Month: February 2026

Chapter 4 (3.4): 

In this chapter, I was able to gain more insight into working with File Geodatabases throughout the different exercises and learning modules. I learned more about spatial databases and databases as a general skill and tool used when working with maps and GIS. In the first chapter, I learned more about importing data into a new ArcGIS project as a means to create a map and input data for different skills. I had issues in this section when it came to importing data as well as in some ways following the directions given to me in the book and project manual. Even though I understand both that I need these methods to learn and later create my own maps and images using data, I still get confused. I then learned how to modify attribute tables, with attribute tables being used to portray and display a lot of what is used in GIS ( in columns of data in tables). While doing this chapter, I felt more equipped when dealing with maps, that’s not the say that confusion didn’t arise at different points, especially as I was navigating between the instructions and the actual assignments, trying to get my work to match everything that I was in the readings while not knowing if it was entirely right or not. Later in the chapter, I learned more about carrying out attribute queries which is the use of linking tabular data to the spatial features in feature classes. In the actual lesson, I used SQL criterion with the attribute name as well as other factors. I hadn’t previously realized that coding or script could be use in GIS as a means to symbolize attribute values that are found in maps. 

 

Chapter 5 (3.4)

 

In this chapter I learned about world map projections and the different map windows that can be used in GIS to display and show information. One of the maps that was demonstrated to me was the “fly to Hammer-Aitoff (world)”. I was initially confused on how this information was resourceful to me but then assessed by situation and again understood that any and all information that I am learning in GIS is useful to me, seeing as I didn’t know anything about GIS or mapping before taking this class. I then started working with US map projections that are used commonly in the United States. Connected to this, I learned about using a projected coordinate system and the subsequent parameters that are associated. Lesson two was one of the easier sections from this chapter, which I  was very glad about. I then learned about projected coordinate systems which are used for medium and large sized maps (localized). I personally had issues adding layers and importing data, and came to find out I had been saving and putting data in folders wrong that entire time I was doing these assignments. I didn’t want to restructure my approach to everything after having come so far, so I had to change my approach and understanding of importing and naming data that is being put on my map. When talking about importing data, I also had issues with the fifth lesson in this chapter when I had to export data from an outside source for the first time to then bring it back to the map. In this chapter I also had to work with excel and tables from that which I was confused on, I had a hard time figuring out how to find my data in my files while also trying to properly insert it into my map. 

 

Chapter 6 (3.4) 

 

In the last chapter of this section I was sleep deprived while working on it so I made it harder and more frustrating than it had to be. In the first tutorial, I had issues with understanding the instructions while simultaneously getting error signs and messages saying that the data was not being inserted correctly. In the second tutorial where we were extracting and clipping features, I first had issues with learning how to properly select the areas and regions that I needed from the map to then be used for more information. I will say that it most definitely feels liberating when you understand what you are doing or when you finally get the issue sorted out that you were stressing over for an hour. I will say that I was glad I didn’t have to go out onto the web as much for this chapter while doing the tutorials, that’s not to say that it made the assignments easier or took less time to do. In this chapter, I also had issues when trying to interpret the directions both outwardly and incepted in the “your turn” sections. I’m not sure if it was because I was working on this until 5 am or if I was just extra angry, but every time I couldn’t find a function or feature within the first maybe 15 seconds of reading the instructions, I immediately began clicking harder on my computer and having to take deep breaths. This was especially true for when I was working with the different tools in the tool box and I continued to get error signs while my data and codes were processing because I was inputting something incorrectly. 

(I also again forgot to take pictures of my work and I fear its to late to go back and capture pictures of anything, trust and believe I’ll add pictures to next weeks work though 🙂

Chapter 4

I had similar issues as last time with the instructions not being specific enough. For example the text said to “Search for and open the Export Table tool,” when I searched for it three different “Export Table” tools came up and the text did not specify which one was the correct one. I had to go through each tool to figure out which one was the right one. After trying the two tools that were still active I got error messages for both of them. There were times where I had to guess what the textbook wanted me to do. I had a really hard time with this chapter. It was very confusing. After meeting with Dr. Krygier I realized that it wasn’t as much the content in the “Your Turn” section that was confusing me but just the way they worded the instructions that I had no idea what to do with. 

Chapter 5

This chapter went a lot smoother but I did have some issues with instructions telling me to open something with no other instructions and I had no idea how to proceed. This chapter has been the easiest for me thus far with little snags. It is really interesting how many applications GIS has and the many different ways it can be applied. 

