Dr. Micha Pazner: Thu 3:30–5:30pm. Room SSC 1416
tel: 661-2111 x84501
e-mail: pazner@julian.uwo.ca
Neil Ripley: SSC 2410a
email: nripley@julian.uwo.ca
Gabor Zsigovics: SSC 2310
email: gzsigovi@julian.uwo.ca
Calendar Description : Fundamental concepts, geographic information representation and spatial data entry. Basic spatial analysis, cartography and remote sensing. Hands-on practice with a GIS system.
Prerequisite: Geography 020.
2 lecture hours, 2 laboratory hours, half course.
REQUIRED:
(1) Course Textbook: Keith C. Clarke, Getting Started with Geographic Information Systems, 2nd. Ed, New Jersey, Prentice Hall, 1999 ("Starting GIS: "). [$97.-]
(2) At least one (two recommended) regular Zip disks. Buy Mac Formatted disks, or reformat PC Zips the GIS Lab. DoNOT use Zip disk in the Lab unless they are Mac fomatted. Note that after the course is over, you can refomat them as PC disks.
OPTIONAL Lab Manuals (With the most recommended is listed first)
(1) M•F – Module Reference, Macintosh Version, ThinkSpace Inc., 1999. (approx. $30.-)
(2) M•F – User’s Guide, Macintosh Version,ThinkSpace Inc., 1999. (approx. $35.-)
(3) M•F – User’s Tutorial , Macintosh Version,ThinkSpace Inc., 1999. (approx. $35.-)
EVALUATION:
35% Five (5) Assignments – (each worth 7%)
25% Midterm Test
40% Final Examination
Assignments will be given and collected (ie. due) at the labs, and marked by the TA. Please note that the midterm and final will provide the opportunity to reap points based on lab and assignment work. When one takes these additional exams points into account, the actual worth of the assignments is higher than it appears.
Late assignments may not be accepted. When a late submission is accepted points will normally be taken off–the penalty being proportional to time elapsed.
Note: Do not commit scholastic offenses, eg. plagiarism (cf. Western Calendar).
INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:
As a result of the Course on Introduction to Geographic Information Systems, students will be able to:
Use the M•F raster GIS software for solving the assignments.
Demonstrate understanding of a set of geographic image processing operations by answering questions, and be able to apply these operations to solving assigned problems.
Devise and organize rudimentary models for solving assigned problems.
Script basic abstract models as actual/precise procedures involving M•F operations.
Develop additional hands-on skills using ancillary software, including, system, word processor, and drawing software to present the answers to questions in the assignments.
Create reasonably aesthetic graphic designs for presenting the results of the assignments.
Create a simple graphic summary, in the form of a flowchart, of the solution to an assignment question.
Accompany the quantitative and visual assignment results with a brief narrative containing lucid explanation and commentary.
Provide accurate definitions of key GIS concepts mentioned in class and in the text.
Explain or relate, in short answer or in a mini-essay mode, GIS concepts presented in the class or text.
Summarize and comment on a main lecture or text topic in an essay that may include examples and diagrams.
Provide a written initial assessment of the value of a given set of geographic data, image processing tools, transformation techniques, or GIS application.
TOPICS
The following is an outline of the topics touched on in this course. Note that some of these topics will only be covered through the assigned readings.
Fundamental concepts
Geographic information representation
Spatial data entry
Spatial analysis
Remote sensing
OVERALL SCHEDULE
LECTURE: Course Outline; Introduction; Spatial Image Processing (SIP): Data
LECTURE: SIP Operations; Example from Basic Ops. II: Layer Superimposition (Cover); Basic Ops. I: Renumbering (Recode, Slice); A Brief Introduction to GIS
LAB: Demonstration of M•F (including Cover); Learning how to use a Macintosh; Learning how to display and manipulate maps and legends, Learning how to change map color, Assignment # 1, Learning how to use the editing tools; Learning Arithmetic Operators
ASSIGNMENT #1 Learning About M•F
ASSIGNED READING: Starting GIS: Chapter 1
LECTURE: Basic Ops.: Arithmetic (math operators, functions); Basic Measurement (Spread) Adjacency Assessment (Clump)
LAB: Assignment # 1, Reinforcing last week’s lab material, Basic Output Tips; Backing-Up your work
ASSIGNMENT #2: Basic Modeling: Basic Spatial Relations and Distance Modeling
ASSIGNED READING: Starting GIS: Chapter 2
LECTURE: Basic Ops II: Basic Logic – Set Overlay (Combine, Cross, AND, OR, NOT), Cartographic Visualization (Color, Layering, Layout)
LAB: Assignment # 2, Learning to use the Recode, Slice, Spread, and Clump operations, Count function
ASSIGNMENT #1 is DUE
ASSIGNMENT #3 : Basic Modeling: Logic Overlay
LECTURE: Digital Elevation Models (DEM); Terrain analysis and visualization
LAB: Assignment # 2 (cont.) , Assignment # 3, Learning to use Combine, Cross, AND, OR, NOT; Scripting;
ASSIGNED READING: Starting GIS: Chapter 3
LECTURE: MidTerm Exam Format; Intermediate Ops. in brief: Interpolation (Interpolate); Neighborhood Filtering (Scan and Filter),
LAB: More on Assignment # 3, Graphic Layout and Printing, Flowcharting
ASSIGNMENT #2 is DUE
ASSIGNED READING: Starting GIS: Chapters 7 and 4 (2 chapters)
Week of Monday February 21: * Conference Week Break *
Conference Week Break
* Study for MidTerm Test *
Week of Monday February 28: * Guest Lecture *
LECTURE: Guest Lecture by Prof. J. Wang
LAB: Assignment # 4
ASSIGNMENT #3 is DUE
ASSIGNMENT #4: Familiarization with the IDRISI system
* Study for MidTerm Test *
Week of Monday March 6: * MidTerm Test *
LECTURE: MidTerm Test; GIS 2000 Pre-Trip Organizational Meeting; GIS Reference Sources
LAB: Assignment # 4
ASSIGNMENT #5 (done in pairs): Terrain and Remote Sensing Image Processing
ASSIGNED READING: Starting GIS: Chapters 8 and 10 (2 chapters)
Week of Monday March 13: * Field trip: GIS 2000 Conference (Toronto) *
Field trip: GIS 2000 Conference (Toronto) – Participation is Optional
LECTURE: No Lecture
LAB: Assignment # 5; Multiple information layout;
LECTURE: MidTerm Solution Brief; Remote Sensing Data and Digital Image Processing
LAB: Assignment # 5; Q&A
ASSIGNMENT #4 is DUE
ASSIGNED READING: Starting GIS: Chapter 6
LECTURE: Final Exam Format; Intermediate Ops.: Zonal Transformation (Score); Textbook evaluation; Other Topics; Overview and Wrap-up
LAB: Q&A
ASSIGNED READING: Starting GIS: Chapter 9
Week of Monday April 4:
No Lecture
LAB: Q&A
ASSIGNMENT #5 is DUE
* Study for Final Exam *