GEOG 3160: Introduction to GIS Modeling

University of Denver, Geography Department

Winter term, 2001 -- Thursdays 6:00pm - 8:50pm

 

Instructor:  Joseph K. Berry, Room 108 Boettcher West, campus phone 871-7531

                         On-Campus email: jkberry@du.edu

          Off-campus email: jberry@innovativegis.com;

       Off-campus website: http://www.innovativegis.com/basis

 

Office hours:  Open door on campus, 10:00-12:00am, Fridays

                            By appointment on campus, 1:00-5:00pm, Fridays

                               By phone off-campus, 970-215-0825, business hours Monday-Wednesday

 By email, anytime

 

Required and Optional materials:    

 

ü        MapCalc Learner CD including MapCalc and Surfer tutorial software (provided by instructor).

ü        Online course materials including lecture notes, exercises and readings at…

http://dev.pacificmeridian.com/basis/GMcourse_01/Default.htm.

ü        Optional hardcopy versions of texts: Joseph K. Berry, 1993, Beyond Mapping (Wiley) and Joseph K. Berry, 1995, Spatial Reasoning (Wiley) can be ordered at…

http://catalog2.wiley.com/catalog/frameset/1,1783,,00.html (select “Search” and enter “Berry” as the author). 

A hardcopy version of Joseph K. Berry, Map Analysis (in preparation) is available for photocopy.

 

Course Description:

Most traditional applications of GIS technology focus on mapping and management aspects of spatial databases to automate existing business processes.  Spatial reasoning skills beyond manual map processing references provide opportunities to address complex spatial issues in entirely new ways.  GIS professionals need an understanding of spatial analysis capabilities and modeling techniques to fully capitalize on the tremendous investments made in GIS databases.

 

This course focuses on the concepts and procedures used in discovering and applying relationships within and among maps.  It extends the mapping and geo-query capabilities of GIS to map analysis and construction of spatial models.  The course establishes a comprehensive framework that addresses a wide range of applications from natural resources to retail marketing.  Topics include the nature of spatial data, introduction to spatial statistics, and surface modeling in the first five weeks followed by spatial analysis operations and modeling techniques in the second five weeks.  The lectures, discussions and independent exercises provide a foundation for creative application of GIS technology in spatial reasoning and decision-making.

 

Course Objectives:

Students will develop spatial reasoning skills necessary in flowcharting and implementing GIS solutions.  Understanding grid-based analytical operations and fundamental approaches used in descriptive, predictive and prescriptive mapping extends existing courses in data encoding, management and software usage.  Students who are most successful in this course will be able to demonstrate:

ü        an understanding of the differences between data processing in discrete and continuous space

ü        an awareness of spatial dependency within and among mapped data and its effect on map analysis

ü        a working knowledge of basic spatial interpolation and statistics procedures

ü        a working knowledge of grid-based spatial analysis operations to include visual analysis, effective distance, optimal path density, terrain analysis, contextual summaries and edge/shape/pattern characterization, and

ü        an ability to flowchart and implement GIS models.

 

Prerequisites:

An introductory course in GIS, or instructor permission is required for enrollment.  Familiarity with basic statistical concepts is recommended.

 

Course Format:

The class meets once a week for three hours.  Class meetings involve lecture, discussion and real-time demonstrations of concepts in spatial statistics, spatial analysis and GIS modeling using MapCalc and Surfer software.  Students will complete homework exercises (approximately four hours per week) outside of class using lab facilities or software installed on student's personal computer.  The operations used in the exercises are cross-referenced to the ArcInfo Grid and A5rc View Spatial Analyst commercial systems.  Students are expected to remain current on reading assignments (approximately two hours per week) and be prepared to contribute to class discussions.

 

Method of Evaluation:

Grades for the course will be determined as follows:

 

Attendance and Participation (10 classes worth 10 points each)

100

Homework Exercises (9 assignments worth 50 points each)

450

Midterm Exam (week 5)

100

Final Exam

200

Total Points

850

 

Points earned are cumulative and translate into a letter grade according to the following scale:

A 93-100%, A- 90-92%, B+ 87-89%, B 83-86%, B- 80-82%, C+ 77-79%, C 73-76%, C- 70-72%,

D+ 67-69%, D 63-66%, D- 60-62%, F 0-59%

 

Policies and Expectations:

Students are expected to attend class regularly.  Class lectures, discussion and demonstrations are an important part of the course that is difficult to reconstruct.  Excused absences include illness, death in the family or participation in a DU sanctioned event (note: club sports and activities are not official DU events and doctor appoints should not be scheduled during class time).  If you must miss class, please notify me prior to the class meeting so we can make arrangements for make up of the material missed.

 

Students may review their current grade at anytime during office hours.  Late homework assignments receive a maximum possible of 15 points (40% penalty) if turned in prior to the next class meeting and will not be accepted (0 points) if more than one week late.  There are no make-up exams excepted for excused absences with prior notification (see above).

