FOR357/557: Practical Vector GIS
Syllabus, Fall 2008
Learning how to use ArcGIS to solve environmental and resource problems
Updated 09/17/08 9PM
Instructor: L. P. Herrington :  Office 414 Bray Hall, Phone 470-6674, E-mail lpherrin@esf.edu
OFFICE Hours   Help557@rousmail.esf.edu

Succinct Description: The objective of this course is to teach you how to use the Geographic Infromation System called ArcGIS from ESRI. The course is computer use intensive. Although the focus is on how to use the software to analyze and solve problems the theory of map projections and datums, map composition, symbology, and basic vector analysis is also covered. The course is hands-on and there are no exams although there a numerous quizzes.

Catalog Descriptions: These are shared resource courses and the graduate version (557) has added tasks in exercises and graduate students must cary out an analysis and present it to the class at the end of the course. The two descriptions are nearly identical as you can see below. The italic section in 557 is the major difference.

FOR 357. Practical Vector GIS (3)
Two hours of lecture/discussion and three hours of laboratory per week. This course teaches the application of vector Geographic Information System technology, specifically ArcGIS 9.1, to the solution of spatial problems and the analysis of spatial data in the fields of planning, forest management, landscape architecture, biology, ecology, and engineering. Students will learn how to obtain geographic data, convert it to different spatial coordinates, carry out spatial queries and overlay analyses, produce effective maps, and write effective reports. Fall.
Note: Credit will not be granted for both FOR 357 and FOR 557.

FOR 557. Practical Vector GIS (3)
Two hours of lecture/discussion and three hours of laboratory per week. This course teaches the application of vector Geographic Information System technology to the solution of spatial problems and the analysis of spatial data in the fields of planning, forest management, landscape architecture, biology, ecology, and engineering. Students will learn how to obtain geographic data, convert it to different spatial coordinates, carry out spatial queries and overlay analyses, produce effective maps, and write effective reports. Students complete a final project, prepare a comprehensive report and present the results to the class. Fall.
Note: Credit will not be granted for both FOR 357 and FOR 557.

Extended Description:

Geographic Information Systems (GISs) are powerful tools used to collect, inventory, categorize, transform, and analyze data that has a spatial reference; that is, spatial coordinates like Longitude and Latitude.  Similar to databases, GISs accumulate facts (data), aid our ability to assign significance to those facts, and create knowledge (information). But GIS further enhances our understanding of spatial relationships between data elements.  Although GIS has an incredible capacity to reveal and highlight informational and spatial relationships, the GIS user must ultimately determine the relevance and value of this information within a given context. This course can increase your value as a professional by growing your critical thinking and learning skills while increasing your technical proficiency in the use of GIS. 

In this course we will be using ESRI's ArcGIS v. 9.2 software to learn how to use vector and raster GIS.

This course is NOT a broad, shallow introductory course on GIS but explores in detail the workings and use of a complex geographic information system. You will learn the basic principles of GIS generally and ESRI GIS specifically, including relevant terminology, concepts, processes, tools, and culture.  This course is designed to facilitate growth of this knowledge in you through assessment and evaluation of your performance in information processing, critical thinking, and problem solving. 

By completion of this course you will be able to:

• Operate the ESRI ArcGIS geographic information system at an intermediate level. Specifically you will be able to:
  • Download and preview geographic data in ArcCatalog
  • Add data to a Map document
  • Change the way features are drawn and symbolized on a map
  • Lable features
  • Access feature information in different ways
  • Define projections and project data into new projections or coordinate systems
  • Identify common coordinate systems and projections for data that do not have metadata
  Create data
  • Create shape files and Feature Classes
  • Create and use GeoDataBases and their component data structures ...
  • Effectively use feature classes, feature data sets, and grids in a GeoDataBase
  Create and Edit point, line, and polygon data
  • Create new data
    • by editing new layers created in Arc Catalog
    • by importing coordinate data
    • by heads-up digitizing from high resolution orhtophotos
  • Use tools and models to carry out spatial analyses
• Use the technology to solve spatial problems. Specifically you will be able to
  • Plan analyses for problems
  • Use ArcGIS tools to carry out analyses
  • Use the ArcGIS Modeler to GeoProcess analysis procedures
• Make effective maps
  • Apply basic cartographic principles

The main text for the course is the ESRI on-line course Learning ArcGIS Desktop . This course is supplied to you - you don't purchase it. The course is based on your carrying out the exercises in the ESRI course keeping careful notes on how things are done and then doing similar exercises I design that have NO hand holding -- in other words, you have to remember how you did things in the on-line exercise. It is suggested that you download and print each module of the course so that you end up with a book.

