Thinking about GIS applications and your projects

Today

Introductions

Course web site resources and logistics

Lessons from the tutorial

GIS application areas based on your field of interest

Project topics assignment

Literature search tips and hands-on

Introductions

Name

General area of interest

Course web site resources

Student work zone

How to create your own workspace and post assignments

ArcGIS Basics tutorial

What to turn in next Tuesday…a map with:

Title Main map Inset locator map Legend Scale North Arrow Your name and date

Lessons from the tutorial

Data comes from different sources at different scales

May be free or not, may be advertised or not, may be private, shared or not shared…

Examples you know about?

Lessons from the tutorial

Start thinking about data you might need: Scale / resolution Attribute information Geographic extent Likely source

Lessons from the tutorial

Tabular data (e.g., Excel, Access, PDF tables) can be mapped if they have a geographic identifier (a “geocode”)

Country name or abbreviation

Province

City

Latitude / longitude coordinates

Census codes

Country code example

Census code example - Kolkata

PDF example – North Korea census

Latitude / Longitude example – Tsunami historical data

Lessons from the tutorial

Data management

Folder structure

Maintaining enough file space – get rid of old files

There’s are tip sheets for:

data management

Connecting to a personal GIS space (H:)

GIS applications of interest to you What have you found or heard about?

Issues or questions addressed?

Types of data?

Did they have to create new data?

Primarily mapping or more advanced analysis?

Literature Search Tips

Google Scholar for an initial pass

“Get this item at Tufts”

Tufts Library databases Peer-reviewed articles

Citations

References

Literature Search Tips

Search terms to add to your interest list:

GIS (confusion with GIs)

“Geographic information”

Spatial

Geographic

Review or Meta-analysis or Lessons (to find articles that are reviews of “what we know”

Set time period as needed (e.g., 2005 or later)

Literature Search Tips – Analysis Terms

Suitability Siting Site suitability Pattern Cluster

Vulnerability Proximity Prioritize Accessibility or

access

Literature Search Tips

Region / country of interest But don’t use first – by being geographically broad

you may find good examples from other regions

Other search terms – more specific Human security

Crisis Livelihood Conflict Health Infrastructure

Other search terms – more specific International Environment and Resources

Trans-boundary Land use Land conversion Climate Energy Water Forest Agriculture

Other search terms – more specific Development economics

Poverty Development Rural Urban Growth Agriculture Livelihood Econometric

Other search terms – more specific International Security

Sectarian Ethnic Religious Conflict Humanitarian Relief Peace Intelligence

Hands on – quick literature search

Test out terms / databases and see what you find

Report back – useful terms, approaches, databases

What to look for in articles

Data

Methods

Limitations

References / Citations

Contact information