http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification 720 https://escholarship.org/uc/spatial_ucsb_ncgia_cc/rss Recent eScholarship items from Core Curriculum-Geographic Information Systems (1990) Fri, 4 Sep 2026 19:07:54 +0000 https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9ff0v5vz An outline of the Core Curriculum in GIS units, organized by topic, is presented with hyperlinks to each unit's material on eScholarship. Note that hyperlinks are only active if the PDF file is downloaded. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9ff0v5vz Fri, 9 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000 National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/16g2v9qg This short narrative introduces the Core Curriculum in GIS and provides a historical overview of the Core Curriculum Project, including the later Core Curriculum in GIScience and Core Curriculum for Technical Programs. Appended to this description is an original pamphlet advertising the Core Curriculum in GIS. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/16g2v9qg Fri, 9 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000 National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9zq9c18g This is the first in a six-unit series on the design, purchase and implementation of a GIS. It outlines several steps that are covered in this and subsequent units: problem recognition and technological awareness, developing management support, project definition, system evaluation and system implementation. The first two are covered in this unit, illustrated with an example of a municipal Automated Mapping and Facilities Management (AM/FM) project in Newport Beach, California. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9zq9c18g Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 60, CC in GIS Gossette, Frank Ferguson, Warren Dueker, Ken https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9sm662vp This unit discusses common issues that arise when an organization acquires and implements a GIS. It describes potential problems within organizations such as overemphasis on technology, rigid work patterns, inflexibility, inappropriate decision-making procedures, staffing and assignment of responsibilities. The conclusion presents strategies to facilitate success. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9sm662vp Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 67, CC in GIS Dueker, Ken https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9pq5d78q This unit provides a very brief review of some important milestones in the development of GIS. It provides early examples of spatial analysis performed with multiple theme maps, then introduces people, applications and systems that were significant in the early days of computerized cartography and spatial analysis. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9pq5d78q Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 23, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9pd0b1mz This unit introduces hierarchical data structures for storing raster data, focusing on quadtrees and quadtree variants. The process of coding quadtrees and accessing data through a quadtree are described, and different data structures are compared. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9pd0b1mz Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 36, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9n10v5m2 This unit provides a brief introduction to computer hardware and software. It discusses binary notation, the ASCII coding system and hardware components including the central processing unit (CPU), memory, peripherals and storage media. Software including operating systems, word processors database packages, spreadsheets and statistical packages are briefly described. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9n10v5m2 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 03, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9m14w1tt This unit gives an overview of some different options for storing raster data including advantages and disadvantages of each. Run encoding and several different scan orders, including row order, row prime order (boustrophedon), Morton order and Peano scan, are described and compared. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9m14w1tt Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 35, CC in GIS Peuquet, Donna https://escholarship.org/uc/item/97r7x5jv Having established a basis of the fundamental concepts in GIS data structures, this unit begins a large module looking at how GIS can be used. First we look at how spatial relationships can be analyzed and then present a summary of the range of functions that fall within present GIS capabilities. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/97r7x5jv Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 15, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/97p6n8qq This unit introduces a selection of network problems through an example concerning waste disposal for the Petrolia, Ontario oil field. The example is framed as a location-allocation problem and the GIS implementation using a location-allocation module is outlined. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/97p6n8qq Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 58, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9733d21b This unit addresses topics surrounding spatial cognition including spatial learning, the form of internal spatial representation and the resulting effects on spatial reasoning and natural language. The topics are presented with emphasis on their relevance to GIS. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9733d21b Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 73, CC in GIS Gopal, Suchi https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8jr136hb This unit continues the overview of raster GIS. It discusses the requirements of a raster GIS including data input, display and computational operations such as recoding, overlay and filtering. It distinguishes between local, local neighborhood, extended neighborhood and zonal (groups of pixels) operations. