GIS for Geoscientists I – Fall 06

Geol 452/552 (same as Agron 452, EnSci 452)
Credits: 3 (2 hrs lecture, 2 hrs lab)

Prerequisites: Geol 100, Geol 201 or (or equivalent with instructor’s approval)

Time: Tuesdays/Thursdays 9.00 to 10:00, lab from 10:05 to 10:50 (total of 3 cr.)

Place: Rm. 248 in Durham Center (computer lab space limits the course to 15 students)

Instructor: Chris Harding (charding@iastate.edu)

Website: TBA

Office Hours: by appointment, send email first

Course description

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are a rapidly growing area of computer application that will benefit many graduate students with backgrounds in geology, water resources, environmental Science, soil Science and related earth and life sciences. GIS for Geoscientists I is an introduction to GIS operations and analyses in a geoscience context and will prepare students for more advanced GIS courses (such as: GIS for Geoscientists II). We will use ESRI's ArcGIS 9 Desktop. This hands-on course will be taught at a senior undergraduate (400) level, students taking the course at the graduate (500) level will also work on additional exercises and projects. This course counts as part of the “Foundations of GIS” requirements for the GIS certificate.

Course objectives:

This course will help you to acquire basic GIS theory and practical knowledge. It will allow you to work with geo-spatial data in the form of computerized 2-D maps and the spatial attributes behind them. At the conclusion of the course you should be able to:

1. Develop an understanding of typical GIS operations as part of GIS project management.

2. Understand the architecture of ESRI’s ArcGIS program, its historical development and its main data types.

3. To classify and visualize vector data (points, lines, polygons), raster data and table data within different layers using colors, symbols and labels.

4. Be able to use the most common coordinate systems (geographic and projected) and understand the different distortions inherent in map projections.

5. Be able to import simple text files and manipulate non-spatial data tables, perform simple statistics and create relationships across tables (join/relate).

6. Use the Structured Query Language (SQL) to find data with certain attributes and select data based on location and spatial relationships to other data.

7. Create new compound data based on common spatial relations ships (spatial join)

8. Use map overlay processing to locate areas fitting multiple spatial criteria and perform data clipping and buffering.

9. Create maps that effectively present spatial data.

10. Be able to interactively edit (digitize) the shape of vector data and manipulate its underlying attributes.

11. For graduate students: create a compelling poster on a topic of your choice that could be presented at a conference.

Required texts:

Mastering ArcGIS, Second Edition from 2006 (!!!), by Maribeth H. Price, ISBM0-07-298417-1, 609 pages, spiral-bound with Video Clips on CD-ROM, McGraw Hill Higher Education.

Supplemental texts:

Designing Better Maps A Guide for GIS Users (ESRI, 2005) Cynthia A. Brewer, 220 pages, ISBN: 1-58948-089-9, $24.95. Written by a cartographer, this book focuses on the effective design of maps: what colors are the best for what kind of data, layout, fonts, symbols, etc. Very recommended!

Cartography: Thematic Map Design, Fifth Edition, Borden D. Dent, Boston: WCB McGraw-Hill, 1999).

The ESRI Guide to GIS Analysis Volume 1: Geographic Patterns & Relationships, Paperback: 186 pages, 1 edition (July 1999), ISBN: 1879102064, ~$20

The ESRI Guide to GIS Analysis, Volume 2: Spatial Measurements and Statistics, Andy Mitchell, ISBN: 1-58948-116-X, 2005, 252 pages, $34.95

Course Structure:

There will be a lecture in the first hour followed by one hour of practical lab exercises on the computers. Before each lecture I will provide you with a printout of my powerpoint slides - this will include sufficient space for your comments and questions. Each lab will consist of a tutorial part(“Mastering the skills”) followed by a set of practical exercises, which you will start in class but may need to finish on your own time. In addition, you will be given exercises (mini-projects) that deal with bigger learning units. After each lecture you will need to read the next “Mastering the concepts” part from the textbook next lecture’s (including answering review questions!) and work on (finish) the practical exercises.

Expectations of students and course preparation:

I expect you to participate in class and take responsibility for your learning. I assume your attendance in class, which provides you with the very important opportunity to ask questions! No “make-ups” will be provided for in-class quizzes, discussions, or activities missed due to absence from class.
I expect you to treat the instructor and other students with respect (be on time, turn off cell phones, don't talk with classmates during lectures, don't read the newspaper during class, etc.). If you are going to miss a class, I’d appreciate letting me know in advance.

Practical exercises and tutorials:

We will start the practical (lab) part with a step-by-step tutorial that is followed by several exercises (which are short but do not have step-by-step instructions). For both types there are short solutions at the end of the book. I will only require a certain number of textbook exercises to be done (e.g. “do 2 from exercises 1,2,4 or 6”), however I strongly encourage you to attempt to work through all the exercises in the chapter, including the Challenge problem! All practical exercises are vital for you to be able to successfully (and quickly) work the system for the midterm, the final and the projects.

