OpenCourseWare – Spring 2008
Florida State University Department of Geography
GIS 5400 GIS Social Sciences
Syllabus
Lecture 1 – GIS Literacy
Lecture 2 – Spatial Data Sets for Social Applications
Lecture 3 – Geocoding, Point Data, and Point Pattern Analysis
Lecture 4 – NGO-GIS and Volunteer GIS
Lecture 5 – Hazards Epidemiology and GIS
Lecture 6 – Neighborhood Analysis in GIS Research
Lecture 7 – Examining Correlates of Social Behavior
Lecture 8 – Location Analysis
Lecture 9 – Cluster Analysis, Identifying Hotspots
Lecture 10 – Landscape Analysis and Health Applications
Lecture 11 – Ecological Inference and Multilevel Modeling
Lecture 12 – Metadata, Documentation, and Quality Control
GIS 5400 - Social Applications of Geographic Information
Systems
Spring 2008, Thursday 9:30-12:00
Bellamy Building 317 (9:30-10:30) and 035 (10:35-12:00)
Class Webpages: http://www.fsugis.org and http://campus.fsu.edu
Instructor: Lisa Jordan
Contact Information:
Office Hours: Wednesday 9:00-10:00, Thursday 1:00-2:00, and by appointment
Office: Bellamy 311
Email - ljordan@fsu.edu, phone – (850) 644-8386
Course Description:
This course examines the social applications of GIS. We will explore some of the
software, analysis techniques, and uses of geographically-minded information.
This course is designed for you. This is a class time and place, where graduate students
interested in using GIS will develop and complete projects of their own design with the
help of instructor and peer review. The intention of this course is to help all students
develop and have confidence in their GIS skills and to create an expertise that is unique
to each student.
This is achieved through a project-oriented course design that is supported throughout the
semester through assignments (project development – bibliography, data collection,
drafts, data analysis, and mapping).
Course Material:
Both a class website and class blackboard course (GIS 5400) will be used to support your
learning experience in the class. Lectures, readings, and other useful material will be
posted on these sites. A discussion board and chat room are available to you via
blackboard should you become interested in discussing class-related topics online.
Grading:
Assignments
Presentations on Project
40%
25%
(midway through 10% and final presentation 15%)
Paper
35%
GIS 5400 – GIS-SS
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Project Requirements
Paper Requirements:
Your paper assignment is to decide on a topic of your choice that involves a social
application of GIS and to incorporate lessons from the class, the readings, and
assignments into your project.
Your paper should not be less than 15 pages of text, double-spaced, but around 15 pages
is just fine. Maps, tables, and other figures or diagrams are not included in the page
count, but must be a major element of your paper. Your paper should not be more than
20 pages, double-spaced (including bibliography and appendices).
The main criterion for your paper is that you address how GIS can help inform the areas
of research that interest you.
Other criteria:
 The sources for your paper should include some of the readings for the course, in
addition to peer-reviewed articles; at least 10 sources are expected.
 The bibliography should follow a formal, author-date citation format
 In-text citations should be used throughout your paper
 The focus of your research should be clearly presented, supporting evidence for
your arguments should be carefully considered
Data Requirements:
Your data sources need to be well documented and described. We will spend time in
class discussing and creating high quality data sets that are documented with meta-data.
Presentation Requirements:
Both your paper and presentations should be suitable to give at a professional conference.
I would like to help you pursue attendance at a professional meeting or publication of
your writing in a journal.
Your presentation should be clear, interesting, and informative. You should be able to
use evidence collected in your paper to make an argument.
Your presentations should be 5-7 minutes long. You may use Power Point, the dry erase
board, the internet, DVDs, and/or handouts (that I can print for you) to help present your
material. I am also happy to solicit other forms of presentation – musical, poetic, artistic,
and so forth, if you prefer to present your information in these formats.
GIS 5400 – GIS-SS
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Date
Class Topics
Lab Topics
Jan. 10
Multimedia Literacy and Introduction to
Social Applications of GIS
Quick Course in GIS Mapping
Welcome to the class! In this exciting area of
study, we need to feel comfortable and aware of
the information technology available to us.
