Course Syllabus
GISC 6382 Applied GIS Spring 2007
GR3.602 Tues
http://www.utdallas.edu/~briggs/gisc6382 (note: WebCT is not used)
Professor Contact Information
Dr. Ronald Briggs
office: GR 3.212
briggs@utdallas.edu (I do not use WebCT for contact)
972-884-6877 (office)
(e-mail is preferred over phone contact) 972-345-6918 (cell, if urgent)
Office
hours: Tues/Th
TA
Information and Computer lab schedule available here
Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites,
and/or Other Restrictions
GISC
6381 GIS Fundamentals is a prerequisites,
and students will be expected to have competence in microcomputer use,
familiarity with MS Windows 95/98/2000/XP
(file management (directories, subdirectories, copying, etc), MS Word,
MS Excel and Internet usage.
Course Description
This course further develops hands-on skills
with industry-standard GIS software beyond the level acquired in GISC 6381
GIS Fundamentals, which is a pre-requisite for this course, for
application in a wide variety of areas including urban infrastructure
management, marketing and location analysis, environmental management, geologic
and geophysical analysis and the social sciences.
In particular, it aims to make the transition from GIS as a descriptive, data management tool to
GIS as an analytical research tool for drawing policy-relevant conclusions
from vector data. To a degree, it is a companion course to GISC 6384 Spatial
Analysis which focuses on raster data. Upon completion of Applied GIS,
you should have a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of a modern GIS
software environment and the necessary applied skills to independently complete
a GIS project including establishing objectives, reviewing literature and/or
practices elsewhere, identifying, acquiring, converting and integrating the
required data, creating GIS layers (themes) in multiple different formats,
editing, correcting and modifying GIS layers, conducting geographic analyses,
customizing software applications, and drawing and presenting legitimate
conclusions and results. These skills will be essential for completing work in
other courses in the geographical information sciences curriculum at UTD and
for conducting GIS projects “in the real world”.
Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes
Upon completing this class, students will be able to:
Required Textbooks and Materials
O’Sullivan and David J. Unwin Geographic Information
Analysis
Zeiler, Modeling our World:
The ESRI Guide to Database Design ESRI:
Grading Policy
Evaluation will be based upon a set of three assigned projects (one each broadly associated with Mapping, Editing, and Analysis, for a total of 30%), a fourth (final), student-selected research project (25%), and a hands-on computer based “mid-term” exam (45%). Additionally, there will be seven smaller exercises which must be completed but will not be “handed-in” or graded. In all cases, students are expected to hand in work they have accomplished themselves. Because of the great variability possible with ArcGIS, no two student products should be identical or almost identical. You should be aware that assignments may require a substantial amount of work outside of class time. Some work will require use of the ARCInfo software level which is not available for use at home so this work must be conducted in the GIS lab on campus. Students who fail the hands-on exam will be given an opportunity to re-take the exam. If they fail a second time, they will receive no better than a C in the course.
Course & Instructor Policies
(make-up exams, extra
credit, late work, special assignments, class attendance, classroom citizenship,
etc.)
Exams will be at the times indicated below. Students
unable to attend must inform the instructor ahead of time in which case an accomodation will be attempted for
verifiable problems. Exercises are expected to be handed in on the due dates
specified below; an occasional delay will be acceptable providing it
does not extend beyond the time that exercises are returned to other students (normally one
week following the due date). Exercises handed in after that time will be
credited, at a maximum, with the lowest score received by a student in the
class.
Students are expected to
attend every class and arrive on time. An occasional missed class is acceptable since work and
family conflicts are sometimes unavoidable but beyond one or two is considered
excessive and can result in a grade penalty. Each student has the responsibility
to access all information presented during a missed class session from other
sources; the faculty instructor is not responsible for ensuring that students
have missed materials. All course materials are on the course web site.
Students are expected to
display a positive attitude toward learning by paying attention (e.g. not
sleeping), conducting themselves with civility and respect for others (e.g.,
sharing thoughts and actively listening to the thoughts and comments of peers
and the instructor), and general good, courteous behavior, including not
engaging in cell phone (which should be silenced), personal movies/TV, e-mail
checking or web surfing, personal reading materials usage, or social discussion
during class time.
