Department of Geography
GEOG 373
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS)
Winter 2008 Syllabus
Instructor: Allen
D. Roberts
Phone: (Given
in class)
E-Mail: allenr@.umd.edu
Office Hours: Francis
Scott Key Hall, Room 126, Monday-Thursday 4:00-4:30 P.M. and by appointment as
necessary.
Lecture Times/ Room: Monday-Thursday,
5:00-9:00 P.M.; Francis Scott Key Hall, Room 126
Prerequisites: There are no
prerequisites for this course.
Required Textbooks: Theory: Geographical Information Systems: An Introduction
(Paperback),
2007 by Julie Delaney and Kimberly Van Niel. (214 pages)
Lab: Getting to Know ArcGIS
Desktop: The Basics of ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo Updated for ArcGIS 9
(Getting to Know series) (Paperback), 2004 by Robert Burke,
Eileen
Napoleon, Tim Ormsby.
(550 pages)
Catalog Course Description: Characteristics
and organization of geographic data; creation and use of digital geospatial
databases; metadata; spatial data models for thematic mapping and map analysis;
use of geographic information system in society, government, and business.
Practical training with use of advanced software and geographic databases.
Attendance and Participation: You are expected to attend and
participate in all lectures, and attendance will be checked on a
regular interval. Please check your schedule now and be sure you can be in
regular attendance in this class. If not, find another course. Exam questions will reflect not only the text
and readings but lecture material unavailable elsewhere. It is important to do
assigned readings and lab exercises before class and come prepared to
take notes.
Grading: Your course grade will be
based on the elements listed below.
Examination dates will be listed later on the attached class schedule. If an adjustment of these dates is necessary,
it will be announced in class.
|
Grading |
Percentages |
Point Awarded |
|
Attendance and
Participation |
20% |
270 |
|
Lab Exercises (Textbook) |
20% |
270 |
|
Mid-term Exam |
20% |
270 |
|
Real World Practice
Exercises |
20% |
270 |
|
Final Exam |
20% |
270 |
|
Totals |
100% |
1350 |
Missing
an exam is a very serious matter. If an exam is missed, immediately contact me by e-mail explaining the circumstances,
and be ready to provide a documented
excuse for your absence, as per university guidelines.
Students with Special Needs:
If you have
a documented physical or learning disability, please contact me as soon as
possible so that we can make appropriate accommodations
Academic Integrity
Expectations: You
are bound by the University Code of
Academic Integrity. It states, "Academic dishonesty is a serious
offense which may result in suspension or expulsion from the University."
The code prohibits students from cheating on exams, plagiarizing papers,
submitting the same paper for credit in two courses without authorization,
buying papers, submitting fraudulent documents, and forging signatures.
The University
has implemented an Honor Pledge. We have been asked to include the
following language in each syllabus:
The
University has a nationally recognized Honor Code, administered by the Student
Honor Council. The Student Honor Council proposed and the University Senate
approved an Honor Pledge. The
“I pledge on
my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this
assignment/examination.”
Methods and Resources of
Instruction: This
course is taught in a lecture-discussion format that includes the opportunity
for considerable student-instructor interaction.
Office Hours: The office hours serve a
vital function for both student and instructor, but they are only beneficial
when utilized. Do not wait until exam
time or other due dates to bring in your problems. If you need help, ask for it as the class
progresses, and every effort will be made to assist you.
Class
Schedule: On
the following pages is a provisional schedule of class topics, outside
assignment submissions, and exams. The
schedule is subject to change due to class cancellations and other unforeseen
circumstances. Topic coverage may
sometimes overlap adjacent class dates. All schedule changes will be announced in
class.
PROVISIONAL SCHEDULE OF
TOPICS, ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION DATES, AND EXAMS
|
Date |
Topic(s) |
Theory
Readings (Delaney
and Van Niel, 2000) (Try to
always read the assigned material before beginning of each class) |
Lab
Assignments (Burke et.
al., 2004) (Please
complete before start of each class and hand in assignments, ex 3a, 3b, 3c, 4a,
4b, etc. Thus, staple and bring in
each map for all, ex. 3a, 3b…etc) |
|
Wednesday, January 2nd |
·
Class Introduction
and Overview |
Buy the book (if you
have not already done so) |
Buy the book (if you
have not already done so) |
|
Thursday, January 3rd |
·
The Gist of GIS ·
Data ·
Lab Discussions
of Intro (Ch. 1-2) ·
Lab Discussions
of the Exercises (Ch. 3-4) |
Ch 1. The Gist of GIS Ch 2. Data |
Ch 1. and 2. (just read) Ch 3. Exploring ArcMap Ch 4. Exploring
ArcCatalog |
|
Monday, January 7th |
·
Data Input ·
Data Editing ·
Lab Discussions
of the Exercises (Ch. 5-8) |
Ch 3. Data Input Ch.4. Data Editing |
Ch 5. Symbolizing
Features and Rasters Ch 6. Classifying
Features and Rasters Ch 7. Labeling Features Ch 8. Querying Data. |
|
Tuesday, January 8th |
·
The G in GIS ·
Data Output ·
Lab Discussions
of the Exercises (Ch. 9-11) |
Ch 5. The G in GIS Ch.6. Data Output |
Ch 9. Joins and Relating
Tables Ch 10. Selecting
Features by Location Ch 11. Preparing Data for Analysis |
|
Wednesday, January 9th |
·
Data Management ·
Elementary GIS
Tools ·
Lab Discussions
of the Exercises (Ch. 12-14) ·
Midterm Exam Preparation
(Delaney and Van Niel, Ch. 1-8 and Burke et al., Ch. 1-14) |
Ch 7. Data Management Ch 8. Elementary GIS Tools |
Ch 12. Analyzing Spatial Data Ch 13. Projecting Data in Arc Map Ch 14. Building Geodatabases |
|
Thursday, January 10th |
·
Midterm Examination |
None |
None |
|
Monday, January 14th |
·
Vector
Geoprocessing Tools ·
Raster
Geoprocessing Tools ·
Lab Discussions
of the Exercises (Ch. 15-17) ·
Midterm Returned |
Ch 9. Vector Geoprocessing
Tools Ch 10. Raster Geoprocessing
Tools |
Ch 15. Creating Features Ch 16. Editing Features
and Attributes Ch 17. Geocoding
Addresses |
|
Tuesday, January 15th |
·
Proximity and
Network Analyses ·
Surface Analyses ·
Lab Discussions
of the Exercises (Ch. 18-20) |
Ch 11. Proximity and
Network Analyses Ch 12. Surface Analyses |
Ch 18. Making Maps
Quickly Ch 19. Making Maps for
Presentations Ch 20. Modeling |
|
Wednesday January 16th |
·
Spatial Modeling ·
Error Evaluation
and Tracking ·
Spatial
Directions ·
Lab Discussions
of your Practice GIS Assignment #1 |
Ch 13. Spatial Modeling Ch 14. Error Evaluation
and Tracking Ch. 15. Spatial Directions |
Practice GIS Assignment
#1 (I will give the data within a file to you) |
|
Thursday January 17th |
·
Lab Discussions
of your Practice GIS Assignment #2 |
None |
Practice GIS Assignment
#2 (I will give the data within a file to you) |
|
Monday January 21st |
·
Lab Discussions
of your Practice GIS Assignment #3 ·
Final Exam
Preparation (Delaney, Ch. 9-15 and Burke et al., Ch. 15-20) |
None |
Practice GIS Assignment
#3 (I will give the data within a file to you) |
|
Tuesday, January 22nd |
·
Final Examination |
None |
None |