MapCalc Educational Materials

Student Resources

Welcome to the MapCalc Educational Materials for Students... software and resource materials for understanding grid-based map analysis. After installing the MapCalc^TM and Surfer^TM software you are encouraged to complete the Tutorials for both systems.

MapCalc will first introduce you to the fundamental concepts involved in grid display and data types. The experience is then extended to the analytical operations for spatial analysis and spatial statistics. The hands-on practice with the MapCalc Tutorial develops familiarity with the basic procedures used in grid-based processing. The MapCalc Manual and About MapCalc materials provide additional references in the use and application of the analytical operations. While the materials are designed to support academic workshops and courses, opportunities for self-instruction are limited only by your motivation and creativity.

Surfer will extend your spatial analysis/statistics experience to surface modeling. Hands-on experience with the Surfer Tutorial focuses on the concepts, considerations and procedures involved in spatial interpolation and surface plotting.

While there is some overlap in the capabilities of MapCalc and Surfer, the ability to easily exchange data between the two systems reinforces both the practical and conceptual integration of the three broad categories of grid-based processing-spatial analysis, spatial statistics and surface modeling. In addition, the combined environment provides for import/export of maps with the leading desktop mapping systems, such as ArcView and MapInfo.

The MapCalc Educational Materials for Students include

ü MapCalc Tutorial - contains seven lessons in grid map display, data types, analysis and GIS modeling

ü MapCalc Applications - describes the MapCalc software environment and presents numerous annotated examples of map analyses that can be executed using the tutorial databases

ü Surfer Tutorial - contains six lessons in surface modeling and display

ü About Surfer - describes the Surfer software environment and related products

ü GIS Concepts - contains a series of presentations on basic, analytical and modeling concepts as well as several applications

ü Map Analysis Text - an online document that discusses an array of GIS concepts, considerations and practices (a compilation of the Beyond Mapping columns appearing in GEOWorld from 1996 through 2000; additional books include Beyond Mapping (Berry, 1993; Wiley) and Spatial Reasoning (Berry, 1995; Wiley) compile the Beyond Mapping columns from 1989 through 1996), and

ü Precision Farming Primer - an online document that discusses the application of GIS technology to precision agriculture (a compilation of the GIS Toolbox columns appearing in @gInnovator from 1993 through 2000).

The MapCalc Educational Materials for Students includes several sets of resources developed by Joseph K. Berry ((c) Joseph K. Berry, 1990-2000). Much of the material was developed and originally presented at the University of Denver and the author greatly appreciates the opportunity to serve as the Keck Scholar in the Department of Geography.

You are free to use the materials for your own educational pursuits. If you use copies of the materials for professional presentations or papers, please reference as "(After Berry)" within any graphics and cite in the references section as "Berry, J.K., 2000. MapCalc Educational Materials, Red Hen Systems, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA".

As appropriate, cite the MapCalc Educational software as "MapCalc^TM Learner Version 2.0, Red Hen Systems, Inc., Fort Collins, Colorado, USA (www.redhensystems.com)" and the Surfer Tutorial software as "Surfer^TM Version 7.0 Demo, Golden, Colorado, USA (www.goldensoftware.com)."

The educational materials supporting MapCalc and Surfer are constantly being revised and you are encouraged to periodically visit www.redhensystems.com or www.innovativegis.com/basis for more information and current status. Questions and comments on contents concerning the educational materials should be directed to jberry@innovativegis.com. If you encounter a software difficulty please email a description of the problem to surfersupport@goldensoftware.com or support@redhensystems.com as appropriate.