 

Topics and Schedule: 

 

GEOG 3160 GIS Modeling  --  Syllabus

Week

Topic

Exercise

Reading*

1

Jan 4

Maps as Data:  GIS mapping, management and modeling; Discrete (map objects) vs. continuous (map surfaces); Linking data and geographic distributions; Framework for map-ematical processing

#1- Dissecting a suitability model (MapCalc)

BM- Intro, T#1, Epilog

SR- T#6

2

Jan 11

Spatial Analysis Operations:  Map data types and their implications; Contouring implications; Characterizing size, shape, pattern and arrangement

#2- Examples of spatial analysis (MapCalc)

SR- T#7

MA- T#9

3

Jan 18

Reclassifying and Overlaying Data Layers:  Point, region and map-wide overlay; Grid math; Spatial coincidence statistics; Comparing maps; Error propagation

#3- Reclassifying and Overlaying maps (MapCalc)

BM- T#6, T#7

SR- T#4

4

Jan 25

 

Measuring Distance and Connectivity:  Simple vs. weighted distance; Proximity and movement; Accumulation surfaces; Identifying optimal path(s); Viewsheds and visual exposure surfaces; Narrowness surfaces

#4- Distance and connectivity (MapCalc)

BM- T#2

MA- T#5, T#6, T#13, T#14, T#15

5

Feb 1

Summarizing Spatial Context:  calculating slope, aspect and profile maps; Applying spatial differentiation and integration; "Roving window" summary operations; Characterizing edges and complexity

*** EXAM1 -- covers week 1-4 material ***

#5- Neighborhood analysis (MapCalc)

BM- T#3, T#5, T#9

 

6

Feb 8

GIS Modeling Procedures: Deductive vs. inductive reasoning; Flowcharting spatial problems

#6- Implementing a suitability model (MapCalc)

BM- T#10

SR- T#1, T#5, T#8

MA- T#1, T#4, T#11

7

Feb 15

Surface Modeling:  Spatial dependency, autocorrelation and variogram; Spatial interpolation (IDW, Kriging and MinCurve); Assessing interpolation results

#7- Spatial interpolation (Surfer)

BM- T#4

SR- T#2

MA- T#2

8

Feb 22

Spatial Statistics (Descriptive):  Sampling design; Basic statistics and its GIS expression; Normalizing maps; Generating a standard normal variable map; Mapping spatial dependency

#8- Basic spatial statistics (Surfer)

MA- T#3, T#7

9

Mar 1

Spatial Statistics (Predictive):  Linking numeric and geographic patterns; Viewing scatterplots; Clustering mapped data; Investigating map correlation; Developing prediction models; Assessing prediction results

#9- More on spatial statistics (Surfer, MapCalc and Excel)

SR- T#10

MA- T#8, T#10, T#16

10

Mar 8

Future Directions:  Dynamic map pedigree; Toward a humane GIS; GIS software's changing roles; Evolving the GIS mindset; Is technology ahead of science?

None

BM- T#8

SR- Intro, T#3, T#9, Epilog

MA- Intro, Epilog, T#12

 

*** FINAL -- covers weeks 1-10 material ***

 

 

 

*The readings are from books the instructor has written--

 

It is intended to include all of the readings and other course materials on a CD for electronic viewing.  Hardcopy versions of the BM and SR texts can be ordered at http://catalog2.wiley.com/catalog/frameset/1,1783,,00.html (select search and enter Berry as the author).  Hard copy version of MA is available in photocopy form.  Multiple copies of all reference materials will be available for checkout with the Geography Department.  The following is a list of the titles for the assigned reading topics:

 

BM Intro -               An Overview of Basic GIS Terminology and Organizational Structure

Topic #1 -                Maps As Data and Data Structure Implications

Topic #2 -                Measuring Effective Distance and Connectivity

Topic #3 -                Roving Windows: Assessment of Neighborhood Characteristics

Topic #4 -                What GIS Is (And Isn't): Spatial Data Mapping, Management, Modeling and More

Topic #5 -                Assessing Variability, Shape and Pattern of Map Features

Topic #6 -                Overlaying Maps and Characterizing Error Propagation

Topic #7 -                Overlaying Maps and Summarizing the Results

Topic #8 -                Scoping GIS: What to Consider

Topic #9 -                Slope, Distance and Connectivity: Their Algorithms

Topic #10 -             Cartographic and Spatial Modeling

BM Epilog -           From Where is What, to So What: A Brief History and Probable Future of GIS Technology

 

SR Intro -                 Where Is GIS: Driving Forces, Trends and Forecasts

Topic #1 -                Understanding GIS: High Technology for Mid-Level Management

Topic #2 -                From Field Samples to Mapped Data: Assessing Geographic Distributions

Topic #3 -                Implementing GIS: Considerations, Contingencies and Confusion

Topic #4 -                Toward An Honest GIS: Practical Approaches to Mapping Uncertainty

Topic #5 -                A Framework for Map Analysis: Essential Concepts and Practical Expressions

Topic #6 -                Alternative Data Structures: Options Beyond Raster and Vector

Topic #7 -                Organizing the Map Analysis Toolbox: Fundamental Components and Considerations

Topic #8 -                The Anatomy of a GIS Model: Some Case Studies

Topic #9 -                Putting GIS in the Hands of People: Considerations and Components of a Field Unit

Topic #10 -             A Futuristic GIS: Some Examples of Advanced Analytical Procedures

SR Epilog -             GIS's Wildcard: The Human Factor in GIS Technology

 

MA Intro--               GIS Software’s Changing Roles

Topic #1 -                Object-Oriented Technology and Its GIS Expressions

Topic #2 -                Assessing Interpolation Results through Residual Analysis

Topic #3 -                Considerations in Sampling Design

Topic #4 -                Where Is GIS Education?

Topic #5 -                Analyzing Accumulation Surfaces

Topic #6 -                Analyzing In-Store Shopping Patterns

Topic #7 -                Linking Data Space and Geographic Space

Topic #8 -                Investigating Spatial Dependency

Topic #9 -                Analyzing Landscape Patterns

Topic #10 -             Applying Data Mining Techniques to Map Analysis

Topic #11 -             Characterizing Micro-Terrain Features

Topic #12 -             Landscape Visualization

Topic #13 -             Creating Variable-Width Buffers

Topic #14 -             Deriving and Using Travel-Time Maps

Topic #15 -             Deriving and Using Visual Exposure Maps

Topic #16 -             Characterizing Data Patterns and Relationships

MA Epilog-             Technical and Cultural Shifts in the GIS Paradigm