Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are now commonplace in our lives, but do we know how to use them effectively? Follow this guide to learn more about the theory behind GIS applications and choose the correct program for your assignment or project.
GIS consists of computer hardware, software, digital data and people.
A GIS is a computer-based database for capturing, storing, analyzing, and managing data and associated attributes that are spatially referenced to the earth
A common feature of GIS is that they allow you to associate information (non-geographical data) with places (geographical data). In fact, the GIS Application can store many pieces of information which are associated with each place –– something that paper maps are not very good at
A digital map is comprised of Vector and Raster data.
Vector data:
Vector data is stored as a series of
X, Ycoordinate pairs inside the computer’s memory. Vector data is used to represent points, lines and areas.
Raster data are stored as a grid of values. [...] One important difference between raster and vector data is that if you zoom in too much on a raster image, it will start to appear ‘blocky’
Example:
Images of the surface have adequate detail up to a certain point. After that they become pixilated. Look at the two images of the city of Nur-Sultan and notice how the vector data remain the same, despite the greater zoom:
Map projections try to portray the surface of the earth or a portion of the earth on a flat piece of paper or computer screen. A coordinate reference system (CRS) then defines, with the help of coordinates, how the two-dimensional, projected map in your GIS is related to real places on the earth.
Three common types of map projections are portrayed above:
One of the most popular is the Mercator projection. When you overlay an image to your digital map, it will "bend" according to the map projection you use in your system!
CRS are consisted of lines of Longitude and lines of Latitude, and their intersections give the exact position of a place on Earth.
Sources:
Website: A gentle introduction to GIS. Accessed: 30.10.2017
Abresch, J. (Ed.). (2008). Integrating Geographic Information Systems into Library Services: A Guide for Academic Libraries: A Guide for Academic Libraries. IGI Global.
GIS Fundamentals by
This book provides an introduction to the theory and application of GIS. It is written for use in an introductory GIS class and as a reference for the GIS practitioner.
A Dictionary of Geography by
It ranges across cartography, surveying, meteorology, climatology, ecology, population, industry, and development, and comprehensively treats fast-changing topics such as plate tectonics, remote sensing, geographic information systems, and aerial differentiation. Readers will find entries on economic geography, recent developments in geopolitics, and the geography of finance as well as entries related to globalization and the anti-globalization movement, landscape restoration, the digital divide, and issues of governance
Key Concepts in Geography by
The Second Edition of Key Concepts in Geography explains the key terms – space, time, place, scale, landscape - that define the language of geography. It is unique in the reference literature as it provides - in one volume – concepts from both human geography and physical geography; especially relevant now that environment is so critical to our understanding of geography.
Four introductory chapters, on different intellectual traditions in geography, situate, and introduce the entries on the key concepts. Each entry comprises a short definition, a summary of the principal arguments, a substantive 5,000-word discussion, use of real-life examples, and annotated notes for further reading.
Toward Spatial Humanities by
Describing a wide variety of applications, the essays in this volume highlight the methodological and substantive implications of a spatial approach to history. They illustrate how the use of GIS is changing our understanding of the geographies of the past and has become the basis for new ways to study history. Contributors focus on current developments in the use of historical sources and explore the insights gained by applying GIS to develop historiography
Think Globally, Act Regionally by
GIS and Data Visualization for Social Science and Public Policy Research
