National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.