 

Chapter 6

We learned a lot of different tools in this chapter. We learned how to combine and dissolve data. The pairwise dissolve tool was easy to use. This chapter went over how to merge, extract and add features. 

 

Chapter Four:

Chapter four primarily discussed opening previously edited GIS files within ArcGIS pro as well as converting data to suit the needs of the project. I will admit this was a very intimidating thing for me to work on, I’ve mentioned I’m not one for computer science. Interestingly this was actually the easiest part of the chapter as the tutorial was very clear on where/how/whatever to do to import the data into a new map and converting it accordingly.

The latter half of the chapter discussed different ways to interpret quantitative data specified on the map. I absolutely hate mathematics with a passion so naturally this was not a very fun thing for me to do. This was especially evident given that the tutorial has the rather uninteresting example of making census records which did not help. (It was like getting a word problem in a math class.) Though this was somewhat remedied later when example turned to different types of crimes committed in the area in question.

 

Chapter Five:

I absolutely loved this chapter! It was an absolute breeze to get through and I very much so appreciated the amount of different projections the software offered. It was absolutely fascinating to read about the  different practical applications for each projection and how they will influence the geographic results. Then the chapter when on talking about adding data layers and used another census example, this one was significantly easier to get through then the previous one given the lack of quantitative data however.

 

Chapter Six:

This chapter was rather trivial in my opinion. (My opinion might change when I start working on my own project within this software however) The labeling of land use characteristics as well as assigning the different fire department precincts to the neighborhoods was a very interesting example and a welcome change of pace. I feel like the whole tutorial on merging water features could have been significantly shorter and I really wanted this chapter to elaborate more on what the potential benefits are of just having one “area” of water. I hope my mind will be changed on that opinion as I progress but at the moment I am struggling to see a useful application for that feature.

Chapter 4: Not a terribly difficult chapter, although I had some issues with the tools on the last two tutorials.

Chapter 5: Significantly more difficult chapter, the first few tutorials were not hard and could be completed relatively quickly. Tutorial 5 took almost 45 minutes to complete and a number of instructions were difficult to follow. Tutorial 6 was also lengthy and difficult. On a more positive note, I feel like I am gaining a lot more familiarity with this software.

Chapter 6:Chapter 6 was the easiest for me, I had no trouble getting through any of the tutorials and was able to understand the instructions well enough to complete the tutorials in a timely manner.

I was excited to get into the real GIS work last week and ran into some technical difficulties, so I apologize for the delay in this post. This group of chapters was extremely helpful in understanding and navigating the ArcGIS Pro app. Initially, I thought the app would be simple and easy to use, but there is much more to it than I expected. However, all these tools are very useful to engage in the full application of GIS. The ability to change formatting as needed and control the layering of each aspect is impressive for creating the perfect visual, regardless of the need. The step-by-step style and many tutorials, including very simple steps is a very nice way of learning GIS programs and helpful for me personally as a very hands-on learner. I really enjoyed how interactive the maps remained even after creation. Being able to zoom in, click on points, and review specific information on an area with a click of a button really shows how incredibly useful GIS is to a multitude of different applications. I also did not know that GIS can be used to make graphs or informants other than maps. Chapters one through three covered a lot of information on the basics of GIS, and it was a very helpful introduction for someone who has utilized very little of these programs before.

Chapter 4

I learned more about attribute data tables and how to manipulate them to see what I want to see. I also learned how to create attribute queries. This was the more practical use of the software I have experienced yet. I learned how to create new attribute information. I also learned how to join and relate information. I think that 4-3 was the more difficult part, as I had a lot of difficulty locating the files and getting it to open properly. That part took me longer than any of the rest of it, even though that was a shorter part.

Chapter 5

 

In Chapter 5 I learned how to edit geographic data. There was a lot of focus on creating and modifying classes. I learned to add new classes. I had trouble at first selecting the correct layers before making changes and had to go back a few times. I had some trouble at first because my files kept saying that it had to fix errors. This chapter took me longer than any other because of this. I had a lot of trouble undoing mistakes and had to keep going all the way back. This chapter really focused on the reliability of the data. 

Chapter 6

 

Chapter six focused a lot on the different tools. This is where it really felt like we were getting into the things that ArcGIS can be used for. It was more fun to do than the other chapters too. Within the attribute tables, I learned to analyze information. Selecting by location was also helpful to know so that I could look at features that intersect and distances. I learned more about combining data and dissolving data. I was able to learn to use the merge tool. 

