ENTS 120 Intro to Geospatial Analysis
Fall 2023
ENTS 120 Introduction to Geospatial Analysis
Fall 2023
Syllabus
Course Information
Instructors: Tsegaye Nega. Olin 301E. 507 222 5713. tnega@carleton.edu.
Office hours 2 pm – 3:30 pm M Thu
GIS Specialist: Wei-Hsin Fu. Olin 204. 507 222 5733. wfu@carleton.edu
Appointments by emails
Lecture Classroom: Olin 141
Lecture Meeting Times: 12:30 pm – 1:40 pm MW, 1:10 pm – 2:10 pm F.
Computer Lab: Olin 206
Lab Meeting Times: 1 pm – 5 pm Tuesday or Wednesday
Student Assistants for Labs: To be announced.
Course Descriptions:
This course introduces the nature of geographic data and methods for deriving
information from geographic data in the lectures, and the implementations of the
concepts via hands-on exercises with the GIS desktop software ArcGIS Pro 3.1 in the
labs.
The course builds the foundation for carrying out spatial analysis in various areas
including natural resources management, urban planning, transportation planning, and
public health, as well as for pursuing a geospatial discipline, e.g., spatial data science,
spatial statistics, geospatial programing/software development, geospatial intelligence,
remote sensing.
Essential Computer Skills:
Navigating file directory in a computer is essential for working with desktop GIS
software. The first lab is devoted to basic computer knowledge and skills relevant to the
labs.
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ENTS 120 Intro to Geospatial Analysis
Fall 2023
Course Materials:
Course materials are distributed via the Moodle sites. Lab data are distributed via the
“courses” network drive which will be introduced in the first lab.
 Lecture Moodle Site: ents120-f23
 Lab Moodle Site: ents120-52-f23 (Tuesday session)
ents120-53-f23 (Wednesday Session)
 Courses Network Drive:
\\courses.ads.carleton.edu\courses\ents120-52-f23 (Tue. session)
\\courses.ads.carleton.edu\courses\ents120-53-f23 (Wed. session)
Required Textbooks:
Lecture Textbook
Introduction to Geographic Information Systems, 9th edition. Kang-tsung Chang.
McGraw Hill.
Rental and printed copy are available at McGraw Hill website and Amazon.com.
Lab Tutorial
GIS Tutorial for ArcGIS Pro 3.1, 5th edition. Gorr and Kurland. Esri Press.
o Rental is available at vitalsource.com. The option of $48 for 60 days will cover week
2 – week 9 when it is needed.
o Kindle and paperback formats are available at Amazon.com.
Software tutorials get outdated quickly, so consider rental options.
Additional readings will be made available in the lecture Moodle site.
Course Structure:
This course takes more than the average time expected from a 100-level course.
Essential concepts and methods for working with geographic data are introduced in
lectures. The implementations of the display, exploration, editing, and analysis methods
for geographic data are introduced in labs via hands-on exercises using ArcGIS Pro 3.1.
Labs can take more than the allotted four hours if the related concepts are not grasped.
There is a bi-weekly quiz covering contents from both lectures and labs.
It is essential that you read the assigned readings before and after the lecture/lab they
are assigned to.
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ENTS 120 Intro to Geospatial Analysis
Fall 2023
Course Objectives
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Know why, when and how to include locations explicitly in problem solving
Know the concepts of representing the world in a computer
Understand the commonly deployed geospatial analysis methods
Evaluate geographic data and information for intended uses
Construct, articulate, and defend a line of reasoning with geographic data
Use supporting tools and technologies in geospatial analysis
Cultivate a habit of thinking spatially
Topic Outline
Link to the weekly outline is available in the lecture Moodle site.
What is Geospatial Analysis?
We start the course with defining what geospatial analysis is. Understanding the nature of
geospatial analysis is essential for constructing and recognizing geospatial questions.
Horizontal Reference Systems, Map Projections
Horizontal and vertical positions on or near the surface of the Earth are expressed as
numeric measurements off a reference system, or, a datum. Different horizontal and
vertical datums exist to serve different regions of the world and the different purposes.
