GEOG 4550 - Advanced GIS

Fall 2006, Wed 6:00 PM - 8:50 PM, EESAT 125

Instructor:

Office:

E-mail:

Phone:

Office Hours:

 

 Pinliang Dong

 EESAT 310B

 pdong@unt.edu

 (940) 565-2377

 Wed 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM, Thu 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

 (or by appointment)

Teaching Assistant:

Office:

E-mail:

Office Hours:

 Michael Wilson

 EESAT 235

 mrw0113@yahoo.com

 Tue 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM

 

   Prerequisites

   GEOG 4500 "Introduction to GIS" and GEOG 4520 "Intermediate GIS" (or consent of department).

   Objectives

This course is built on GEOG 4500 "Introduction to GIS" and GEOG 4520 "Intermediate GIS". Some advanced GIS topics are introduced through a combination of lectures, hands-on exercises, ESRI Virtual Campus Tutorials, and individual projects. The course objectives are the following:

(1) Learn about the new features of ArcGIS and general practices of GIS project design;

(2) Develop a deeper understanding of raster/vector data structure and manipulation;

(3)  Learn how to create, edit, and manage geodatabases;

(4) Design geoprocessing models using ModelBuilder to solve application problems;

(5) Learn how to create Web-based GIS applications using ArcIMS;

(6) Learn about some advanced topics in spatial analysis.

Lab and Homework

Each class has an instruction session followed by an in-class lab session. Lab handouts and data are available at R:\CSAM\class\4550\Labs. Three individual homework assignments (10% each) will be turned in and marked. Late homework will be marked down 10% for every day late. Homework handouts and data are available at R:\CSAM\class\4550\Homework.

Required Online Tutorials                                                                                                       

(Passcodes will be provided in the class)

(1) ESRI Virtual Campus Tutorial: "Creating, Editing, and Managing Geodatabases for ArcGIS 9".

(Online test results due December 13)                                                                    

(2) ESRI Virtual Campus Tutorial: "Learning ArcIMS". (Online test results due December 13)

Schedule

Week

Date

Topics*

Assignments

1

08/30

What's New in ArcGIS?  

Explore project ideas and data. Review literature for your project.

2

09/06

GIS Project Design

Explore project ideas and data. Review literature for your project.

3

09/13

Vector Data Structure and Manipulation (Homework 1)

Explore project ideas and data. Work on Homework 1 (due 09/27). Work on your project plan. 

4

09/20

Raster Data Structure and Manipulation

Explore project ideas and data. Work on your project plan. 

5

09/27

Topology and Geometrical Operators

 

Submit Homework 1. Submit your project plan (3-5 pages, double-spaced); Modify your project plan if needed.

6

10/04

Building Geodatabases

Start working on geodatabase tutorial;   Online test results due 12/13. Work on your project. 

7

10/11

Designing Geoprocessing Models   (Homework 2)

Work on Homework 2 (due 11/01). Work on your tutorial and project.

8

 10/18 ArcIMS for Internet Mapping (1) Work on your tutorials and project. Start working on ArcIMS Tutorial.

9

10/25

ArcIMS for Internet Mapping (2)

Work on ArcIMS using your data. Work on your tutorials and project.

10

11/01

(Project Week)

Work on your project in the labs. The instructor will be there to help you.

Submit Homework 2. Work on your tutorials and project.

11

11/08

Uncertainty and Accuracy in GIS (Homework 3)

Work on Homework 3 (due 11/29). Work on your tutorial and project. Start working on final project report (15-40 double-spaced pages, due 12/13)

12

11/15

Scale and Spatial Heterogeneity in GIS

Work on your tutorials and project.

13

11/22

Integrated Applications of GIS, GPS and Remote Sensing

Work on your tutorials and project.

14

11/29

Application Sample: GIS/GPS and Emergency Response

Submit Homework 3. Work on your tutorials and project.

15

12/06

(Pre-Final Week) Wrap Up

 

Work on your tutorials and project.

16

12/13

(Final Week. No class. Finish your projects and online tests)

Submit Geodatabase online test results on or before 12/13; Submit ArcIMS online test results on or before 12/13. Submit final reports on or before Dec. 13 (15-40 pages, typed and double-spaced)

* Each class includes a 50-minute instruction session, followed by a 2-hour lab session.

Project

Students are required to complete individual projects in an area of GIS applications. The project should focus on a specific problem and geographic area. A project plan should be submitted on September 20 (3-5 pages, double-spaced). A student may need to modify his/her project plan based on feedback from the instructor. Project samples and a template for project report are available at R:\CSAM\class\4550\ProjectSamples. A final project report (15-30 pages, typed and double-spaced) should be submitted on or before December 13. Detailed requirements of the project will be distributed in class.   

Deliverables

(1)  Three homework assignments (refer to schedule for due dates);                                                    

(2)  One Project Plan (3-5 pages, typed and double-spaced. Due September 27);                               

(3)  Two ESRI online tutorial certificates (Geodatabase and ArcIMS. Due December 13);                 

(4)  One Final Project Report (15-30 pages, typed and double-spaced. Due December 13).  

Grading Structure

Three Homework Assignments (10% each)

45%

ESRI Geodatabase Online Test

15%

ESRI ArcIMS Online Test

15%

Project Report

25%

Total

100%

90-100: A; 80-89: B; 70-79: C; 60-69: D; 0-59: F

Reference Books

Digital versions of the following books are available in the folder R:\CSAM\class\4550\Readings. Please DO NOT print the books in the CSAM labs.

(1) Zeiler, M. 1999. Modeling Our World: The ESRI Guide to Geodatabase Design. ESRI. ISBN 1-879102-625.                                                                                                                               

(2) MacDonald, A. 2001. Building a Geodatabase. ESRI. ISBN 1-879102-99-4.

Statement on Cheating and Plagiarism

Students caught cheating or plagiarizing will receive a "0" for that particular assignment or exam.  Additionally, the incident will be reported to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities for further penalty.  According to the UNT catalog, the term "cheating" includes, but is not limited to:

  1. Use of any unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations;
  2. Dependence upon the aid of sources beyond those authorized by the instructor in writing papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out other assignments;
  3. The acquisition, without permission, of tests or other academic material belonging to a faculty or staff member of the university;
  4. Dual submission of a paper or project, or resubmission of a paper or project to a different class without express permission from the instructor(s); or
  5. Any other act designed to give a student an unfair advantage.

The term "plagiarism" includes, but is not limited to:

  1. The knowing or negligent use by paraphrase or direct quotation of the published or unpublished work of another person without full and clear acknowledgment; and
  2. The knowing or negligent unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the selling of term papers or other academic materials.

Accommodations

The Department of Geography, in cooperation with the Office of Disability Accommodation, complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act in making reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. Please present your written accommodation request before the 12th class day.