essay gis

: Fundamentals of Geographic Information Systems & ArcGIS

Instructions: Choose four of the following questions, and write a brief essay, in true essay format, i.e. using grammatically complete sentences and paragraphs that are logically connected to one another (i.e. no answers using bullet-points, outlines, or partial phrases). Please specify which questions you are answering by providing the question, along with your answer to that question. Also, given that you have 5 ½ days to answer four relatively short essay questions, I expect you to put conduct some research to come up with as complete of answers as you can, so do not wait until the last minute to answer the questions, or it may cost you dearly, pointwise. Worth 20 points apiece.

Module 1 Questions

1. Describe each of the following broad categories of map type:

Helpful Link: http://geography.about.com/od/understandmaps/a/map-types.htm

a. Reference Maps (provide several examples of map types that fall within this category,

and briefly describe each)

Useful Link: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/The_definition_of_reference_map#page2

b. Thematic Maps (provide several examples of map types that fall within this category,

and briefly describe each)

Useful Link: http://geography.about.com/od/understandmaps/a/thematicmaps.htm

c. Navigation Maps (provide several examples of map types that fall within this

category, and briefly describe each)

Useful Links:

http://www.and.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=19&Itemid=22

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nautical_chart

d. Persuasive Maps (provide at least 3 examples of map types that fall within this category,

and briefly describe each)

Useful Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartographic_propaganda

http://geography.about.com/od/understandmaps/a/Propaganda-Maps.htm

http://geocurrents.info/geonotes/maps-as-an-instrument-of-propaganda-part-1

2. Briefly discuss each of the following GIS Map Overlay techniques:

a. Union

b. Clipping

c. Intersecting

d. Erasing

3. Briefly describe, and then discuss, what geoprocessing is, and how geoprocessing can be automated in ArcGIS through Model Builder . Read pp. 289 through 298 in MGIS for additional information on this topic.

Module 2 Questions

4. Briefly discuss the principal steps for creating a database.

5. Briefly discuss how attribute data is linked to spatial data in a GIS such as ArcGIS.

Module 3 Questions

6. Briefly discuss why Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) are important to a geographic information systems program (note that this is referring to a program developed by a GIS division of a company or government agency, not a computer program).

7. Briefly discuss each of the procedures that Dr. Price recommends the user to use while editing (pp. 208-209 in MGIS ).