In lab we will download boundary files
from the U.S. Census, and join census data
to these files to study assorted topics of
interest.
Today we talk about GIS, play with blackboard,
then we make and upload webpages that we can
use throughout the course.
In preparation for lab,
census.gov site > geography
Assignment #1: Paper Topic and Class Article
Previous GIS users can add challenge to this
exercise by using QGIS instead of ArcGIS.
Spatial Data Sets for Social Applications
Exploring Spatial Data for Social
Analysis
In this class we study the types of social data
available for analysis and how to identify
interesting information in large, mappable
datasets.
In lab we will explore different sources and
ways to present social data through maps
and virtual globes.
Jan. 17
For today, read “Chapter 5: Applications in the
Social Sciences,” in Social Science Applications
of Remote Sensing.
explore
the
In preparation for lab, explore databases on
the CIESIN website:
http://www.ciesin.columbia.edu/index.html
Assignment #2: Short Map Report
Jan. 24
Geocoding, Point Data, and Point Pattern
Analysis
Geocoding Tabular Data
For discussion we will consider the ways in
which point data is used in social applications of
GIS.
This lab demonstrates how tabular data can
be geocoded, and how point pattern analysis
can be conducted with a set of points.
Read, Austin, et al. 2005, and Gordon-Larson
2006
Assignment #3: Project Report
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Jan. 31
NGO-GIS and Volunteer GIS
This discussion focuses on GIS as a tool of
empowerment.
Examples from non-profit
environmental agencies will be examined.
Types of Visualizations of Social
Data
Work on Class Projects
Read, Lathrop and Bognar 1998, Goodchild 2007
Assignment #4: Project Report
Feb. 7
Hazards Epidemiology and GIS
Types of Spatial Analysis Tools for
Social Research
Read, Peek-Asa, et al. 2000, and Enders and
Brandt 2007
Work on Class Projects
Assignment #5: Short Bibliography
Feb. 14
Neighborhood Analysis in GIS Research
Introduction to GeoDa
Through the readings we will discuss the
relevance of the neighborhood in social research
and debate how neighborhoods are defined.
Read, Gimpel, Dyck, and Shaw 2004, and Berry
and Baybeck 2005
Assignment #6: Abstract and Outline
Feb. 21
Examining Correlates of Social Behavior
In these readings we’ll discuss how correlates in
social behavior can be studied with spatially
explicit statistical models.
Advanced GeoDa:
Spatial Regression Analysis
Read, Murray, et al. 2001, Wang and Minor 2002
Feb. 28
Midway Through Presentations
Location Analysis
Using Queries and Selection Tools
for Location Analysis
Read, Cheng, Li, and Yu 2007, Dowda, et al.
2007, Murray, O’Kelly, and Church 2008
Assignment #7: Project Report (due Mar. 20)
GIS 5400 – GIS-SS
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Mar. 6
Work on Class Projects
Work on Class Projects
Mar. 13
Spring Break
Work on Class Projects
Mar. 20
Cluster Analysis, and Other Tools for
Identifying Hotspots
Space-Time Analysis: SaTScan
Read, Chaput, Meek, and Heimer 2002, Jennings
et al. 2005
Assignment #8: Project Report (due Mar. 27)
Mar. 27
Using Landscape Analysis for Ecological,
Demographic, and Health Applications
Defining Landscapes within Raster
Grids, with Specific Criteria
Read, Reynolds-Hodland, Pacifici, and Mitchell
2007, Choi, Afzal, and Setter 2006
Assignment #9: Project Report (due Apr. 3)
Apr. 3
Ecological Inference and
Multilevel Modeling with GIS
Ecological Inference, and MLM or
HLM Models in Social Research
Read, O’Loughlin, Flint, and Anslin 1994, and
Roberts 1997
Assignment #10: Long Bibliography (due. Apr.
10)
Apr. 10
Metadata, Documentation, and Quality
Control
Write Metadata for Class Projects
In a system where we must rely on each other for
the quality of our information, it is imperative
that we begin to carefully document what we
know about our data.