Because 3D geospatial data and analysis are not included in this course, only horizontal
spatial references will be introduced.
Map projections are used to convert horizontal position measurements referencing a
datum, a 3D reference system, to a 2D surface to support the use of geographic data in the
2D environment, e.g. paper, computer screen. All map projections introduce distortions. We
will learn the types of distortions introduced by map projections, and ways to minimize the
distortions for an area of interest.
Although topics in datums and map projections may seem dry and irrelevant to the great
maps you have seen, they are essential knowledge for anyone who creates or uses
geospatial data – geospatial data scientists, cartographers, geospatial app developers, GIS
users, GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) users and map readers, to name a few.
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ENTS 120 Intro to Geospatial Analysis
Fall 2023
GIS Data Models
We continue with topics on how to encapsulating the world in a computer. Conceptual
models for storing objects with identifiable boundary (trees, streets, parks) and phenomena
with no clearly defined boundary (temperature, CO2 concentration in the atmosphere) will
be introduced, as well as the common GIS data formats that implements these conceptual
data models and the technical details you need to know to work with GIS data.
Cartography (1) – Data Display
After the foundation building, we take a look at what usually is the first task after adding
GIS data to a GIS software – displaying the data. For data exploration, effective data
visualization helps revealing geospatial patterns, outliers or associations. For map making,
it enables us create maps that effectively communicate our findings. For map reading, it
equips us with critical eyes for common mistakes people make in creating maps.
Topics introduced includes levels of measurements, data classifications, the uses of visual
variables, and common quantitative map types.
Geospatial Analysis Methods
Among the various ways of deriving information from geographic data, we introduce the
following:
● Data query based on attributes (e.g. population density, land use types) and spatial
relationships (e.g. lands in City of Northfield that are on floodplains).
● Basic analysis methods with vector data, including geometric properties (e.g.
compactness of congressional districts, areas of wildlife habitats), Buffering, Overlay,
Dissolve, and distance measurements.
● Basic analysis methods with raster data, including local, neighborhood, zonal and global
operations, and map algebra.
● Cartographic modeling with a focus on suitability analysis. Cartographic modeling is a set
of interacting, ordered map operations that act on raw data, as well as derived and
intermediate map data, to simulate a spatial decision-making process (Tomlin, 1990). The
basic methods introduced earlier in the class and those later can all be applied in the
cartographic modeling process.
● Least-cost path analysis.
● Pitfalls in Geospatial Analysis
We conclude discussions in geospatial analysis methods with pitfalls in geospatial
analysis – Spatial Autocorrelation, the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP), the
Ecological Fallacy, and Edge effects.
We hope the topics introduced in geospatial analysis help you understand what
thinking spatially is in analyzing geospatial data and consuming geospatial
information.
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ENTS 120 Intro to Geospatial Analysis
Fall 2023
Cartography (2) – Map Layout Design
We end the course with a second visit to Cartography – the science and arts of map
making. This time we look at map layout design. The results of geospatial analysis are
often communicated with maps. It is therefore important for us to know how to make maps
that effectively convey our findings. This course introduces only the very basics of
Cartography. Interested students should consider taking courses in Cartography.
Grading Policy
Graded Activities:
● Assignments: 10%
● Quizzes: 10%
● Attendance:10%
● Midterm exam:10%
● Final exam: 20%
● Labs: 20%
● Final project: 20%
Late Work Policy:
Late assignments are not accepted and receive zero point.
A lab is due at the start of the next lab. Late lab work is docked by 50% of the earned
points, and labs more than one week late will not be accepted and receive zero point. If you
are not able to complete a lab assignment before the due time, ask your instructor for an
extension BEFORE the lab due time to avoid late work penalty.
Letter Grade Assignment:
A: 90.00 - 100 %
B+: 87.50 - 89.99 %
B: 82.50 - 87.49 %
B-: 80.00 - 82.49 %
C+: 77.50 - 79.99 %
C: 72.50 - 77.49 %
C-: 70.00 - 72.49 %
D+: 65.00 - 69.99 %
D: 60.00 – 64.99 %
F: < 60%
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