Chapter 4

Chapter 4 was about working with spatial databases. I learned that a database is a container for the data of an organization, project, or othre undertaking for record keeping, decision-making, analysis, and research. I found this chapter to be more difficult than the previous chapters, but  I found it very interesting who individuals can utilize GIS to import databases directly into ArcGIS Pro. To me, this chapter was the most useful chapter that we have done yet. I can see myself importing data into the database and using it to analyze trends. I did have a bit of trouble importing the map, as it did say that there was a network error. I did have to switch over to another computer and this was resolved.

I also was able to learn about carrying out attribute queries. Linking tabular data to the spatial features in feature classes allows you to symbolize maps using the attribute values found in tables and enables you to find spatial features of interest using attribute data. An attribute query selects attribute data rows and spatial features based on attribute values. Something that I did have a question about was what SQL is. The chapter discusses how attribute queries are based on SQL, which is the de facto standard query language of databases and many apps, including ArcGIS Pro. I am interested in learning more about what SQL is what it entails. One of the more interesting parts of the chapters was viewing crime incidents. I found this to be very interesting. I never thought about how public health officials/law enforcement may be able to map criminal activity in order to look for areas of need and implement appropriate interventions. I did find the “your turn” on page 116 to be specifically hard, as I had a hard time locating the SQL view to remove the parenthesis.

Chapter 5

Chapter 5 was about spatial data, and I was able to change the geographic coordinate system to a projected coordinate system by setting the map properites, change the projected coodinate system to a different projected coordinate system by setting the map properites, and set the projected coordinate system for a local-level map by adding a first layer to the map an d specifying the display untis for the map. In 5-1 I learned more about world map projections. I discovered that geographic coordinate systems use latitude and longitude coordinates for locations on the surface of the earth, whereas projected coordinate systems use a mathematical transofmration from an ellipsoid or a sphere to a flat surface and two-dimensional coordinates. This section was very inetesting to learn about the various types of map projections- such as the Hammer-Aitoff projection.

I also found 5-3 to be very interesting, as I was able to change a map’s coordinate system. 5-4 allowed me to examine a shapefile. I was a little confused reading this section on page 134, and was wanting more clarification onn what a shapefile is and why they are important. I understand that a shapefile consists of at least three files with either .shp, .dbf, or .shx and each file uses the shapefile’s name but with a different extension, but I am not too sure how I would use it or what the importance is. I found tutorial 5-5 to be the most interesting, where I was able to work with US Census map layers and data tables. I learned that the advantage of downloading spatial data is that you have more flexibility in modifying it. I was able to download census TIGER files, and process tabular data in Microsoft Excel. I thought the process of adding and cleaning data in ArcGIS Pro was very interesting, and I would like to use this feature in the future, because it would be easy to analyze and interpret data within the same software- and not have to switch around programas.

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 is fundamentally about geoprocessing- which is a framework and set of tools for processing geographic data. 6-1 was about dissolving features to create neighborhoods and fire divisons and battakions. I learned about the pairwise dissolve took, which can aggregate block group attributes to the neighborhood level, using statistics such as sum, mean, and count. In 6-2 I was able to use select by location to create study area block grops. I found this to be very interesting, because the “your turn” was very interestnig I was able to interact within multiple layers. I was able to use the pairwise clip tool to cleanly create street segments. This was useful because clipping Manhattan streets with the Upper West Side boundary cuts off the dangling portions of the streets and creates a clean layer for display purposes. My personal favorite was doing 6-7 where I was able to understand study tracts and fire company polygons. It was very intersting to learn that responsbility for the tract’s population of persons with disabilities should be spilt approximately 50/50. I was able to select tracts to open the disability field, which showed that the population of persons with disabilities in tract is split 50/50 between fire companies 22 and 75, each with 400 persons. Census tract 019300 retains its full population of 1,620 persons with disabilities.

At the end of this weeks tutorial for chapters 4, 5, and 6, I feel as if my GIS skills are improving. At the beginning of the semester, I had no clue what GIS would look like in practice, and using map projections was a big surprise to me- because I did not envision this being a large part of GIS.

