ISMT E-150: Introduction to GIS (12917) - Fall 2016

(Last update: July 19, 2016)

Course lecutre time: Thursdays 5:30-7:30pm Eastern Time

Optional help sections: Tuesday, 7:00-8:00pm Eastern Time

Location (online): see latest update on http://extension.harvard.edu

Instructor: Dr. Wendy Guan, wguan@cga.harvard.edu

Teaching fellow: Mr. Giovanni Zambotti, gzambotti@cga.harvard.edu

Prerequisite: familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), online learning platform (Blackboard Collaborate, Adobe Connect) and Internet browsing

Credits: 4

 

Course Description

This course introduces the concepts and components of a geographic information system (GIS). It also teaches the essential skills of operating a functional GIS through the use of ArcGIS software package. By completing this course, students will understand the operational processes of spatial data acquisition, editing and QA/QC, metadata development, geodatabase design, spatial query and display, spatial analysis and modeling, preliminary GIS application development, cartographic mapping and dynamic visualization, and GIS implementation basics. Students will also be exposed to Google Earth and common open source GIS tools, as well as the basic concepts of remote sensing and Global Positioning System (GPS).

GIS technology has broad applications in natural and social sciences, humanities, environmental studies, engineering, and management. Examples include wildlife habitat study, urban and regional planning, contagious disease monitoring, agriculture and forestry, environmental quality assessment, emergency management, transportation planning, consumer and competitor analysis, and many more. This course will introduce a few selected cases of GIS application in different disciplines.

Textbook

Required: Getting to Know ArcGIS (4^th Edition) 

Authors: Michael Law, Amy Collins

Publisher: ESRI Press (July 2015, © 2015)

ISBN-13: 978-1589483828; ISBN-10: 1589483820

http://esripress.esri.com/display/index.cfm?fuseaction=display&websiteID=286&moduleID=0

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Know-ArcGIS-Michael-Law/dp/1589483820

 

Recommended: Geographic Information Systems and Science (4^th Edition)

Authors: Paul A. Longley, Michael F. Goodchild, David J. Maguire, David W. Rhind

Publisher: Wiley (March 2015, ©2016)

ISBN-13: 978-1118676950; ISBN-10: 1118676955

http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-EHEP003247.html

http://www.amazon.com/Geographic-Information-Science-Systems-Longley/dp/1118676955/

 

Course Schedule

Week	Date	Lecture	In-class Demo	Lab Assignment	Getting to Know... Chapters	GIS&S Chapters
1	9/1/2016	Lecture 1: Introduction, course overview, what is GIS	Demo 1: ArcGIS navigation, online help	Lab 1: ArcGIS basics, loading data, scales, navigation, online help	1, 2, 3, 4	1, 2
2	9/8/2016	Lecture 2: Cartographic principles and conventions	Demo 2: Map symbology customization	Lab 2: Making map	7, 9, 10	3, 12
3	9/15/2016	Lecture 3: Spatial data properties and structure	Demo 3: Joining spatial and tabular records, projection definition and conversion	Lab 3: Attribute query, joining and relating, projection	6, 15, 17	5, 8
4	9/22/2016	Lecture 4: Spatial data management, geodatabase basics	Demo 4: Vector data editing, geocoding	Lab 4: Create feature classes, vector data editing, geocoding	11, 12, 13, 14	10
5	9/29/2016	Lecture 5: Vector based spatial analysis	Demo 5: Different overlay analyses	Lab 5: Location query, overlay and adjacency analyses	8, 16, 18, 19	14
6	10/6/2016	Lecture 6: Raster based spatial analysis	Demo 6: Georeferencing	Lab 6: Map algebra, surface analysis, raster-vector conversion, geo-referencing	Supplementary 6A-6C	15
7	10/13/2016	Lecture 7: Spatial statistics and geo-statistics	Demo 7: Interpolation comparison	Lab 7: Spatial dependency, clustering, fragmentation, interpolation	Supplementary 7A-7C	4, 6
8	10/20/2016	Mid Term Exam	Final project requirements	Planning for final project
9	10/27/2016	Lecture 8: Data collection and data quality	Demo 8: Internet data searching, topology editing	Lab 8: collect data for final project, develop metadata		9
10	11/3/2016	Lecture 9: Network analysis	Demo 9: network routing	Lab 9: test, select and document analytical methods for final project. Project proposal due (500-1000 words)
11	11/10/2016	Lecture 10: GIS modeling and automation; web GIS and open source GIS	Demo 10: ModelBuilder	Lab 10: conduct analysis	5, 20, Appendix A	7, 11, 13, 16
12	11/17/2016	Lecture 11: Introduction to Global Positioning Systems	Demo 11: Creating spatial features from GPS data	Lab 11: explore visualization options, create visual outputs for final project. Data evaluation report due (500-1000 words)
	11/24/2016	No class	Thanksgiving	Break
13	12/1/2016	Lecture 12: Introduction to Remote Sensing	Demo 12: Multi-band image composition	Lab 12:  prepare final project presentation (PowerPoint, PDF or other visual aid, 8-10 minutes)
14	12/8/2016	Lecture 13: Geospatial applications and perspectives	Demo 13: ArcGIS Online, WorldMap	Lab 13: compose final project poster (42” x 36” in size, PDF file, < 350 words of descriptive text)		17, 18, 19, 20
15	12/15/2016	Project Oral Presentation	5:30-8:30pm	Final project poster due

Grading

Activity	Description		Weight	Due Date
Class Participation (15%)	attend 13 lectures, participate in class discussions, 1% each		13%	Every Thursday 5:30-7:30pm
	submit your grading for classmates' presentations		2%	Last week, Friday midnight
Lab Assignments (35%)	7 labs, 5% each (teaching fellow grade)		35%	Next Friday midnight
Mid-term Exam (20%)	in class, 1.5 hr, open book (teaching fellow grade)		20%	8th week, Thursday 5:30-7:00pm
Final Project (30%)	written proposal (instructor grade)		5%	10th week, Friday midnight
	written data evaluation report (instructor grade)		5%	12th week, Friday midnight
	in class oral presentation 15%	instructor grade	5%	Last week, Tuesday or Thursday 5:30-7:30pm
		teaching fellow grade	5%
		classmates grade average	5%
	final project poster (instructor grade)		5%	Last week, Sunday midnight
Total			100%

 

Note:

All times are in Eastern Time. Late submission penalty: 10% per day.

 

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