Course Objectives

To review hardware and software, and to explore several GIScience applications, data structures and data models, and basic analysis functions. Specifically, students completing this course will learn to:

* identify and describe hardware components of a GIS;
*state differences between database models;
*describe and evaluate methods of data capture, and specific data sources;
*discuss the nature and characteristics of spatial data and objects;
*list and define typical GIS operations;
*identify types of products from GIS;
*classify systems according to their characteristics;
*discuss differences between raster and vector data models.

The software that we will be utilizing in the lab is IDRISI.

Text
The text for GEOG 4563 is GIS: A Visual Approach, 2nd ed., by Bruce E. Davis

Further possible readings
Aronoff, Geographic Information Systems: A Management Perspective; Bernhardsen, Geographic Information systems; Burrough and McDonnell, Principles of Geographical Information Systems; Burroughs, Principles of Geographic Information Systems; Chrisman, Exploring Geographic Information Systems; ESRI, Understanding GIS; Laurini and Thompson, Fundamentals of Spatial Information Systems; Peuquet and Marble, Introductory Readings in Geographic Information Systems; Star and Estes, Introduction to Geographic Information Systems; Tomlin, Geographic Information Systems and Cartographic Modeling.

Prerequisites
Prerequisites for this course include GEOG 2552 and GEOG 3532. A univariate statistics course and a computer-programming course are recommended, especially for those planning a career in this field. It is understood that you have the prereqs.

Office
My office is in 328 CINA Hall; email address is sfreunds; phone is 726-6226 (only for emergencies!!!).

Grading
Grades will be assigned as follows: A (85%), B (75%), C (65%), D(55%), F(below 55%).

For GEOG 4563; there will be three midterm exams, each worth 90% of your grade. The other 10% of your grade will be based on class participation.

For GEOG 4564, there will be at least 5 lab assignments. Late assignments will, in general, not be accepted without a Dr.s note (or without a considerable amount of begging). All assignments must be typed!!!

Preliminary Course Outline

week 1
what is a GIS?, (BD: Chapter 1), (IM: 2-1 to 2-4, 2-15)
maps and map analysis (IM: 4-1 to 4-31), (BD: pages 29-51, and see Muehrcke and Muehrcke, text from geog 2552)

LAB: lab facilities, IDRISI software, IDRISI tutorial 1-10, 15 and 17

week 2
modeling the world (BD: chapter 3)
the raster (or field) model

LAB: work on IDRISI tutorials

week 3
vector (or object) model, (BD: Chapter 3, and chapter 4)
objects vs fields: discuss papers by Couclelis. Frank and Eastman

LAB: tutorial-exercises due; begin residential site location lab

week 4
data base structures, (BD: Chapter 2)

LAB: continue work on site location lab

week 5
database structures (cont)
data input, data sources (BD: Chapter 5)

LAB: residential site location lab due, begin organizational mandate lab

week 6
midterm I
data input, data sources (cont)
paper by marble et al.

LAB: organizational mandate lab due, begin digitizing exercise

week 7
review midterm I
data quality and errors, (BD: Chapters 6)
reference systems and GPS

LAB: break into groups of 3-choose topic for a group project (must use IDRISI), begin work on data dictionary

week 8
interpolation, DEMS, TINS, (IM: see commands manual)

LAB: digitizing exercise due; work on group projects and data dictionary

week 9
analysis of objects, (BD: Chapter 7)

LAB: work on group projects

week 10
analysis of fields, (BD: Chapter 8)

LAB: data dictionary due

week 11
midterm II
GIS output (BD: chapter 11)

LAB: work on group projects

week 12
review midterm II
Output (cont)

LAB: work on group projects

week 13
GIScience and society

LAB: work on group projects

week 14
topic tba

LAB: presentation of group projects on M and W

week 15
future trends in GIS, (BD: Chapter 12)
course summary

midterm III: Final exam

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