In this lab we work on documentation of our
information.
Read, Bagrow 1945
Apr. 17
Apr. 25
Final Presentations
Final Paper is Due
GIS 5400 – GIS-SS
No Lab
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Lecture 1
January 10, 2008
Outline:
 Pass Out Syllabus
 Introductions/Roll
 Meet Shawn Lewers, Director of the COSS-GIS Laboratories
 Discussion of Syllabus and Course Content
 What GIS is and why it is important in social research
 The internet, multimedia literacy, and how these topics are
relevant to a class in GIS
 Some background about the internet and webpage construction
 Webpage Creation and Posting!!
 Assignment 1: Paper Topic and Readings Selection
Critical Research Tools:




ISI Web of Science
JSTOR
E-Journal Searches
RefWorks and EndNote
Making a Webpage:
There are a number of ways to make a website, here are two ways:
• Make a webpage on Google: pages.google.com
• Make a webpage on Blackboard:
 In Word, or Notepad, or any word editing program, make a document, and
save it as index.html (it needs to be exactly this).
 Go to our course Blackboard site
 Click on the link on the left hand slide labeled “content collection”
 Click the icon to create a new folder
 Name the folder website (it needs to be exactly this), then submit.
 In the folder list page, click on the right-hand side to modify the website
folder.
 In the top right menu, select public, and click the GO button.
 Now, click on the folder named “website” and click to add an item
 Add the index.html file here
 Now you have a website, that is available at
http://website.fsu.edu/your_fsu_user_name
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There are also many ways to make a podcast, here is how to do it in blackboard:
 Go to our course Blackboard site
 Click on the link on the left hand slide labeled “content collection”
 Click the icon to create a new folder
 Name the folder podcast (it needs to be exactly this), then submit.
 In the folder list page, click on the right-hand side to modify the podcast
folder.
 In the top right menu, select public, and click the GO button.
 Now, click on the folder named “podcast” and click to add an item
 Add an .mp3 file here
 Now you have a podcast, that is available at
http:/podcast.fsu.edu/your_fsu_user_name
Outline to Quick Course in GIS Mapping:





Introduction to a variety of GIS software: GoogleEarth, NASA WorldWind,
Open Source GIS (http://coaps.fsu.edu/gis), ArcGIS, and GeoDa.
Components of ArcGIS; ArcCatalog, ArcMap, ArcToolbox, and ArcGlobe
Open and explore shape files (illustration with migration rates example).
Produce a map for printing/publication.
Post map to website
Assignment 1: Paper Topic and Class Readings
Selection
Part A:
Select a tentative paper topic for your class project and submit a brief description
in Blackboard.
Part B:
Choose a class reading and upload it to Blackboard.
Part C:
Using author-date citation, upload the formal citation for the article that you
chose.
From this information, I will revise the syllabus with new readings for subsequent
weeks.
GIS 5400 – GIS-SS
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Lecture 2
January 17, 2008
Outline:







Assign computer accounts to all students
Discuss changes to the syllabus
Discuss chapter on the use of remote sensing for social applications
Examine sources of spatial information on the web
Linking tabular information to polygons
Creating an initial map and set of GIS data layers
Uploading map to webpage
Material:
Questions on the reading:
-What did you think about the readings? What did you find interesting?
-What types of remote sensing are used in the social sciences?
-How is remote sensing used in the field that you are in?
-The work here intersects with many the work of many of our faculty … Drs.
Mesev, Yang, Zhao, Klooster, myself, have worked on a variety of these topics.
Spatial Information on the Web:
Cartographic boundary files for US political and administrative boundaries are
provided by the US Census:
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cob/bdy_files.html
A collection of Florida data of all types is available from the Florida Geographic
Data Library:
http://www.fgdl.org
For international data, the gData collection at Berkley is excellent:
http://biogeo.berkeley.edu/bgm/gdata.php
Another wonderful source of international data is the Center for International
Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)
http://www.ciesin.org/data.html
The ESRI data download page also offers a number of free datasets:
http://www.esri.com/data/resources/geographic-data.html
Of course, you can always ‘google’ it.