Homework assignments and deliverables:

Homework assignments are textbook exercises given to you after each lecture. You will have to document the results (mostly by taking screenshots or be writing down answers) and send them to me via email. Although these results will not be graded per se (as there answers are given in the back of the book), I require that you sent me proof of your results. I will keep track of these results (or lack thereof) will contribute to your class participation score. You can start (and quite possibly finish) these exercises during the lab phase during which I’ll be available for questions. Whatever parts you do not finish will have to be completed outside the course (lab) period, you have one week to send me the results.

Midterm and Final:

Both tests will consist of a multiple-choice question part (answer 12 of 15 questions in 15 minutes) and a practical part (90 min. of which I expert you need only 60 min.) where you will use ArcGIS to analyze and process GIS data given to you, a and create a map and answers questions about it (similar to the practical exercises in the book). Both will test the entire material presented to this point!

Quizzes:

There will be two written quizzes. You will be given 10 min. to answer 3 out of 4 questions on paper. These will be non multiple-choice questions that test your knowledge about the immediately proceeding chapters. You may use your textbook and your notes but you cannot use the internet or anything else!

GIS projects:

In addition to the book’s tutorial and exercises we will work on 2-3 larger, non-book exercises that will deal with bigger chunks of material two student projects. For these “mini-projects” the relevant data and a list of questions will be given to you, the deliverables are one ore more simple maps that show your answer these questions. We will go through the material together in class and you will have a week to hand in the project.

A larger, final project is mandatory for graduate students (those taking Geol 552). The topic is up to the student and should, if possible, involve the graduate/thesis work. The final project will require a short proposal, stating the purpose of the project, the target audience as well as the data and GIS methods to be used. The actual project work will include: the acquisition of suitable data (from ISU databases or other sources), the preparation of data to suit the ArcGIS software package, computational work with and analysis of the data and presentation of your results. The final project’s deliverables are: a poster (including proper layout!), that could be used to present at a conference, plus a 10 min. oral presentation of the results to the class (clarity of presentation and content will be graded equally). The final project is optional for undergrads and will count as extra credit.

Cool-Google-Map-Stuff

On occasion I will take 5 mins to point you to various web sites that contain interesting applications of google map “stuff” (such as http://www.wunderground.com/stationmaps/gmap.asp?zip=50010&wmo=99999). We will collect these application on the course web page. Every student can earn extra credit for sending me new link (i.e. one that I don’t already have).

Class participation and extra credit:

Class participation will be based on attendance, participation and particularly the ability to ask intelligent questions. You will be able to accumulate up to 20 extra “points” by handing in a white comment card at the end of each class. I may credit you with one participation point per card if you (besides your name) tell me something about the material presented in class: something you did absolutely not understand and why this was a problem (today’s ‘muddiest point’) or the single most important point you learned today (the ‘clearest point’ you took away from today’s class) or a valid, intelligent question about the material.

WebCT Gold:

This semester we’ll be using WebCT Gold but only use a subset of the possible functionality. As it stands now, you will get/hand-in your homework assignments via WebCT (which are also linked to you calendar) and we will use the journal-type discussion (which is private between student and instructor) for lecture feedback such as best-of-lecture, worst-of-lecture, etc. I don’t see a need for using the internal WebCT email (please use regular email) but you’re welcome to use the chat-functionality. I will make the slides of past lectures available via WebCT (as pdfs) and also keep a collection of Google Map Hacks. We may use WebCT for the quizzes and the multiple-choice part of the Mid-term and final.

Grading:

All grading will be in percent (0%-100%), that I will convert to letter grades for the final grade according to this scale: A: >95%, A-: > 90%, B+: >85%, B: > 80%, B-: > %75%, etc

Undergrads: Midterm: 25%, Final 25%, Quizzes 35%, class participation 15%

Grads: Midterm 20%, Final 20%, Quizzes 20%, mini project 5%, final projects 20%, class participation 15%

Course files on the Delphi server

We will use the GIS center’s Delphi server, which is administered be Robin McNeely (4-2087, mobes@iastate.edu). Course files are stored under \\delphi.gis.iastate.edu\GEOL552 .

Each student has a folder \\delphi.gis.iastate.edu\GEOL552\students to put exercises, project data, etc. The data from the text book is stored in the mgisdata folder in your student directory, if other data is provided in the GEOL552\data folder - you will need copy this data to you student folder to work with it! Also note that anything stored on the GIS-lab computer’s C: drive will be deleted when you log out, do NOT use this drive to store permanent data (such as your project data) – this drive is meant only for temporary data!
Slides from earlier sessions can be found in data\slides.
The demonstration video clips supplementing the textbook are stored in the GEOL552\data\videos folder, see the VidIndex9.htm file for a quick chapter index (you should be able to play the videos via the web browser) Look in the clips folder to play the .wmv files directly. To listen to the video, you need to bring your own headphones!

Non-Discrimination Policy: Iowa State University is “dedicated to fostering an environment in which differences in people such as nationality, race, gender, religion, cultural background, physical ability, and sexual orientation, are respected and mutual understanding is promoted.” (from the ISU Bulletin)

Disability Accommodation: Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss your specific needs. Please contact the Disability Resources Office at 515-294-6624 in room 1070 Student Services Building to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.

Academic Dishonesty

I expect students to follow the ISU rules regarding Academic Dishonesty (see http://www.public.iastate.edu/~catalog/2005-07/geninfo/dishonesty.html)