph software revenues
account for 1/2 of industry total
GIS industry now at $7 BILLION
Open Source GIS
quantum GIS - qgis.org
uDIG - uDIG.refractions.net
GRASS - grass.itc.it
GIS as an approach to science
Geographic Information Science is research
both on and with GIS.
“the generic issues that surround the use of GIS
technology, impede its successful
implementation, or emerge from an
understanding of its potential capabilities.”
(Goodchild, 1992)
“GISci” “GIScience” “GIS & T”
Geographic information science
U.S., geography, UCGIS
to GIS as statistics is to the statistical packages
The science behind the systems
Fundamental issues arising from use
The science that is done with the technology
Systematic study of geographic information
using scientific methods
GIScience - Contributing Disciplines
GISystems
Remote Sensing
Cartography
Surveying (Geomatics)
Geodesy (GPS)
Landscape Ecology
Statistics
Mathematics
Computer Science
Information Science
Operations Research
Management Science
Psychology, Sociology
More …
GIS, GIScience, GIS & T
GISystems (GIS)
Emphasis on technology and tools
GIScience (GISci)
Fundamental issues raised by the use of GIS and
related technologies (e.g.)
•
•
•
•
Spatial analysis
Map projections
Accuracy
Scientific visualization
GIScience & Technology (GIS & T)
Major Journals/Trade Mags.
International Journal of Geographical
Information Science
Cartography and Geographic Information
Science
Transactions in GIS
 GEOInformatics
 GEOConnexion
 ArcUser
Regular GISci Scholarly Papers
Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing
Annals of the Association of American Geographers
Cartographica
Computers, Environment, and Urban Systems
Computers and Geosciences
IEEE Transactions on Computer Graphics and
Applications
International Journal of Remote Sensing
Occasional GISci Scholarly Papers
Landscape Ecology
Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America
Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
Geojournal
Many more …
National Professional Organizations
AAG: The Association of American Geographers.
GITA: Geospatial Information & Technology Assoc. (formerly
AM/FM)
URISA: Urban and Regional Information Systems
Association.
ACSM: American Congress on Surveying and Mapping.
ASPRS: American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote
Sensing.
UCGIS: University Consortium for Geographic Information
Science
Willamette Valley GIS
User Group
www.orurisa.org/wgisug/
ESRI Conferences
ESRI Education and User Conferences. Every
year in San Diego.
regional meetings as well
2011 Summer Internship Program
careers.esri.com/category/summer-programs.html
Applications due March 18, 2011
Conferences ( cont. )
GIS in Action - Oregon URISA
see course web site
March 29-30 at Portland State University
UCGIS Summer Meeting, Boulder, CO,
June 22-23
www.ucgis.org
Student travel awards, paper session
Attributes and their Types
Nominal, e.g., land cover class
Ordinal, e.g., a ranking
Interval, e.g., Celsius temperature
Differences make sense
Ratio, e.g., map scale
Ratios make sense
Cyclic, e.g., wind direction