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8jr136hb Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 05, CC in GIS Pazner, Micha https://escholarship.org/uc/item/88r521tw This unit delves deeper into database concepts introduced in the previous unit. It describes requirements of a database for spatial data including data security concerns, ability to support concurrent users, security against data loss, and prevention of unauthorized use. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/88r521tw Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 44, CC in GIS White, Gerald https://escholarship.org/uc/item/87g7j63x This unit discusses standards in GIS—why they are important, who establishes them and what types of standards are relevant to GIS. It gives an overview of the types of standards for operating systems, user interfaces, networking, database query, display and plotting and data exchange. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/87g7j63x Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 69, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/86g5r52k This unit examines the common methods of data input. It describes the hardware and methods used for digitizing and scanning spatial information from maps and photographs, and it discusses conversion of data between digital formats and associated issues of projection, scale and resolution. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/86g5r52k Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 07, CC in GIS Star, Jeffrey L. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/81k0v7n3 This unit introduces the raster data model for representing geographic phenomena. It differentiates it from the vector model and discusses appropriate applications, how a raster is created, the types of values that may be stored in a raster, and fundamental concepts like resolution, orientation, and zones. The unit concludes with an example analysis using a raster GIS. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/81k0v7n3 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 04, CC in GIS Tomlin, Dana https://escholarship.org/uc/item/80j3m2nj This unit examines legal issues surrounding GIS. As a legal and economic entity, information may be quantified, owned, valuated, and used as evidence to resolve conflict, though none of these tasks is trivial. Liability scenarios—including errors in represented location and inappropriate uses of data—are discussed along with access and ownership issues, such as privacy and confidentiality, copyright and conflict of laws. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/80j3m2nj Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 70, CC in GIS Epstein, Earl https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7gn5d8zm This unit outlines fundamental concepts in database systems and their integration with GIS, including advantages of a database approach, views of a database, database management systems (DBMS), and alternative database models. Three models—hierarchical, network and relational—are discussed in greater detail. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7gn5d8zm Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 43, CC in GIS White, Gerald https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7dk4323p This unit presents an overview of topics related to color, including its physical basis, human visual perception, how color is generated by a CRT and created on paper and how color is measured and specified. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7dk4323p Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 50, CC in GIS Kimerling, Jon https://escholarship.org/uc/item/73j4n0jg This unit describes the concept, components and application of spatial decision support systems (SDSS). Using an example decision task—selecting a site for a retail store—it illustrates the nature of many spatial decision tasks as ill-defined or semi-structured and how SDSS can facilitate the decision-making process. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/73j4n0jg Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 59, CC in GIS Densham, Paul https://escholarship.org/uc/item/71p6229c This unit attempts to put GIS into context, examining various definitions of GIS and considering the origins of the field. It describes the factors that differentiate GIS from other forms of automatic geographical data handling and gives a brief overview of the relevant application areas. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/71p6229c Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 01, CC in GIS Cowen, David https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6z75t82q This unit reviews a few simple algorithms that are fundamental to the topics of later units, which describe how complex operations are constructed. It begins with a definition of <em>algorithm</em> and <em>heuristic</em>, then walks through an example of the steps required to assess whether two simple lines intersect. Special cases where this method fails are noted, and heuristics are presented for assessing whether complex lines intersect. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6z75t82q Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 32, CC in GIS Douglas, David H. Mark, David M. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6t58m136 This unit begins a six-part section that reviews the spectrum of different applications of GIS. It characterizes the core groups of GIS activity in terms of three categories: (1) mature technologies that interact with GIS sharing its technology and creating data for it; (2) management and decision-making groups; and (3) science and research activities at universities and government labs. This unit focuses on the first category, exploring GIS applications in cartography, surveying and engineering, and remote sensing. Science and research activities are addressed, as well. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6t58m136 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 51, CC in GIS Cowen, David Ferguson, Warren https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6rk5b20r This unit begins a two-part introduction to vector GIS. The vector data model for representing points, lines and areas is described, and the process of creating a vector database is outlined and illustrated with an example application where areas suitable for logging are identified https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6rk5b20r Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 13, CC in GIS Dickinson, Holly Goodchild, Michael F. Kemp, Karen K. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6ft2k17f This unit presents some of the current trends in GIS, including trends in computer hardware and software, new applications of GIS technology and new sources of data. A shift toward parallel processing, larger computer memories, specialized workstations and networks are discussed in addition to database management systems and their integration with GIS, and new user interfaces and display products. Potential applications of GIS in decision support, science and mathematics, and predictions regarding data sharing, emphasis on data uncertainty, and remote sensing as a source of data are outlined. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6ft2k17f Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 25, CC in GIS Dangermond, Jack https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6fj5w9f4 This unit discusses the need for and challenges of creating GIS and databases that are global in scale. It describes sources of global data including remote sensing, analog maps and tabular statistics, and challenges to data integration such as storage, geometric rectification and geographic referencing, documenting, archiving, merging terrestrial and satellite data, etc. The unit concludes with some examples of databases at global scales. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6fj5w9f4 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 72, CC in GIS Mounsey, Helen https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6c38m64n This unit seeks to demonstrate the problem of defining GIS products in the real world. Issues with regard to the difficulty of defining procedures for complex sets of operations are explored, including management demands, data availability and quality problems, and complexity of decision rules. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6c38m64n Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 19, CC in GIS Banting, Doug https://escholarship.org/uc/item/69m3f604 This unit begins the module on coordinate systems and geocoding, which includes units 26–29.  It introduces plane coordinate systems—Cartesian and polar—and the global coordinate system of latitude and longitude. Technical issues of storing coordinates in a database and propagation of errors are discussed. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/69m3f604 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 26, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/66q2j4fq This unit introduces topics related to socio-economic data for GIS including aggregation, cross-sectional vs. longitudinal sampling, secondary vs. primary data and geographic referencing. It then describes some common sources of socio-economic data including population census, economic census, agricultural census, land records, labor force statistics transportation and infrastructure inventories and administrative records. It concludes with a discussion of the US census of population and housing and TIGER/line files. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/66q2j4fq Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 08, CC in GIS Calkins, Hugh https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6385827b This is the fifth in a six-unit series on the design, purchase and implementation of a GIS. It describes the pilot project, which provides the first physical results from a GIS project. Pilot project formats, design and management are discussed and illustrated with Automated Mapping and Facilities Management (AM/FM) systems examples from the Public Service Company of Colorado and Salt River Project of Arizona. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/6385827b Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 64, CC in GIS Ferguson, Warren https://escholarship.org/uc/item/60v3x04h This unit explores the map analysis roots of GIS. It discusses cartography and its relationship to GIS, including topics such as map types and characteristics, the concept of scale, map projections, applications of maps, computer-assisted cartography and geographic data display and analysis. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/60v3x04h Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 02, CC in GIS Rhind, David https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5zx5f7bs This unit introduces the Triangulated Irregular Network (TIN) model for representing a surface as an alternative to the regular raster of a digital elevation model (DEM). The TIN concept is described, and several alternative methods for creating a TIN—including point selection and triangulation—are presented. The unit concludes with sections considering storage of TINs and several algorithms on TINs. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5zx5f7bs Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 39, CC in GIS Poiker, Thomas K. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5br2x94c This unit begins a three part module introducing concepts and techniques of spatial decision-making. Although it is far from a complete coverage of the topic, it will provide students with a sampling of the kinds of decision-making activities GIS will be required to support. This unit introduces students to the concept of multiple criteria decision making, outlines some of the simpler strategies developed to solve multiple criteria problems and demonstrates the potential applicability of GIS. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5br2x94c Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 57, CC in GIS Keller, C. Peter https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5788m9c9 This unit presents an overview of concepts related to cartographic visualization. It begins with some notes on cartography, including motivation, user considerations, and components of a visualization system. Graphic variables including location, value, hue, size, shape, spacing and orientation are described, and limitations—imposed by hardware and human perceptual and cognitive abilities—are discussed. Visualization of the temporal dimension and three-dimensional data are briefly discussed. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5788m9c9 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 49, CC in GIS McGranaghan, Matt https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4zp867pt This unit begins the section on data acquisition by looking at how the infinite complexity of the real world can be discretized and sampled. It considers sampling techniques and associated issues of accuracy and standards. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4zp867pt Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 06, CC in GIS Parson, Charles Nyerges, Timothy https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4zc0p1k8 This unit considers one of the most important technical issues in GIS—data accuracy. It examines several aspects of data accuracy included in the National Standard for Digital Cartographic Data: positional accuracy, attribute accuracy, logical consistency, completeness and lineage. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4zc0p1k8 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 45, CC in GIS Chrisman, Nicholas R. McGranaghan, Matt https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4w56k0zb This final unit of the series considers the future of GIS by offering three discussions: an analogy to the history of remote sensing; convergence vs. divergence in GIS software and markets; and prospects for the future. The unit argues that formal theory is needed in order to realize the full potential of GIS as an integrating technology, and that GIS and its allied fields, e.g. remote sensing, add up to the makings of a science of spatial information as a minor discipline or sub-discipline. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4w56k0zb Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 75, CC in GIS Simonett, David https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4sm0b1rw This unit begins with an overview of GIS applications used in resource management, describing characteristics and functionality of these systems, and the organizations that adopted them. The body of the unit demonstrates an application of GIS to natural resource management through an example—the Big Darby Creek Project—in which the GIS provides data input, storage, output and some analytic capabilities. The project combines a GIS (ERDAS) with a nonpoint source pollution model (AGNPS) to provide a low-cost, user-friendly system and database to support land use planning and management for the basin. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4sm0b1rw Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 52, CC in GIS Bossler, John https://escholarship.org/uc/item/43j3h2qr This unit introduces a simple algorithm and extensions for performing several operations on polygons including area calculation, determining whether a point lies inside a polygon, and determining a polygon’s centroid location. For each operation the generalized case is described, strategy for solving the task explained, sample code given, and special cases noted. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/43j3h2qr Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 33, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/41m300w2 This unit outlines the role of GIS in the management of land surveys and records and cadastral information. It describes the origin of cadastral data and use of land records for taxation purposes, illustrated with examples from Prince William County, Virginia, Louisville/Jefferson County, Kentucky and Los Angeles County California. The concept of a Land Information System (LIS) is defined and described, and applications for LISs in urban and regional planning, community development, public works, utilities, schools, and emergency response are highlighted. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/41m300w2 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 54, CC in GIS Gossette, Frank https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3xx402kq This unit discusses several aspects of managing error in spatial databases. It begins with a hypothetical example of a routing problem that is used to demonstrate the process of error analysis and sensitivity analysis in a modeling exercise. Sources of artifacts in raster and vector data, and strategies to avoid them, are presented, and methods for storing accuracy information in a database are discussed. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3xx402kq Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 46, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3xt3r5gd This unit introduces the different ways users can interact with GIS. It also provides an introduction to the range of interfaces available and will help students recognize differences between different GISs. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3xt3r5gd Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 18, CC in GIS Banting, Doug https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3sz27292 This unit looks at some of the more specialized applications of GIS, including demographic analysis for marketing, retail and government purposes and network analysis for routing emergency and delivery vehicles. It describes the tasks of redistricting, site selection, market penetration analysis and targeting, illustrated through examples. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3sz27292 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 56, CC in GIS Cowen, David https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3nr4j7n2 This is the fourth in a six-unit series on the design, purchase and implementation of a GIS. It discusses benchmarking, which allows a vendor’s proposed system to be evaluated in a controlled setting. Qualitative and quantitative benchmarking are described, and an example mathematical model developed for a quantitative benchmark is explained. Preparation for and execution of benchmarking are illustrated with an example from Alberta Government Telephones. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3nr4j7n2 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 63, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3mv1h090 This unit considers how to construct digital objects—i.e., points, lines and areas—out of sets of coordinates and how to represent their attributes and relationships. Strategies for representing this information in a GIS database are presented and illustrated with examples, and issues with each are discussed. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3mv1h090 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 30, CC in GIS Douglas, David H. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3jv1g09f This unit covers more advanced algorithms than have been discussed previously. It presents quadtree algorithms and discussion for several spatial operations including simple area calculation, overlay, adjacency determination and area of a contiguous patch. The unit concludes with a discussion of spatial indexing using quadtrees and R-tree indexes. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3jv1g09f Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 37, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3jf075sv Although the vast majority of GISs currently work in only two dimensions, across the plane, certain applications require the addition of other dimensions. This unit examines how time and the vertical dimension—i.e., elevation or depth—can be incorporated into GISs. It describes methods for representing phenomena in “2 ½ dimensions” as well as a full three dimensions and provides examples of when each might be applicable. The unit concludes with a discussion and examples of time dependence and representation in GIS. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3jf075sv Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 42, CC in GIS Ganter, John H. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3920d15f This unit provides background on the debate about “object-oriented databases” currently raging in the GIS community. It describes the layer view, in which each geographic variable can be conceptualized as a layer that captures the variable’s variation over the surface of the earth, and the object view, in which the world is conceptualized as empty space littered with various types of objects. Data models for representing each view are discussed in addition to the Computer Science concepts of object orientation, identity, inheritance and encapsulation. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3920d15f Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 22, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/38h4v165 This unit examines how GIS can be used to carry out functions of urban government. Through a case study from Santa Monica, California, an example of modeling community vulnerability to hazardous materials is presented. Three GIS-based tasks—simple spatial analysis, cartographic modeling and risk assessment modeling—are illustrated through the example. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/38h4v165 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 53, CC in GIS McMaster, Robert https://escholarship.org/uc/item/37k2s9cp This final unit in the spatial databases module looks at the complex issue of relationships and how they can be coded. The important concept of planar enforcement, introduced here, is referred to several times in later units. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/37k2s9cp Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 12, CC in GIS White, Gerald https://escholarship.org/uc/item/35j897pz This unit concludes the module on coordinate systems and geocoding. Several important practical issues are raised here that will be important particularly for those who will be working with economic and demographic databases. The difference between continuous and discrete georeferencing is described before focusing on five of the most common methods of discrete georeferencing: address matching, postal code systems, the US Public Land Survey System, the GEOLOC grid and census systems. Examples illustrate each, and the unit concludes with a discussion of issues associated with discrete georeferencing. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/35j897pz Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 29, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3329925c This unit discusses fractals as a framework for understanding the way cartographic objects change with generalization or changes in scale. It presents a brief history and introduces introductory concepts related to fractals, including scale-dependence, self-similarity and scaling. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/3329925c Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 47, CC in GIS Klinkenberg, Brian https://escholarship.org/uc/item/32z017q8 This unit continues the examination of spatial interpolation by looking at areal interpolation techniques and some applications. Non-volume preserving and volume preserving methods are described, and two special cases of interpolation—mapping populated areas and estimating trade areas—are outlined. The unit concludes with notes on the conceptual foundation of interpolation and its appropriate uses in GIS. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/32z017q8 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 41, CC in GIS Waters, Nigel M. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/32w746gn This unit discusses methods for transforming coordinates from one system into another, illustrated with an example. Affine transformations are described, including their characteristics and primitives—translation, scaling, rotation and reflection, and curvilinear transformations are briefly introduced. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/32w746gn Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 28, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2vm3p6h0 This unit presents a synopsis of the GIS marketplace, discussing characteristics and features to take into account when acquiring GIS software and hardware. It addresses choice of computing platform and software domain (commercial, public, or educational), performance issues, ease of integration, training needs, user interface, maintenance requirements, and other considerations. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2vm3p6h0 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 24, CC in GIS Banting, Doug https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2rq7m7xm This unit specifically addresses the issue of raster versus vector by looking at the different dimensions of the debate. The importance and value of both models is stressed by comparing specific technical aspects, including coordinate precision, speed of analytical processing, mass storage requirements, and representation of phenomena with different characteristics. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2rq7m7xm Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 21, CC in GIS Parson, Charles https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2hg246h5 This unit focuses on line generalization as it relates to GIS and cartography. Techniques including simplification, smoothing, feature displacement, line enhancement and merging are described, and several linear simplification algorithms are summarized. Approaches for mathematically evaluating simplification are outlined, and justifications for simplifying linear data are discussed. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2hg246h5 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 48, CC in GIS McMaster, Robert https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2gv1b75d This is the final unit in a six-unit series on the design, purchase and implementation of a GIS. This unit focuses on the benefit/cost analysis: what it is, why it is useful and how to approach it. It discusses how costs, both one-time and recurring, may be determined and how benefits of a GIS may be quantified or otherwise identified. A method for comparing costs and benefits is outlined and illustrated through an example from the Department of Natural Resources, State of Washington. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2gv1b75d Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 65, CC in GIS Dickinson, Holly J. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2dz9w1n7 This is the third in a six-unit series on the design, purchase and implementation of a GIS. It examines several aspects of the system evaluation process, including the strategic plan, Request for Proposals (RFP), hardware and software issues, and system choice and reducing risks. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2dz9w1n7 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 62, CC in GIS Ferguson, Warren https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2b61h21v This is the second in a six-unit series on the design, purchase and implementation of a GIS. It describes the process of conducting a Functional Requirements Study (FRS) in order to identify existing functionality and any new requirements of a proposed GIS. It outlines methods for conducting a FRS, components of a completed FRS, weakness of the FRS process and the importance of conducting a FRS. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/2b61h21v Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 61, CC in GIS Ferguson, Warren https://escholarship.org/uc/item/28q7m9sg This unit considers Automated Mapping and Facilities Management (AM/FM) as an influential, well organized GIS application area. It explains how two traditional concepts—automated mapping systems and facilities management systems—are combined to provide a geographically referenced inventory of an organization’s facilities. Typical characteristics, functionality and benefits of AM/FM are illustrated with an example from the Eastern Municipal Water District of Riverside County, California. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/28q7m9sg Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 55, CC in GIS Ferguson, Warren https://escholarship.org/uc/item/24c203gf Building on the simple algorithms presented in the preceding two units, this unit discusses one of the most complex operations of vector GISs—polygon overlay. Traditional motivations for and the general concept of polygon overlay operations are described and the algorithmic approach explained. Issues arising from a mismatch of computer precision and data accuracy are illustrated with examples and mitigation measures presented. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/24c203gf Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 34, CC in GIS White, Denis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/23v5970f This unit examines the planning and management issues involved in the physical creation of the database. It describes some issues in database creation, key hardware parameters of the system, partitioning the database for tiles and layers and converting data for the database. It illustrates these through an example from the Flathead National Forest in northwestern Montana, where a resource management database was required. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/23v5970f Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 66, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/22q4b79t This unit introduces knowledge based techniques for addressing ill-structured problems. It describes how a knowledge base may be constructed, alternative methods for representing knowledge in a database, search mechanisms, and machine inference to create new knowledge. Each is illustrated with GIS-related examples. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/22q4b79t Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 74, CC in GIS Lanter, David https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1ws685wt This unit introduces some fundamental concepts of graphic design. It discusses technical issues of label placement and general principles of graphical excellence and presents and an introduction to principles of map design. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1ws685wt Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 17, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1wn7r1s2 This unit looks at efforts in the UK to develop national GIS policy. It describes the Committee of Enquiry, led by Lord Chorley, which was charged with advising the Secretary of State for the Environment on how geographic data should be handled. The committee’s recommendations, general findings and outcomes are summarized, and related activities in the US, Netherlands and France are described. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1wn7r1s2 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 71, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1s9819x8 This unit discusses spatial analysis functions as they are performed in a vector GIS, contrasting them with functions in a raster GIS. Functions presented include reclassify, dissolve and merge, topological overlay and buffering. Finally, the Standard Query Language (SQL) is introduced as a tool for retrieving data. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1s9819x8 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 14, CC in GIS Dickinson, Holly J. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1pt240f8 This unit continues the development of basic concepts about representing reality as spatial data. Here we look at how the representation of reality in the form of entities is handled with the spatial objects points, lines and areas. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1pt240f8 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 11, CC in GIS Nyerges, Timothy L. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1kk4b1wz This unit presents an overview of map projections including a definition, discussion of the different types of distortion introduced by projections, geometric vs. mathematical projections and some examples of common projections. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1kk4b1wz Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 27, CC in GIS Chmill, Vicki https://escholarship.org/uc/item/18p9r4th This unit considers natural resource-based GISs, including their contents, characteristics and uses. Common sources of data including thematic maps, topographic maps and remotely sensed imagery are described and relevant techniques such as image interpretation and classification are introduced. The unit concludes with a description of an example database, the Minnesota Land Management Information System (MLMIS). https://escholarship.org/uc/item/18p9r4th Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 09, CC in GIS Parson, Charles Star, Jeffrey L. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/16d7d2wh This unit considers digital elevation models (DEMs) as one way of representing surfaces. It describes how DEMs are created and used, particularly in hydrology. Approaches for estimating elevation, slope and aspect, and for determining drainage networks are presented, along with a discussion of issues that may arise when automatically determining drainage networks from DEMs. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/16d7d2wh Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 38, CC in GIS Klinkenberg, Brian https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1341q2pz This unit introduces the idea of a GIS database serving as a project or archive database, contrasting it with the traditional geographic archive, the map library. It discusses issues of data currency, justifying the need for digital geographic archives, suitability of data for archiving, platforms, distribution, user interface and costs vs. benefits of digital archives. It illustrates these issues with several examples of spatial data archive systems. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1341q2pz Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 20, CC in GIS National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0vq669p7 This unit discusses issues related to GIS output, including the different types of output possible and the hardware for producing each. It describes text, graphic and digital data that can be generated by a GIS as well as line printers, dot matrix printers/plotters, pen plotters, optical scanners and cathode ray tubes (CRTs) as technologies for generating the output. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0vq669p7 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 16, CC in GIS Star, Jeffrey L. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0rw7v5h9 This unit builds on the previous unit, examining strategies for implementing GIS in large organizations. By way of example it describes the development and implementation of a national GIS strategy within the US Forest Service, from functional requirements studies at individual sites through national plan development and plan components. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0rw7v5h9 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 68, CC in GIS Dueker, Ken https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0nt2s7d5 This begins a three-unit section covering some basic principles of spatial databases. As these issues are fundamental, many of them are introduced here but dealt with in much greater detail in later units. Elements of databases are introduced, including the entity-object distinction, classes, attributes, layers and database models. The unit concludes with a discussion of database design, including the process, desirable database characteristics and issues. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0nt2s7d5 Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 10, CC in GIS Nyerges, Timothy L. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0j4408cz This unit considers how the geometry of lines and areas is coded in a GIS database. Different techniques for coding straight lines, arcs of circles, and splines are presented, and advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0j4408cz Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 31, CC in GIS Douglas, David H. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/02p486cx This unit is the first of two that focuses on spatial interpolation—the procedure of estimating the value of properties at unsampled sites within the area covered by existing observations. It discusses several different methods for classifying spatial interpolation procedures, such as point vs. areal, global vs. local, and exact vs. approximate. Several point-based methods are described, both exact—proximal, B-splines, Kriging and manual (“eyeballing”)—and approximate—trend surface analysis, Fourier series and moving average/distance weighted average. https://escholarship.org/uc/item/02p486cx Mon, 31 Aug 2015 00:00:00 +0000 Unit 40, CC in GIS Waters, Nigel M.