Increasingly geospatial data and mapping applications are being made available via the world wide. Uttam pudasaini np introduction to geographic information systemgis day 1 2. With a huge range of applications, gis software is used across disciplines and in increasingly innovative ways. A gis application normally consists of a menu bar, toolbars, a map view and a legend. Work on gis began in late 1950s, but first gis software came only in late 1970s from the lab of the esri. Get an introduction to the basic components of a gis.
These days, anyone with a personal computer or laptop can use gis software. When the low cost gis work is to be carried out desktop mapinfo is the suitable option. Accordingly there us no absolutely agreed upon definition of a gis demers, 1997. Learn intro to gis with free interactive flashcards. A gis is a system of computer hardware, computer software and geographical data. This webinar will introduce participants to how to use qgis at a very basic level. Geographic information system gis is a system designed to integrate, store, edit, analyze, share, and display spatial or geographic data. Sep 09, 2014 the new 2020 video covers a wider range of gis topics and uses free and open source gis software demonstrations to explain concepts in the video, allowing you to get started right away with. Gis data geographic information systems uses, advantages and disadvantages by heba soffar published february 6, 2017 updated september 17, 2019 a geographic information system is commonly referred to as a gis, it is an integrated set of hardware and software tools used to manipulate and manage the digital spatial geographic and.
This course introduces gis concepts and arcgis tools used to visualize realworld features, discover patterns, and communicate information. You may use these tutorials as a selfpaced course to learn the software thoroughly. An introduction to the commonly used gis toolshelp. A gis provides functionality to capture, store, query, analyze, display and output geographic information. Introduction to geographic information systems gis software. There are many gis software packages available to gis professionals, including. The software available can be said to be application specific. Introduction to gis using arcgis esri training instructor.
Software gis misconceptions a map making tool similar to cad elixir 4. Gis geographic information system national geographic society. At its most basic defintion, a gis at least consists of a database, map information, and a computerbased link between them. From economic development to health and real estate, its been used as an exciting analytical in labs as well. Using arcmap and arcgis online, you will work with gis maps, explore data, and analyze maps and data as you learn fundamental concepts that underlie gis technology. Civil engineering broadly consists of the following divisions and i will try to briefly explain the application of gis over that field. Gis software geographic information systems caliper. Introduction to gis workbook university of maryland. Qgis is a popular opensource gis with advanced capabilities.
The mit gis services group at the mit libraries hosts a number of tutorial workshops throughout the year. Gis can show many different kinds of data on one map. Gis softwares in use are mapinfo, arcinfo, autocad map, etc. Pcbased gis software used to implement a standardized, nationally applicable. Esri an information system that is designed to work with data referenced by spatial or geographic coordinates. Introducing sasgis software 4 spatialdata 7 figure1. Exploring geographic information systems gis is a selfpaced course where participants will learn about gis and how the technology is being used in the real world to support problemsolving and decisionmaking. However, previous studies have shown that in particular, there are issues with communicating via.
A gis helps people visualize and create information that can be used to make decisions and solve problems. Most gis software falls into one of the four categories below. It represents the integration of many subject areas. Students discuss gis and its impacts on our everyday lives. This tutorial will provide you with some basic information about gis, including an overview of what it is, what is needed for a gis, basic mapping. We need to be cautious because though gis permits graduates from a wider range of disciplines to enter into the field, gis technicians do require more than a mere basic knowledge of how to use and manipulate a map and having a background in cartography is certainly an advantage. You will discover how to use gis for exploratory analysis of geographic data. The gis is used to study geologic features, analyze soils and strata, assess seismic information, and or create three dimensional 3d displays of geographic features. Gis is used to develop and store geographic and attribute data. The arcgis desktop environment encompasses a suite of applications which include arcmap, arccatalog, arcscene and arcglobe. Uttam pudasaini np introduction to geographic information system gis day 1 2. Promoting use of gis software and improving communication of risks little research has been done to show how to effectively communicate risk to the public through hazard maps. With these capabilities a gis is a valuable tool to visualize spatial data or to build decision support systems for use in your organization.
Application of gis over civil engineering is endless. Use of gis also offers the flexibility of operation and speedy processing. Some of the possible applications might blow your minds. List of gis software and overview of programming languages for gis. Gis geographic information system national geographic. Mar 06, 20 what all gis definitions have in common is the recognition that spatial data is linked to maps space matters. Desktop gis platforms are the swiss army knives of gis. A geographic information system is a multicomponent environment used to. When a layer is displayed as static, it uses the same graphical characteristics color, line, width, and so forth for all. By connecting geography with data, gis better understands data using a geographic context. Gis is a computerbased tool that examines spatial relationships, patterns and trends. Chapter 1 introduction to gis intro to gis and spatial.