The recommended text for the course is Theobald, David M. 2007

To Contents

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Purpose, Goals, and Objectives

The purpose of this course is to develop competent and efficient vector GIS professionals in various disiplines fully capable of using the technology in their chosen fields.   A quality vector GIS professional is a lifelong learner who

• Understands the significance and relevance of vector GIS data
• Provides quality decision support
• Solves common vector GIS analysis problems
• Communicates vector GIS work effectively to non-GIS users
• Take on new and different vector GIS analysis problems willingly
• Works cooperatively with others
• Accepts and uses feedback to improve performance
• Adapts to the ever changing software environment. 

The goal of this course is to provide you the opportunity to develop and master these key competencies required for a quality vector GIS professional through the following course objectives. You will be able to

• Define and describe vector GIS terminology, jargon, and concepts
• Understand the significance and effects of error in data and in processing
• Apply vector GIS techniques to analysis, planning, and management
• Asses the use of vector GIS techniques and software in problem solving
• Communicate the results of analysis to non-GIS people

We will address these objectives using readings, lectures, discussion, lab time, quizzes, exercises, a notebook, and a final project, to complete the following tasks at least three times during the semester. 

• Data conversion and digitizing -- accurately converting geographic data to digital data (coverages, shapefiles, geodatabases)
• Editing -- Creating data and finding and correcting errors in digital data
• Attributing -- editing databases to input relevant information about the features in the digital data
• Projecting -- converting coverages from one system of spatial reference to another
• Analyzing -- performing various types of overlay analysis and database queries
• Map Composing -- producing maps using elementary map composition techniques
• Communicating -- writing memos summarizing objectives, process used, and discussing results

This course uses lectures, demonstrations, readings, laboratory assignments, on-line ESRI GIS courses, and software "help" to provide the information, methods, and feedback needed to meet the objectives above. The lectures, laboratory times, and office hours are your opportunity to ask questions, discuss material and receive feedback from the instructors. Your participation at these designated times is strongly encouraged. Our responsibility is to facilitate the growth of your learning skills and vector GIS competencies through this process, but it is up to you to get the most from this course.

Your performance will be assessed and evaluated using in class quizzes, on-line course quizzes, a notebook recording your notes re using the software, lab exercises, in-class exercises, and a final project.

The requirements for this course are:

The table below lists the value of the various graded elements of the course

Exercises and Assignments	50%
ESRI on-line course quizzes	15%	You get the grade on the quiz.
Final problem or Project.	10%	Grad Students must present to class
Notebook.	10%
Quizzes.	10%	Worst quiz thrown out
Class participation	5%	Based on your participation in class - comments, questions, etc.
Total.	100%

Evaluation tools:

• Quizzes: There are two forms of quizzes:
  1. Class quizzes are designed to test your retention of important facts, jargon, and processes and are generally based on the reading or other assignments for the day of the quiz -- but may cover earlier material. Since anyone can have a bad day your worst quiz will be discarded.
  2. Each module of the ESRI on-line courses ends with a quiz. You can take them several times so there is no reason not to get a 10/10!. You submit these quizzes by sending a copy of your ESRI transcript to the special email address MODS557@rousmail.esf.edu. What you submit is a copy of the PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION of your current ESRI Transcript. PAST IT INTO THE EMAIL!
• Exercises: The exercises are designed to teach you the basics of vector GIS data acquisition, management, processing, and results presentation. There are several kinds of exercises:
  1. For the first part of the course you will complete the ESRI module exercises and the 357/557 exercises that I give you that re-enforce what you learned in the module.The 557 versions of the Class exercises will be more difficult.
  2. In the second part, the last three weeks or so, you solve problems without any hand-holding.
• Notebooks: A record of what you were doing and thinking during the course. It is turned in at mid semester and at the end of the course.(Notebook defined)
• Project: The final project can be a project of your choice that we approve OR one of the course's canned projects.(Project defined) Grad students are strongly encouraged to develop their own project.

Due Dates

557 Exercises are due in class on the date specified on the course schedule!

Late and missing work:

There is a lot of grading that has to be done in this course and for that reason weI do not, except under extraordinary conditions, accept late laboratory exercises. Period! It is just too time consuming to go back and try to grade old material. 

If you know you are not going to able to complete work by the due date discuss this with me -- I am easy to get along with if I know what is going on. 

