Geog 258: Maps and GIS

Winter 2006

 

Time: MWF 8:30-9:20 am

Location: MGH 241

Instructor: Julie Hwang (303A Smith, shwang5@u.washington.edu, office hour: WF 9:30-10:20 am or by appointment)

T.A.: Joe Hannah (417 Smith, jhannah@u.washington.edu, office hour: MT 9:30-10:30 am or by appointment)

 

Link to lab section webpage: http://gis.depaul.edu/shwang/teaching/geog258/labs

 

Course Overview

 

This course explores how people represent the world with maps and geographic information systems (GIS). It trains students in map use for particular problems. It helps map readers better determine quality, usefulness, and representation of information. This course serves as the introduction to further GIS courses.

 

Learning objectives

 

  1. Improve skills of map use (reading, analysis and interpretation)
  2. Heighten awareness of fitness for use (limitations)
  3. Survey GIS capabilities

 

Skills

 

·         Use maps

·         Use GIS software (introductory level)

·         Carry out data manipulations (projections, thematic mapping)

·         Produce a report that describes a geographic information source that would be useful for a particular purpose

 

Text

 

Required text:

Ø      Map Use: Reading, Analysis, Interpretation by A. Jon Kimerling, Phillip C. Muehrcke, and Juliana O. Muehrcke, Fifth Edition, 2005, JP Publications, available at University Bookstore

 

Other recommended readings:

  GIS

Ø      Longley et al, 2005, Geographic Information System and Science

Ø      Bolstad, 2005, GIS fundamentals

Ø      Demers, 2002, Fundamentals of GIS

Ø      Chrisman, 2002, Exploring Geographic Information Systems

  Cartography

Ø      Robinson et al, 1995, Element of cartography

Ø      Dent, 1999, Cartography: thematic map design

Ø      Monmonier, 1996, How to lie with maps

 

Tentative Schedule

 

Week

Date

Topic

Reading

Lab

1

1/4

1/6

Course overview

Introduction to the map

Syllabus

p.2-18

 

2

1/9

1/11

1/13

Geographic data

Cartographic abstraction (new images added on 1/13/06)

Map scale

LN*

LN

Ch2

Lab1: Cartographic web resources

3

1/16

1/18

1/20

Martin Luther King day (no class)

Remote sensing: principles    

Remote sensing: aerial photo & satellite image

 

Ch9

Ch9

Lab2: Map types

4

1/23

1/25

1/27

Remote sensing: ppt

Landform portrayal ppt | rtf

Landform interpretation

Ch9

Ch8

Ch16

Lab3: Images

5

1/30

1/31 6pm (Tue)

2/1 (Wed)

Earth coordinate

Map projection

Exam review

Ch1

Ch3

 

Lab4: Contour maps

6

2/6

2/8

2/10

Midterm exam

Grid coordinate systems | exercise (doc)

Qualitative thematic maps

 

Ch4

Ch6

Lab5: Projections

7

2/13

2/15

2/17

Quantitative thematic maps

GPS

GIS: introduction (ppt)

Ch7

Ch14

Bolstad Ch1

Lab6: Intro to thematic maps

8

2/20

2/22

2/24

Presidents Day (no class)

Homework (no class)

GIS: representation

 

 

LN

Lab7: Intro to GIS

9

2/27

3/1

3/3

GIS: analytics

GIS review questions (doc)

Spatial data quality

LN

 

Ch10

Help on report

10

3/6

3/8

3/10

Maps and GIS go online

Maps, geodata and reality

Exam review

LN

Ch25

 

 

 

Report due

Exam

3/14 (Tue)

Final exam

 

 

 

*LN means Lecture Notes to be posted in the course website

** Reschedule or guest lecture

Schedule is subject to change

 

Grading

 

Components

Points

Due date

Midterm exam

50

February 6 (Mon) in the class

Final exam

50

March 14 (Tue) in the class

Report assignment

40

March 10 (Fri) in the class

Lab assignments

40

The following week of each lab session

Participation/enthusiasm &

Pop quiz

20

n/a

 

The total sum of points you gained divided by 50 becomes your final grade. → please refer to conversion table

 

Exam

 

Midterm covers the first half and final exam covers the second half. Exams will be taken in the class (closed book).

 

Report Assignment

Please see new Report Assignment here.

You will have to put yourself in the place of a person who uses geographic information professionally. Select one from the list below (or develop one on your own):

  • Habitat analyst for Fish and Wildlife Service (pick your species)
  • Store location specialist for the Whizz Restaurant chain
  • Planner charged with Critical Areas Ordinance for Your Town, Wash.

Once you have made your selection:

  1. Research the information needs of your selected person.
  2. Locate some information sources
  3. Evaluate how fit these sources are for that use.

Then write a SHORT (2-3 page) report and be prepared to give a short synopsis (3-4 minutes) in the lab sections of the last week.

Lab Assignments

 

You will participate in your lab session, where TA will assist the completion of your lab assignments. We have 7 lab assignments in total. Most of them involve software use (ArcGIS) in the very introductory level. Topics are listed in the schedule below.

 

Please see the separate Lab Section Syllabus, links to lab assignments, and the lab guidelines at http://gis.depaul.edu/shwang/teaching/geog258/labs.

 

Participation & enthusiasm

 

Students who show their enthusiasm or actively participate in discussion on the class will be greatly rewarded. Do some readings before the class and be ready to wonder about any mysterious points. Asking the relevant questions would be a great way to contribute to our discourse on maps and GIS.

 

Topic covered

 

Course topic includes, but is not limited to the followings:

 

·         What is a map?

·         How do maps represent surroundings?

·         What are common sources of maps?

·         How are maps used for addressing particular problems?

·         What can GIS do?

·         How is GIS used in real-world applications?