PLAN 512
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS FOR
PLANNERS
Spring 2008 Course Syllabus
Urban and Environmental Planning
School of Architecture, University of Virginia
Professor David Phillips
Go To Brief Description
Go to Toolkit Page
Session/
Week
1
Date Topic/Readings
Jan 17
Exercise
Introduction to the Course; Exercise Tasks: :Establish Accounts, Locate Home Directory and
Home2/Courses Directory, Establish your own folder.Find the
Introduction to Computers in
Planning & Geographic Information
GTKAG data;
Systems

The Course Requirements, The Computer
Exercises

The Applied Project
Explore ArcMAP and ArcCatalog. Getting to Know ArcGIS,
Read Chapters 1 & 2 Review the Exercises: Chapters 3 & 4.

Examples of GIS applications in planning.
Orientation to the GEOSTAT and School of
Architecture Computer Lab. Communications,
ESRI Software,
Google Earth Exercise
2
Introduction to GIS

Lecture on GIS and Thematic Mapping, Map
Information;Non-Map Attributes;
Hardware/Software; Data Base Management; GIS
Functionality; Raster/Vector Contrasts.
READINGS: Getting To Know ArcGIS
(GTKAG) , Chap 1-4.
Reference: Longley,
GISS:1-33; 157-175..
Jan 22 Thematic Mapping with ArcMap Exercise Tasks : Thematic Mapping and Map Composition
Assignment

3
4
5
6
Introduction to Thematic Mapping Colors: Color Brewe r:
Jan 29
Receive the GIS Applications Assignment
Map Updating; Zoning; Redistricting; Housing
Policy; Land Records; Environmental Studies;
Infrastructure Management Etc.
READINGS: Applications: Longley, GISS: pp. 35-
60.
Longley, GISS: pp. 60-83, 96-99 .
Reference: GTKAG : Read Chapters 5, 6, 18, 19
Map Projections and Coordinate
Systems
Complete the Thematic Mapping
GIS Applications Reporting by students
Research Directions on Thematic Mapping of Census Data: http://www.agocg.ac.uk/reports/visual/casestud/dykes/introd_1.htm
Exercise Tasks : Projection exercise
Review GTKAG exercises 13a and 13b
Do Handout Virginia Projection Exercise
.
READINGS: Longley, GISS: pp. 109-126
Feb 5
Reference:
GTKAG : Chapter 13;.
Building a GIS Geodatabase: Data
Capture, Data Importing, Digitizing, Data
Quality
Blending Spatial Data
Exercise Tasks :
Creating a GIS Geodatabase
Reference:
GTKAG:Chap 14 thru 17.
Data Capture: Digitizing, Importing, Purchase,
Conversion, Precision, Accuracy and Scale,
Map Document Preparation
READINGS: Longley, GISS : pp. 183-224
Reference: GTKAG: Chap 14 thru 17.
Huxhold,
Digital City , Chap. 1, Exercises 1a thru 1i.
Feb 12 Building a GIS Project continued.
Exercise Tasks : Continue Creating GIS Project.
Data Bases & Data Structures: Personal
Geodatabases
Concepts, Entities, attributes and relations, Tables,
Files, Data Bases, Software, Design of Relational
Data Bases, Topology in Urban Data Other Data
Structures
Feb 19
READINGS: Longley, GISS: pp. 178-197, 199-216,
217-239.
GIS Analytic Capacity Exercise Tasks: READINGS: Begin the Analysis Exercise on
Vector Based Data

8
7
9
10
11
Asking Spatial Questions Reference: GTKAG: Chapters 10-12
Map Query; Attribute Query, Buffering;
Proximity; Overlays; Neighborhoods, Locations,
Connectivity
READINGS: Longley, GISS: pp. 85-97 and 315-339.
Feb 26
Reference: GTKAG, Chap. 10-12
DIGITAL CITY , Chap. 2, Exercises 2a, 2c, 2e, 2f,
Chap 3. Exercises 3a, 3b, 3c
GPS and GIS Exercise: Field work with GPS
March
2-9
March
11
Readings to be assigned.
SPRING BREAK
Geo-referencing and Address Matching
DIGITAL CITY , Chap. 3, Exer. 3d, 3e.
Reference: Huxhold, Intro. Urban GIS, Chapter 5,
Geographic Base Files.
Exercise Tasks : Complete the Analysis Exercise on Vector Based
Data
Geo-referencing Exercise in GTKAG :
Chapter 17.Exercises17 a, b, c.
Computer Models for Planning Information
March
18
Readings from Brail and Klosterman to be assigned.
Project Definition and Design.
Spatial Analysis of Geographic Data
READINGS : EXTENDING ARCVIEW,
Chapters 8-15.
Exercise Tasks: Assembly and analysis of GRID based geographic data.
March
25
Longley, GISS: Summary, design and inference, pp.
341-362.
Spatial Analysis of Geographic Data
READINGS:
Exercise Tasks: Grid Based analysis Continued
Longley, GISS: Spatial Modeling in GIS, pp. 363-382
April 1 Surface Modeling with TINs
Exercise Tasks
:
TIN exercise Individual Projects
Visualizing Places Use of ArcScene, Animation
Generation of elevation data, Contours, Digital
Elevation Models, TINs
READINGS:

12
13
14
Longley, GISS: TINS pp. 189-190. Geovisualization, pp. 289-313
ESRI, Extending ArcView GIS:3D Analyst.to be assigned.
April 8 Planning and Managing Information
Systems Development
READINGS: Longley, GISS: GIS and Management pp. 385-424.
April 15 Sharing Geographic Data and Spatial
Data Standards. Availability and
Transferability
READINGS: Longley, GISS:
Success…Partnerships, Chap 20, pp. 447-470.
April 22 Individual Project Work
15 April 29 Presentation of Projects and Submission of all
Exercises
Exam week
Scheduled final Exam Time is Thursday, May 8, 2-5 p.m. This is the final date for all submissions. We may have this as the presentation date for projects as well.
File maintained by D.L. Phillips
Last Modified: January 14, 2008
Exercise Tasks : Individual Projects
Exercise Tasks: Working On Individual Projects
Exercise Tasks: Working On Individual Projects