Day |
Date |
Class Topic |
Readings / Ungraded Exercises |
Assignments Due |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tue |
9/6 |
GIS overview, course overview, lab and software logistics |
none |
|
Thur |
9/8 |
In-class tutorial: ArcGIS Basics-Somerville - see links on ArcGIS Tutorials and Tip Sheets |
ESRI Guide to GIS Analysis, ch. 1 |
|
Tue |
9/13 |
Discuss GIS practice and research examples |
Look at GIS Application Areas (on the Tufts GIS web site) and read at least one of the articles cited in those web pages (or another article you find on your own about applying GIS to answer a question) and be prepared to discuss it in class. Think specifically about what types of questions the researchers are asking, spatial and otherwise. |
|
Thur |
9/15 |
Data Sources - finding, assessing and using existing spatial data |
Please review the GISTA Data Sources web site (look specifically at the Online Data Catalog link to see examples of major data clearinghouses and the Online Data by Topic for data in your area of interest. For city/region specific data, check the subcategory - US Cities and Metropolitan Regions). Also look at the MassGIS web site (drill down the the download data link and look through this) |
Assignment 1 - Project Area Interests and Spatial Questions (10 points) - due Friday, 9/16 |
Tue |
9/20 |
Making maps - reference mapping and thematic mapping |
Read Assignment 2 and ESRI Guide to GIS Analysis, Ch. 2. |
|
Thur |
9/22 |
Making maps - finish up ArcGIS map tools discussion; discuss mapping quantities |
ESRI Guide to GIS Analysis, ch. 3 |
|
Tue |
9/27 |
Working with US Census data in GIS |
Look over the Census Product overviews available here, and also look at the Census Web Site (http://www.census.gov/) |
Assignment 2- (10 points) due Tuesday, 9/27 |
Thur |
9/29 |
Census discussion continued |
Review ESRI Guide to GIS Analysis, Ch. 3; if possible, have the census data you will be mapping in Assignment 3 ready to work on in class. See either Census Tutorial 1-MassGIS or Census Tutorial 2 (rest of the US) depending on your geographic area. We also have a tip sheet for Using American Factfinder to acquire GIS compatible data |
|
Tue |
10/4 |
Census discussion continued |
Look through one of the following articles - they are good examples of using census data in spatial analysis:
|
|
Thur |
10/6 |
Finish up Census discussion and review of American Fact Finder |
none |
Assignment 3 - Working with Census Data(10 points) - due Friday, 10/7 |
Tue |
10/11 |
Understanding data quality |
Maantay, J. 2007. Asthma and air pollution in the Bronx: Methodological and data considerations in using GIS for environmental justice and health research. Health and Place, 13 (1), pp. 32-56 (focus on issues of data quality and methodological decisions - we will be discussing these in class) |
|
Thur |
10/13 |
Using address data in GIS (geocoding) |
|
|
Tue |
10/18 |
Geocoding wrap-up - parcel geocoding, working with unmatched records |
none |
|
Thur |
10/20 |
Data structures - vector and raster |
None |
Assignment 4 - GIS data quality assessment (10 points) - due Friday, 10/21 |
Tue |
10/25 |
Basic queries using selection functions; summarizing data |
look over Assignment 5 - Basic Queries |
|
Thur |
10/27 |
Map projections and coordinate systems |
Watch this clip from The West Wing - "Why are we changing maps?" |
|
Tue |
11/1 |
Coordinate system trouble-shooting |
Read the intro to the Trouble Shooting Coordinate Systems in-class exercise |
|
Thur |
11/3 |
Coordinate systems continued |
|
Assignment 5 - Basic Queries(10 points)- due Friday, 11/4 |
Tue |
11/8 |
No class |
|
|
Thur |
11/10 |
Spatial Analysis - Understanding Overlays |
ESRI Guide to GIS Analysis, Ch. 5 - Finding What's Inside |
Assignment 6 - Project Description and Data Documentation(10 points) - due Friday, 11/11 |
Tue |
11/15 |
Spatial Analysis - Joins and overlays using vector data sets |
Read through the following two sections from ArcGIS 10 Help - Geoprocessing |
|
Thur |
11/17 |
Proximity functions and overlay combined |
ESRI Guide to GIS Analysis, vol 1 -Ch. 6 - Mapping What's Nearby |
|
Tue |
11/22 |
Proximity and Overlay tools continued |
Look at the Portland (OR) Regional Equity Atlas - read the Methodology chapter, and one other topical chapter of interest, and view some of the maps. |
|
Thurs |
11/24 |
Thanksgiving - no class |
|
|
Tue |
11/29 |
Mapping density - raster and vector tools |
ESRI Guide to GIS Analysis, vol 1 -Ch. 4 - Mapping Density |
|
Thur |
12/1 |
Poster Design Workshop |
Please explore Color Brewer - this is a good site for helping you to determine a good color scheme. |
Assignment 7 - Analysis Flow Diagram / Process Steps (10 points) - due Friday, 12/2 |
Tue |
12/6 |
In class project work |
None |
|
Thur |
12/8 |
Course wrap-up - course evaluations |
None |
Final posters/papers (30 points) |