Resubmission of work:

If you have made mistakes in the solution of an exercises problem I will allow you to resubmit the work if you have received a score of less than 80%.  This will usually be because you made a mistake early in the analysis procedure and as a result the entire analysis is incorrect.  On your report I will indicate if you should consider resubmission. The choice is up to you.  You have two weeks from the date I return the report to resubmit it. You can regain 80% of the points lost through resubmission. The original report must be attached to your corrections!!!

Obviously if you know you are not going to be able the submit an assignment on time you should submit what you have done and count on a resubmit - you lose only something less than 80% that way.

There is a good reason for keeping some form of Notebook -- First, the software you will be using is very complex and there are many buried menu choices and check boxes to remember. So use the "notebook" to keep an organized list of instructions for accomplishing various tasks. The Theobald text has a lot of this stuff in it so you can reference pages/sections in the book also. Doing this will make your life much less frustrating by reducing the time you spend trying to remember how to do some simple task -- simple if you could remember where the %$# check box was hidden! Secondly, the Additional exercises we give you each week are NOT cookbook and the time spent doing some planning before sitting down in front of the computer will actually save you time!

Logbook/Notebook defined :There are several versions of the "notebook" If you purchased Theobald's text you can can keep notes righth in the book. Another solution is to actually keep a loseleaf notebook with you while at the computer and keep notes in it. Another version of this is to keep notes on 3x5 cards so you can easily organize the notes. A third option is to use software like OneNote (Microsoft) to keep the notes. This will really work only if you are doing the course work on our own machine since you can't put OneNote on campus mzchines. Grading of the notebooks is based on completeness and organization.

Students who have kept good notebooks and then gotten GIS jobs have told me that the notebook was immensely valuable!

Those who fail to plan, plan to fail!

participant.

Body of the Reports

Sometimes lab(exercise) reports will be a form you fill in. However, usually the exercise will be stated as a letter from a client or memo from a supervisor. In this case you must respond with a letter or memo as appropriate. People in business usually want to know the results right up front in the memo or letter. Since they have specified the problem you don't need to go into detail describing it. And much of the detail can go into an appendix to the report. The memo to your supervisor or the letter to the Agency/Person requesting the analysis should have the following characteristics:

1. Memo or letter format as appropriate
2. Correct spelling and grammar
3. Introductory paragraph outlining content
4. Brief statement of Problem/Objectives/Criteria (depends on exercise). Remember that I KNOW what the problem is about.aaaa
5. Brief statement of Results/Answers/Recommendations/ etc. including appropriate maps and tables
6. Appendix containing
   • Process of problem solution based on a spatial model or outline of procedures used.
   • Any output (tables, maps, etc.) not included in body of document

For an example of a memo or letter format click below

• Memo
• Letter.

Maps

Maps produced for this course, once your are informed that this grading rubric is in use, must have the following components. The percent that each of these map components contributes to the map grade is listed after the description.

1. Graphic Map (50%)
   • Map has a border or some other method that defines the map (10%)
   • White space is acceptable (5%)
   • Map is balanced (5%)
   • Use of color is acceptable (5%)
   • Objects (N arrow, legend, etc.) are of appropriate size (10%)
   • Neatlines are used to organize map (or not, as needed) (5%)
   • Map is graphically good (10%)
2. Title (brief and descriptive) (5%)
3. Legend (of features of concern that actually appear in the map) where appropriate (20%)
4. Tables and Graphics, if appropriate
5. Scale Bar (10%)
6. North Arrow (10%)
7. Credits (your name, date, etc.) You should also consider your choice of symbolization and balance to communicate this information. (5%)

Spatial Models:

In some reports, particularly near the end of the course, you will have to use a graphic of your processing steps. In ArcGis 9 this is very easy since you can just include the graphic produced by the Modeler and no further description of a model is really needed. The graphic is, however produced, a series of interconnected boxes which represent functions or data. More later.

The final Project:

For undergrads the final project can be either one of the course defined projects (These will probably change since the course is very different from last year) or a project of the student's design approved by me. Grad student projects must be of their own design and be approved by me. The project may be used as a project for another course if the instructor of the other course agrees. Graduate Students are strongly encouraged to define a problem relating to their field of study or, better yet, their thesis work. A trial application of the technology to a problem in their research area is perfect!

The course defined final projects take you through most of the processes taught in the course and represent the third time you have done GIS processing. The projects have NO hand-holding. Some may be done in teams of 2.

Graduate students must present their projects to the class at the end of the course. All students in the class MUST attend the presentations -- it counts!