Introduction to

Geographic

Information Systems

Dr. Timothy L. Hawthorne

“Always desire to learn something

useful” - Sophocles

Goals for this Discussion

What is GIS? What is needed for success?

GIS as a research method and process for

geographic problem solving

Opportunities/challenges of using GIS

What is GIS?

http://video.esri.com/watch/3623/what-is-

gis_question_

Geographic Information Systems

Organize, analyze, and

display geographically

referenced information

Text, sound, image, video

Layers of data

Explore relationships

The wikification of GIS

Geographic Information Systems

Link geography to data

GIS Careers are Hot!!

o GIS as a high-growth career field

o “Much faster than average” growth

o GIS market is growing at an annual rate of almost

35 percent

o Salary between $41,108 for an entry-level analyst

to $89,475 for a GIS supervisor as of March 2014

o Where to work? http://www.esri.com/industries

o Source: U.S. Department of Labor

Maps are Powerful

Tell a story quickly with visuals

Identify trends across places

http://www.esri.com/products/maps-we-love

Watch the video

Introduce yourself to neighbor

Look at two maps, explain why you think they are

cool and what they show

Geographic Problem Solving

The Geographic Approach

way of thinking and problem solving that

integrates geographic information (location-based)

into how we understand and manage our planet

GIS is not just a technology tool,

but a research method!!!

GIS Problem Solving Methods

Frame the question

What is the problem you are trying to solve or

analyze, and where is it located?

Acquire data

determine the data needed to complete your

analysis and where that data can be found or

generated

Source: ESRI Press, 2014

Examine the data

are they appropriate for your study?

Analyze the data

data are processed and analyzed

Act on the data: present, share, discuss

Spatial Data

Connected to geographic location

Typically 2D, but can be 3D

Geographic features

Something distinctive tied to place on map

Points, lines, areas

Points

Lines

Areas/

Polygons

Geographic Attributes

Geographic feature has one or more

attributes

Polygon: a lake, 5 acres, private property, good

fishing (4 attributes)

Link features to a database (like excel)

Reflect on the take-home messages

What are the two most important things you

learned about GIS in this discussion?

What is 1 question you still have about GIS?