GIS 5400 – GIS-SS
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Assignment 2: Short Map Report
Download a dataset related to your project topic. Open it in ArcMap, download
and add additional layers if possible. Create a map in the layout view, and export
your map as an image file (.jpeg, .tiff, etc). Add this map to your website and
upload it.
GIS 5400 – GIS-SS
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Lecture 3
January 24, 2008
Outline:
-Discuss Austin, et al. AJPH article
-Discuss Pediatrics article
-Discussion of how to undertake similar analyses in a GIS
BREAK
-Geocoding
-Point Analysis Operations: Buffers, Spatial Joins, Interpolation, Cluster Analysis
Material:
Geocode online with http://batchgeocode.com – X, Y coordinated in WGS84 are
returned to you, and can also be downloaded as a .kml file to view on
GoogleEarth or GoogleMaps.
In Microsoft Excel 2003, or in OpenOffice Calc, convert the excel file to a .dbf file.
Open ArcMap, and add the .dbf file, then right click on the file to view X,Y
coordinates. There! You’ve Geocoded points to view in a GIS.
In ArcMap, a number of other tasks can be performed to conduct point analysis:
>Toolbox > Analysis > Proximity > Buffer
>On Layer > Right-click > Joins and Relates > Spatial Join > Allows you to select
point-in-polygon operations
>Toolbox > Data Management Tools > Layers and Table Views > Make XY
Event Layer > Allows you to determine the centroids (center x,y point) of
polygons
Assignment 3: Project Report
Demonstrate how useful information might be geocoded into your project, by
geocoding at least five points of information, and saving the file as an image (.jpg
or .tiff, for example). Upload the image and provide a brief description of the
points that you have geocoded and how you might be able to use them for
analysis.
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Lecture 4
January 31, 2008
Outline:
-Discuss Goodchild, 2007 article
-How could volunteer GIS be used in your discipline?
-Discuss Lanthrop and Bognar, 1998 article
-How could decision support mechanisms in a GIS be used in your discipline?
BREAK
-Lab Time to Work on Projects
Assignment 4: Project Report
Display at least two layers of geographic information that would be useful in
decision support, or a consensus-building environment, related to your project.
Upload an image of these layers. In a few sentences, explain how the Lanthrop
and Bognar (1998) article inspires GIS-led negotiation related to your project that
may help you to arrive at a workable solution.
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Lecture 5
February 7, 2008
Outline:
-Discuss Peek-Asa et al 2000
-Discuss Enders and Brandt 2007
-What GIS tools are available for spatial epidemiology?
-EpiInfo
-GeoDa
-SaTScan
BREAK
-Lab Time to Work on Projects
Assignment 5: Short Bibliographic Report
Upload or Copy-Paste five sources that will be useful for your project.
GIS 5400 – GIS-SS
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Lecture 6
February 14, 2008
Outline:
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Guest Speaker: Gary Watry
BREAK
-Change in Schedule?
-Discuss Gimpel, Dyck, and Shaw 2004
-Discuss Berry and Baybeck 2005
Assignment 6: Abstract and Outline
Upload or Copy-Paste an abstract to your project and an outline to your paper.
GIS 5400 – GIS-SS
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Lecture 7
February 21, 2008
Outline:
Discuss:
Murray, et al. 2001
Wang and Minor 2002
Lab:
GeoDa workshop – follow along to conduct exploratory spatial data analysis in
GeoDa
Material:
GeoDa is available for free online; however, it is important to note that at the
moment, it only work on Windows XP (not Vista):
https://www.geoda.uiuc.edu/
Midway through presentations are next week. Here is a rubric that I will follow in
evaluating your presentations next week:
Clear Presentation
- Organized
- Understandable
Topic Choice
- Focused
- Manageable
- Well Thought Out
Clear Direction for Research Project
- Description of Possible Methodologies Used
- Integration of Course Material
Evidence of Bibliographic and Data Review
- Topic is embedded in existing literature
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Lecture 8
February 28, 2008
Outline:
Midway-through presentations – will take most of the class periods
-BREAKDiscussion of Location Analysis Readings:
Cheng et al. and Murray et al.
