Jake Crawford

1
An Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
(GIS) in the Social Sciences

• Jake Crawford
• Intern, Geospatial Centroid
• Colorado State University

2
Have you ever used

• GoogleMaps or MapQuest
• Google Earth
• Topographic map (24k)
• Street Map
• GPS
• Personal Navigation Device
• Geocaching websites

3
What is GIS?

• Geographic Information Science?
• Geographic Information Systems?
• A common technical definition, A GIS is an
  integrated collection of computer software and
  data used to view and manage information about
  geograhic places, analyze spatial relationships,
  and model spatial processes (Wade and Sommer,
  2006).
• A system that allows a user to work with
  information that is referenced to the surface of
  the Earth (Graham, 2010).
• Where are we going? What is it like there? Why do
  I care?

4
What is GIS?

• A GIS contains at least these features
• A Computer
• A Software Application (ArcGIS)
• Some Spatial Data
• A User
• Application
• Together, these elements perform some geospatial
  function.

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What can GIS do?

• From simple functions
• Make a map
• Find directions to a known location
• Map population distribution

• To complex analyses
• Determine the cost of road or trail development
• Predict the extent of an invasive species
• Develop a plan for emergency service responses

6
What cant GIS do?

• Guess the directions you want to take
• Be 100 up to date
• Be 100 accurate

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What really is GIS?

• The three characteristics of GIS are
  Georeferenced features, containing attributes,
  and organized as layers.
• Georeferenced Geographic features of interest
  are spatially aligned using a known coordinate
  system.
• Attributes Because each feature has a known
  location in space, attributes (non-spatial
  information) can be linked to a feature to be
  retrieved.
• Layers The geographic features can be organized
  into layers according to some theme (e.g. roads,
  land use, hydrology, etc.) and then vertically
  integrated or stacked on top of one another.
• (Theobold, 2009).

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What types of data is used for GIS?

• Vector
• Points
• Cities, Trees, People
• Polylines
• Streets, Rivers, Trails
• Polygons
• States, Buildings, Parcels
• Raster
• Grids
• Rows and Columns

9
Review

• The 3 characteristics of GIS are Georeferenced
  features, containing attributes, that are
  organized as layers.
• The two types of data are Vector and Raster.
• GIS allows us to make more informed decisions
  based on our understanding of geography and our
  relationship to it.

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Why study/utilize GIS?

• 1. To create knowledge.
• 2. To convey information.
• 3. To make informed decisions.

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GIS in the Social Sciences

• Increasing demand and supply of GIS applications
  that combine citizen science and social networks.
• Social issues often have a spatial dimension and
  utilizing GIS can contribute to analyzing human
  patterns and relationships.
• The increase in social science applications has
  been made possible by the proliferation of data
  on a variety of socioeconomic and environmental
  domains.

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Case StudiesGIS has a wide application in the
social sciences

• From Mapping Worldwide Malnourishment
  Distribution
• To Planning Emergency Response Policy

• From Analyzing population change in a time period
• To Modeling Family Service Centers

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Conveying Information
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Planning
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Before and After
16
Modeling
Age
Family Size
Poverty
Education
Income
Insufficient
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Geospatial Revolution Why we need GIS

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vgxCEb5Cv4Nk

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Free Online Mapping Services

• Google Earth
• http//www.google.com/earth/index.html
• National Atlas-Government sponsored maps
• Map and Print various layers
• www.nationalatlas.gov/mapmaker
•  
• ESRIs ArcGIS WebViewer
• Map and Print various layers
• http//www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html
• ArcGIS online Gallery-Premade maps for
  exploration and lessons
• http//www.arcgis.com/home/gallery.html
• OpenStreet Map
• http//www.openstreetmap.org/

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Colorado State University Courses and
Opportunities

• Course offerings
• http//ibis-live.nrel.colostate.edu/DH.php?WC/WS/
  Centroid/Courses1.html
• ESRI online tutorials (Free for students and
  faculty)
• http//ibis-live.nrel.colostate.edu/DH.php?WC/WS/
  Centroid/ESRI_courses1.html
• CSU Geospatial Centroid
• http//www.gis.colostate.edu