An overview of the different programming languages used in gis and in the geospatial industry. The most commonly used gis tools automate tasks that were historically done manuallycompiling new maps by overlaying one on top of the other or physically cutting maps into pieces representing specific study areas, then changing their projection. Topics include an introduction to two gis applications, spatial. Geographic information systems gis store, analyze and visualize data for geographic positions on earths surface. Gis is a more efficient way to use data such as maps, associated descriptive data, cad drawings, schematics, satellite or aerial. This information is based on chapter ten of an introduction to using gis in marine biology by colin d. For instance, gis maps can display what manmade features are near certain natural features, such as which homes and businesses are in areas prone to flooding. They are used for creating, editing, visualizing, managing, and analyzing geographic data. This tutorial was created to accompany the gis practicum, a daylong workshop offered by the newman library at baruch college cuny that introduces participants to geographic information systems gis using the open source software qgis. The inclusion of a software on this webpage does not represent a recommendation or endorsement of that product nor should it be taken to infer that there is any link between gis in ecology and that product or its manufacturer. Map making is far and away the most common use for gis software. Furthermore, data can be exported to a variety of formats, for use in other programs. Today, we use geographic information systems gis to make maps.
A geographic information system gis is a computerbased information system for input, management, analysis, and output of geographic data and information. Therefore, an oil company should use a geological focused software and a sales company. Please leave a comment with links to your favorite tutorialsresources to learn a particular programming language. The tutorial series presents an introduction to gis illustrated with femas application of gis in their. Pdh online pdh center 5272 meadow estates drive fairfax, va 220306658. Handbook on geographic information systems and digital. Gis software provides the functions and tools needed to store, analyze, and display geographic information. They cover the basics of gis, including data types, metadata, data sources, various gis software options, multistep gis analysis, and automation.
Data layers with gis software, you can digitally represent geographic objects with a variety of shapes and layer those shapes on top of one. Arcgis is a geographic information system gis for working with maps and geographic information maintained by esri. An introduction to the commonly used arcgis geoprocessing tools. Rooted in the science of geography, gis analyzes spatial location and organizes layers of information into visualizations using maps and 3d scenes. Sep 17, 2019 gis data geographic information systems uses, advantages and disadvantages by heba soffar published february 6, 2017 updated september 17, 2019 a geographic information system is commonly referred to as a gis, it is an integrated set of hardware and software tools used to manipulate and manage the digital spatial geographic and. Gis is a relatively new field it started in the 1970s. For this course, you will learn the most popular open source desktop gis. Dec 04, 2014 introduction to gis and its applications 1. Geographic information systems have been used by assessors for many years now and one of the best known of these systems is arcgis developed by esri. A geographic information system gis is a framework for gathering, managing, and analyzing data. Introduction to gis using open source software, 7th ed by. Gis software lets you produce maps and other graphic displays of geographic information for analysis and presentation. A popular commercial gis software is arcgis developed by esri esri, pronounced ezree,was once a small land use consulting firm which did not start developing gis software until the mid 1970s.
This resource gathers together some of those introductory workshop materials designed to accustom gis novices to the various available software packages and introduce them to some of the many features included in gis systems. Well start with a basic understanding of qgis, and move on to more sophisticated uses of the software. It used to be that computerised gis was only available to companies and universities that had expensive computer equipment. Gis data geographic information systems uses, advantages.
Plotter, flat board software gis software in use are mapinfo, arcinfo, autocad map, etc. Rooted in the science of geography, gis integrates many. They use ropes or string to simulate gis technology, and then discuss how gis helps users with data visualization and analysis. In groundwater studies, gis technology is considered useful as it facilitates handling diverse type of data of spatial information e. The practicum introduces gis as a concept for envisioning information and as a tool for conducting geographic analyses and creating maps. Introduction to gis and its applications slideshare.
For example, harvard, mit and cornell universities have embraced this free gis software to serve as a gentle introduction to spatial analysis for nongis users. It is used for creating and using maps, compiling geographic data, analyzing mapped information, sharing and discovering geographic information, using maps and geographic information in a range of applications, and managing geographic information in a database. The second chapter discusses, inter alia, costbenefit analysis of an investment in digital cartography and gis, plans for census cartographic process, digital map database development, quality assurance, database maintenance, and use of gis. For this seminar we will be using arcgis desktop 10, the newest version of a popular gis software produced by esri. Over time gis applications have also become easier to use it used to require a lot of training to use a gis application, but now it is much easier to get started in gis even for amateurs and casual users. Computer hardware used to run a gis ranges from lowend desktop computers and laptops to highend servers. Introduction qgis is a popular opensource gis with advanced capabilities. In this course, you will gain experience using gis maps to visualize and explore realworld features. Learn fundamental concepts that underlie the use of a gis with handson experience with maps and geographic data. Vector and raster data are geographical data used in a gis application. Conclusion gps is proving itself to be more and more valuable every day. Native file format of vector data from arcview, simpler version of gis software produced by esri meaning it is a point shapefile, a line shapefile, or a polygon shapefile. A popular commercial gis software is arcgis developed by esri esri, pronounced ezree,was once a small landuse consulting firm which did not start developing gis software until the mid 1970s.