Note: No class next week, I will see you after Spring Break
Assignment 7: Project Report (due March 20)
Based on suggestions from me and other students in class, make changes to
your paper outline, and begin to fill in the outline in more detail and elaborating
on some of the key points. If possible, describe some of the data sources and
integrate bibliographic references into your paper outline. Submit a fuller
abstract and outline on Blackboard. This will probably not be anywhere close to
a rough draft – there will be gaps, but there should be more content than the
previously submitted outline.
GIS 5400 – GIS-SS
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Lecture 9
March 20, 2008
Cluster Analysis
-Discuss Readings
-Conduct Cluster Analysis with SaTScan
Assignment 8: Project Report (due March 27)
Work on writing the methods (or review of methods) portion of your paper.
Upload a paragraph or two on this topic to Blackboard.
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Lecture 10
March 27, 2008
-Discuss Readings:
Reynolds-Hogland, Pacifici, and Mitchell 2007.
MARK Program: http://welcome.warnercnr.colostate.edu/~gwhite/mark/markhelp/
Interpreting AIC: http://archimede.bibl.ulaval.ca/archimede/files/dd2389ba-d45342d0-b44c-6b696ec94f78/apa.html
How is GIS used in Ecology? How can techniques in Ecology be applied in your
own research? Can you envision a model of human resource usage and
production?
Choi, Afzal, and Satter 2007.
How is the public health nursing community using GIS?
Dowda, et al. 2007
How is GIS being used to examine access to opportunities for physical activity?
Assignment 9: Project Report (due April 3)
Submit a draft of the first few pages of your paper (2-3 page). Include in-text
citations.
GIS 5400 – GIS-SS
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Lecture 11
April 3, 2008
Discuss O’Loughlin, Flint, and Anselin 1994, and Roberts 1997.
O’Loughlin, Flint, and Anselin 1994.
How is spatial analysis used to understand voter behavior?
What types of analyses are used?
What are the conclusions?
Roberts 1997.
What are the arguments for using both individual and community measures of
status?
What is the technique used to look at neighborhood and social affects?
What does the author conclude about the role of individual and neighborhood
effects on infant health status?
Slides on Multilevel Modeling and Ecological Inference
Assignment 10: Long Bibliography (due April 10)
Submit your bibliography to Blackboard.
GIS 5400 – GIS-SS
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Lecture 12
April 10, 2008
Metadata:
Data about data
FGDC:
Federal Geographic Data Committee – creates metadata standards
Discussion of Leo Bagrow’s article.
GIS 5400 – GIS-SS
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GIS 5400: GIS Social Sciences
Rubric for Presentations
Presentation Style:
Overall Presentation of Material:
Organization of Presentation, Easy to Follow:
Presentation Content:
Clear Project Objective and Synopsis of Research:
Awareness of Other Research and Literature on Topic:
Description of Data Sources:
Summary of Findings:
Questions and Suggestions Regarding the Research Project:
Grade on Presentation: ____
GIS 5400 – GIS-SS
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Paper Rubric:
GIS 5400: GIS Social Sciences
Rubric for Papers
Organization
__Introductory paragraph
outlines thesis and
structure of the paper (5)
__Paper organization is
clear, headings and subheadings are used where
appropriate (5)
Content
__Arguments are
supported by evidence
(sources, tables, figures,
examples) (15)
__The paper is
information-rich and
aware of related research
on the topic (15)
__The paper is focused
and deviations are
__The role of GIS in the
minimal (5)
research is very clear (20)
___/15 points
___/50 points
Presentation
__The paper is easy to
read and follow (5)
__Grammatical, spelling,
style component is
acceptable (5)
__Text is supported by
visually interesting
information (tables and
figures) (10)
___/20 points
Sources
__At least 10 peerreviewed sources are
cited (5)
__An appropriate
bibliographic format is
evident (5)
__Sources are well
integrated into the text,
and quotes where used (5)
___/15 points
Grade on Paper: ____
GIS 5400 – GIS-SS
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