Assignments & Academic Calendar
(Topics, Reading
Assignments, Due Dates, Exam Dates)
A complete set of documentation for 9.1 is available on the P:\ drive in
the lab at:
P:\ArcGIS_9-Help\ESRI_Library_9
Differences between 9.1 and 9.1 are documented at:
http://webhelp.esri.com/arcgisdesktop/9.2/index.cfm?TopicName=welcome
A .pdf file containing similar
information is available at:
http://webhelp.esri.com/arcgisdesktop/9.2/pdf/Whats_New_In_ArcGIS_92.pdf
This has also been
downloaded to the P:\ drive.
(class topics may be modified but exam date will remain fixed)
Jan. 9/10 GIS Data Types and Structures using ArcCatalog
Lab: Ex 1—Using ArcCatalog (ex1_arccat.doc)
Lecture/Demo: arcdata.ppt arccatalog.doc,
Reference/Reading: O&U pp1-17; Zeiler Chap. 1 Arccatalog.ppt geodatabase.ppt,
Jan. 16/17 GIS Data
Processing using ArcToolbox and Modelbuilder
Lab: Ex 2 see arctoolbox.doc
Lecture/Demo: arctoolbox.ppt arctoolbox.doc
Reference/Reading: Zeiler Chap 3,4;
Jan 23/24 Spatial Analysis using ArcMap
Lab: Project 1 Toxic Site Analysis (proj1_arcmap.doc)
Lecture/Demo: spatanal.ppt arcmap1.doc
Reference/Reading: O&U pp17-45; Zeiller Chap 2, 11; arcmap.ppt
Jan 30/31 Analyzing Tables using ArcMap
Lab: Project 1 Toxic Site Analysis (contd)
Lecture/Demo: arcmap2.doc
Feb. 6/7 Georeferencing Project 1 due
Lab: Ex3—Georeferencing ex3_georef.doc
Lecture/Demo: georef.ppt georef.doc
Reference/Reading: O&U Chap. 10
Feb 13/14 CAD Conversion
Lab: Ex 4—CAD Conversion
Lecture/Demo:
cad.ppt ex4_cad.doc
Reference/Reading: Zeiler Chap 5, 6, 7
Feb 20/21 Creating & Editing Geodata: Lines and Line Topology
Lab: Project 2 City Data Layer Creation (proj2_edit.doc)
Lecture/Demo: av9edit_lines.doc av9edit_topo.doc
Reference/Reading: topo.ppt, geodatabase.ppt, av9edit.doc (for polygons from GISC 6381), av9gdb.doc (from GISC 6383)
Feb 27/28 Networks and Network Modeling
Lab: Ex5—Networks (ex5_networks.doc)
Lecture/Demo: networks.ppt
Reference/Reading: Zeiler Chap. 8. O&U Chap. 6
March 6/7 Spring Break Begin Final Project!!!
Mar13/14 Surfaces and Surface Generation
Lab: Ex 8 Surfaces
(ex8_surfaces.doc)
Lecture/Demo: surfaces.ppt
Reference/Reading: Zeiler Chap 10 O&U Chap. 8,9
Mar 20/21 Polygon Processing and Analysis Project 2 due
Lab: Project 3 Census Data Analysis
Lecture/Demo: proj3_polyanal.doc
Reference/Reading: O&U Chap. 3
Mar 27/28 Customizing ArcGIS:
Lab: Ex 6—Customization (ex6_custom.doc)
Lecture/Demo: custom.ppt
Reference/Reading:
Tues Apr 3 Hands-on Exam,
both sections,
April 10/11 Point Pattern Analysis and Spatial
Statistics
Lab: ex7_spatstat.doc
Lecture/Demo: spatstat.ppt spatstat.xls
Reference/Reading: O&U Chap. 4,5,7 geoda_quicktour.pdf geoda_spauto.pdf crimestat_quicktour.pdf
April 17/18 Point Pattern Analysis and Spatial Statistics (contd.) Project 3 due
Apr.24 Make-up exam.