Chapter 4:

I found this chapter to be quite content heavy, but it was very interesting as it covered how geographers can import data into a geodatabase and manipulate it from within the app. This manipulation can be done in a myriad of ways, such as directly within the field view table or with the use of python expressions to combine or calculate fields. The chapter also covered the use of different tools such as the Calculate Field tool as well as how to select specific fields using generated expressions. It also had a section on centroids (the arithmetic mean of all the points within the polygon), and how they can be manipulated to influence the presentation of data within ArcGIS. I found this chapter to be the most interesting one we went over this week, and the one I found the most useful.

 

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Chapter 5:

Chapter 5 went over the use of different map projections and how some can be more useful and cause less distortions in the display than others. The chapter also covered how to use and add coordinate (x,y) data; GPS units and many databases provide coordinate data, and said data can be used in GIS from a table to create point feature classes, such as libraries in Chicago. It also covered how exactly to work with outside sources like the US Bureau to import and work with spatial and tabular data. I thought this exploration of spatial data sources was interesting and the chapter explains it very well. I am excited to apply the information covered in this chapter to the final project for the end of the course.

 

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Chapter 6:

This chapter focused on explaining how block groups, layers and features can be extracted and moved depending on the data needed. It covered how to dissolve block group polygons using the Pairwise Dissolve tool, extracting neighborhoods using attributes from a study area and intersecting features on different attributes. The chapter also went over how to merge, extract and append features using tools within ArcGIS. My favorite part of the chapter was learning how to use the Union tool on the different boundaries to create more detailed polygons. I thought it was a cool feature of ArcGIS to learn about. It did make me wonder about how many features can be merged at one time, and whether said features need to relate to each other or not.

 

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Delaware Data Inventory:

Data Layer Name: Parcel
Description: This dataset shows the extent and ownership of parcel lines within Delaware, Ohio. It is a feature service, and is maintained by the Delaware County Auditor’s GIS Office. When viewed in GIS, it shows the boundaries of different parcels, particularly within the study area.

Data Layer Name: Hydrology
Description: This dataset contains all the major waterways within Delaware, Ohio. It is updated on an as needed basis and is published monthly. In GIS, using a different symbology from the rest of the parcel data can make it easier to distinguish and work with.

Data Layer Name: Street Centerline
Description: This data depicts the center of pavement of public and private roads within Delaware County. It falls under the Feature Service type, and appears with a simple line symbology when viewed within GIS.

Screenshot:

Ch 4: . In this chapter I learned how to create and work with databases. Following along with the rest of the chapter tutorials was much easier this time. Unfortunately I still had some technical issues so I could not complete all the tasks but I managed what I could. I thought it was not a very complicated task, and it reminded me of coding. Especially when I had to add the parenthesis around the crime and robbery in the SQL tab in tutorial 4-3. As well as having to create phrases such as the “where… is equal to…”  in the attribute tables. I believe that while coding, one has to be very specific about the data and the output it would create. Otherwise the data could be misinterpreted or the visual could come out wrong. Out of all the chapters, I believe that this was the easiest tutorial for me. I enjoyed adding colors and symbols to represent the crimes.  Although, it was a bit disappointing to notice all the crimes committed in the Pittsburg area on the map. Using GIS was a great tool to analyze these social issues, but I’m assuming this is not the first time GIS has mapped crimes or other city problems. I am unsure if the data is outdated but  I wonder if the crime rates have gotten worse, and what is the city doing to reduce crimes? Hopefully the same GIS software can be used to identify possible solutions to these crimes but also for other issues a neighborhood or area may encounter. Overall, I enjoyed this chapter especially tutorials 4-3 and 4-4, not only creating the data but as well as reading and understanding the maps. Particularly when the maps include important data regarding social issues such as low healthcare accessibility or low family income in certain neighborhoods. 

Ch 5: Using the GIS software to develop world maps was a fun tool, and converting it into a sphere was interesting.  This chapter was a good reminder of how to read maps using longitude and latitude coordinates. Mostly because I rarely use map coordinates so this was a nice skill to refresh especially for the GIS software. For the majority of this chapter, I understood the instructions more which made the process quicker and easier. I learned the importance of having coordinates in order to comprehend the data in certain areas such as the bicyclists in tutorial 5-5. I also learned that spatial data is easier to modify and change which is helpful in order to make map data accurate. Especially if borrowing data from other sources such as the data from the census website in tutorial 5-5. Throughout this chapter I learned how different types of maps can show different types of data. The tutorials throughout the chapter, used contours, raster, coordinates, and world maps to demonstrate different data. Sometimes these maps were used to show the same data in different ways. This reminded me of the other textbook where it explained all these different features and types of maps. It was interesting to see them into practice and how each map contributed differently to the data. However, I wonder why most of the map locations are normally from New York? I noticed that in other tutorials such as chapter two and chapter six, New York was also used as a reference. I am assuming that it is because New York has a large population so more data may be available, but I thought it was interesting. Nonetheless, I enjoyed being able to elaborate on previous data from the census website and use different maps to compare the data in similar areas.