Gis allows the creation of maps through automated mapping, data capture, and surveying analysis tools. Gis can be used to map the change in an area to anticipate future conditions, decide on a course of action, or to evaluate the. A geographic information system gis is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present spatial or geographic data. Geographic information systems, or gis, are computer systems for managing, analyzing, and displaying geographic information and data. Gis platforms create layers of spatial data, helping users make maps, analyze data. Before going into detailed definitions of gis, let us look at why gis exists, what it can do, and how it works. It is an extension of cartography the science of making maps and allows individuals to visualize, analyze, question, and interpret data. Lecture 2 introduction to gis based on lecture notes of. Gis geographic information system a computerbased system that can be used to capture, store. Introduction to gis 2 introduction definition of gis like the field of geography, the term geographic information system gis is hard to define. The first chapter gives an introduction and overview of geographic information systems and digital mapping. Learning by listening self learning learning by doing chapter outlines. Qgis is a free and open source geographic information system maintained by the qgis project and is available to ocw users. Not only has the frequency of new gps software increased since the 1970s but it has also become more advanced with more features.
The fundamentals of gis involve an understanding about data types, projections, data quality accuracy and precision, how to collect data and elementary spatial analysis, exposure to geospatial technologyterminology, types of gis data, data sources, and methods of obtaining data, basic cartography, types of spatial analyses and when to use them. This enables users to more easily see, analyze, and understand geographic patterns and relationships. Learn fundamental concepts that underlie gis technology and geographic data. Qgis is a free and open source gis software program that can be used to make maps and perform geospatial analysis. Chapter 1 introduction to gis intro to gis and spatial analysis. Gis software geographic information systems gis mapping. With gis software, you can digitally represent geographic objects with a variety of shapes and layer those shapes on top of one another to create maps and perform analysis. Lecture 2 1 introduction to gis based on lecture notes of dr. Gis data is used in the natural resource management that can include hillslope gradients, the aspects, the stream networks, the stream gradients, vegetation and the other watershed features and there is another type of gis information which is vector line data such as the stream channels. This introductorylevel workshop will focus upon the fundamental concepts and skills needed to explore and analyze begin using geographic information systems gis software for the exploration and analysis of spatial data using the qgis platform. Canada was the pioneer in the development of gis as a result of innovations dating back to early 1960s. A geographic information system gis is designed to capture, manipulate, store, analyze, and manage data.
One of the most common uses of gis technology involves comparing natural features with human activity. Many gis software applications are availableboth commercial and open source. Choose from 500 different sets of intro to gis flashcards on quizlet. Gis applications are tools that allow users to create interactive queries. Piotr jankowski, former professor in department of geography at ui objective the purpose of this lecture is to provide an introduction to gis and give an overview of basic theoretical. An introduction to the commonly used gis toolshelp arcgis. Introduction to geographic information systems geographic information systems gis are computerbased systems for the management, display, and analysis of geographic data. Of these, arcgis is the most established gis software. A gis stores data on geographical features and their characteristics. Geographic information systems are now used for land use planning, utilities management, ecosystems modelling, landscape assessment and planning, transportation and infrastructure planning, market analysis, visual impact analysis, facilities management, tax assessment, real estate analysis and many other applications. Choosing the right gis tool is really about understanding the problems that you are looking solve. Gis applications such as qgis are tools that allow users to create interactive queries usercreated searches. May 05, 2014 simon frasier university is offering a free selfpaced mooc massive open online course entitled exploring geographic information systems. Introduction to web programming for gis applications 4.
Introduction to gis geographic information system gis. Jan 29, 2015 qgis is a free and open source gis software program that can be used to make maps and perform geospatial analysis. As we described above, gis is more than just software, it refers to all aspects of managing and using digital geographical data. The types of hardware and software required to set up a gis depend on the needs of the user i. Lecture 2 introduction to gis based on lecture notes of dr. Data a gis will integrate spatial data with other data resources and can even use a dbms, used by most organization to maintain their data, to manage spatial data. Interested parties can use gis to understand relationships, trends, and patterns better. A broadly accepted definition of gis is the one provided by the. A gis application allows you to view geographical data and is an important part of the gis. A geographic information system gis software is designed to store, retrieve, manage, display, and analyze all types of geographic and spatial data. Here is a series of tutorials and tips that show you how to use it to tackle common gis problems.
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