Mon April 30 Final Project
due (
General Policies
Field Trip Policies
Off-campus Instruction and
Course Activities: Not
applicable to this course
Student Conduct & Discipline
The
The
A student at the university neither loses the
rights nor escapes the responsibilities of citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state,
and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and
administrative rules. Students are
subject to discipline for violating the standards of conduct whether such
conduct takes place on or off campus, or whether civil or criminal penalties
are also imposed for such conduct.
Academic Integrity
The faculty expects from its students a high
level of responsibility and academic honesty.
Because the value of an academic degree depends upon the absolute
integrity of the work done by the student for that degree, it is imperative
that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in his or her
scholastic work.
Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not
limited to, statements, acts or omissions related to applications for
enrollment or the award of a degree, and/or the submission as one’s own work or
material that is not one’s own. As a
general rule, scholastic dishonesty involves one of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion and/or
falsifying academic records. Students
suspected of academic dishonesty are subject to disciplinary proceedings.
Plagiarism, especially from the web, from
portions of papers for other classes, and from any other source is unacceptable
and will be dealt with under the university’s policy on plagiarism (see general
catalog for details). This course will
use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for possible
plagiarism and is over 90% effective.
Email Use
The
Withdrawal from Class
The
administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any
college-level courses. These dates and times are published in that semester's
course catalog. Administration procedures must be followed. It is the student's
responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In other
words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper paperwork
to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in a course
if you choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled.
Student Grievance Procedures
Procedures for student grievances
are found in Title V, Rules on Student Services and Activities, of the
university’s Handbook of Operating
Procedures.
In attempting to resolve any student
grievance regarding grades, evaluations, or other fulfillments of academic
responsibility, it is the obligation of the student first to make a serious
effort to resolve the matter with the instructor, supervisor, administrator, or
committee with whom the grievance originates (hereafter called “the
respondent”). Individual faculty members
retain primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter cannot be resolved at that
level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to the respondent with a copy
of the respondent’s School Dean. If the
matter is not resolved by the written response provided by the respondent, the
student may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not resolved by the
School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written appeal to the Dean of
Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will appoint and convene an
Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of
the Academic Appeals Panel is final. The
results of the academic appeals process will be distributed to all involved
parties.
Copies of these rules and
regulations are available to students in the Office of the Dean of Students,
where staff members are available to assist students in interpreting the rules
and regulations.
Incomplete Grade Policy
As per university policy, incomplete
grades will be granted only for work unavoidably missed at the semester’s end
and only if 70% of the course work has been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within eight
(8) weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required work to complete the course
and to remove the incomplete grade is not submitted by the specified deadline,
the incomplete grade is changed automatically to a grade of F.
Disability Services
The goal of Disability Services is
to provide students with disabilities educational opportunities equal to those
of their non-disabled peers. Disability
Services is located in room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office hours are Monday and Thursday,
The contact information for the
Office of Disability Services is:
The
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)
Essentially, the law requires that
colleges and universities make those reasonable adjustments necessary to
eliminate discrimination on the basis of disability. For example, it may be necessary to remove
classroom prohibitions against tape recorders or animals (in the case of dog
guides) for students who are blind.
Occasionally an assignment requirement may be substituted (for example,
a research paper versus an oral presentation for a student who is hearing
impaired). Classes enrolled students with
mobility impairments may have to be rescheduled in accessible facilities. The college or university may need to provide
special services such as registration, note-taking, or mobility assistance.
It is the student’s responsibility
to notify his or her professors of the need for such an accommodation. Disability Services provides students with
letters to present to faculty members to verify that the student has a
disability and needs accommodations.
Individuals requiring special accommodation should contact the professor
after class or during office hours.
Religious Holy Days
The
The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity
sponsor as soon as possible regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the
assignment. The student, so excused,
will be allowed to take the exam or complete the assignment within a reasonable
time after the absence: a period equal to the length of the absence, up to a
maximum of one week. A student who notifies the instructor and completes any
missed exam or assignment may not be penalized for the absence. A student who
fails to complete the exam or assignment within the prescribed period may
receive a failing grade for that exam or assignment.
If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the
absence [i.e., for the purpose of observing a religious holy day] or if there
is similar disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable
time to complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or
the instructor may request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the
institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or designee
must take into account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student
and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief executive officer or
designee.
These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the
discretion of the Professor.