Ch 6: In this chapter I learned about geoprocessing, which was something I was unfamiliar with before this tutorial. I also learned about the Pairwise Dissolve Tool which helped block attributes to their neighborhood level using statistics. I also learned that the Pairwise Intersect tool can summarize feature class data together into a group.  Furthermore, I learned how to use the Union tool to create a polygon layer and how to combine it with the Intersect tool. It was interesting to see how multiple tools and features came together to change the map output of certain data. For example, in tutorial 6-7, I had to use the Tabulate intersection tool to identify the number of people with disabilities. I put into practice my previous knowledge from the other tools  to navigate the tabulate intersection tool. Being able to understand the process of finding and using tools made the tutorials faster. It also helped me to quickly identify what I needed to do and where to find these features.  I learned how to use the toolbox tool as well as these specific features throughout the chapter. Although, sometimes  I would not find a specific tool, so I had to use the search bar which made the tutorial much easier to follow. At the end of this week’s tutorials I feel like I have gotten better at understanding and using the software. I feel more comfortable navigating the tool and tabs, as well as identifying certain features on a map.  I was also able to put into practice some of my map, statistics and technical skills throughout each tutorial. As I previously mentioned, I still had a few technological issues, but it was less compared to last week. Hopefully I will keep honing my GIS skills throughout the remainder of this course and especially for the final.

Chapter 4

Chapter 4 covered the process of creating different selections and selections by attributes. The selection by attributes feature allowed the user to select certain columns based on the different fields that were imputed. Additionally, there was the added feature of a definition query that can narrow down the attribute table depending on what the user is looking for. I had a bit of trouble differentiating when to use the definition query and selection query; however, I eventually figured it out. A large portion of the chapter was about creating calculations within the attribute table by using the calculate field button. One feature I learned about from chapter 4 was the Geoprocessing tool pane, which allowed me to use a search bar in order to find different tools. I assume that will be a tool I will be using a lot when I begin my final GIS mapping project. It was actually very interesting to see how one could utilize ArcGIS to narrow down the perpetrator of a burglary. I have definitely become well accustomed to the usage of the attribute table, and it helps to know its various uses, such as creating selection queries, viewing the selected records, and comparing numeric values. I had many questions when attempting to complete this chapter’s tutorial, one being how to create different active definition queries; however, I found the solution when I eventually realized that there was a different tool to make secondary selections through the selection by attribute tool. 

Chapter 5

Chapter 5 had covered the specific geographic pinpointing using latitude and longitude. Longitude is a measurement from east to west, while latitude is the measurement from north to south, and together they make up the coordinate system. Additionally, it had me venture out of GIS to attain data files from outside websites, such as the U.S. Census. I find that those skills in particular that it had walked me through will be useful in my final, as I will presumably have to find outside data to apply to my map. Moreover, it was the teaching of how to implement those files that will definitely help me in the future. It had also walked me through importing tables from Microsoft Word as well, which I had a tad bit of difficulty with, but I figured it out.  I would say one feature that I was left confused with was the add join tool, as it had caused a halt in my progress, as the instructions felt slightly unclear. Overall, this may have been the chapter I had the most trouble with, just simply because I had so much trouble with the add join tool, but overall, it was somewhat understandable. 

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 was definitely more straightforward than the previous chapter, and I found its content easier to digest. Much of this chapter consisted of finding different tools within the geoprocessing toolbox and navigating how to use them. Some of these tools include the pairwise tool, the merge tool, the clip tool, and many others, which are typically to alter different qualities on the map or in the datatables. Another helpful set of abilities within GIS is the selection group, which the chapter showed me how to use the three different methods for selection: select, select by attributes, and select by location. I imagine this would come in handy when trying to view traits on an attribute table for a specific location. I think it was cool to see New York used as an example for this chapter again, as it shows off the wide variety of traits that a location can have. Overall, I liked this chapter, and I found it interesting to explore all of the different types of tools that the application had to offer.