Category: Course Student Work

Chapter 4:
I thought chapter 4 went through pretty easily. I had to go through the book a lot because I wasn’t able to find several things but I in the end I did. There were times when I had errors but quickly fixed them.

Chapter 5:
I found Chapter 5 pretty cool, doing world map projections and comparing. I did have some trouble importing data for a little bit but ended up figuring it out. This chapter took me the longest just because something happened with the computer and I had to reload but overall, it was fine.

Chapter 6:
Chapter 6 gave me no issues. I enjoyed working with the fire departments.

Chapter 7:
Chapter 7 I liked using shapes. Also, this was probably my favorite map that I created I found it very cool.

Chapter 8:
Chapter 8 went well, I did not have any trouble. I found it cool working with all of the zipcodes.

Chapter 4:

Chapter 4 goes more in depth with working with databases which are basically just places where a collection of data is held for a certain topic. The first task in the tutorial was learning how to import data into ArcGis, putting a data table into a file geodatabase and then utilizing the database into the map. Then continuing on with tables the next part covered how to modify attribute tables and joining a data table with an attribute table. After this, it was a lot of in depth tasks of getting useful information from these tables like filtering the range of when certain crimes occur. Coding has come up a lot in this chapter which was very confusing to me since I know nothing about coding but for the most part if I followed the tutorial I was fine. Overall I feel like I’m starting to get the hang of things and this chapter went by pretty fast. 

Chapter 5:

Things started out pretty simple and easy to follow but I feel like as the chapter went on it took me a lot longer to find things and the tutorials have started to get less descriptive. To start out I learned about all of the coordinate systems that ArcGis has, where to view them and put them to use.I found this part pretty easy and the tutorial matched up well with the software and other websites I had to visit to gather more information from.  After this the tutorial goes over working with vector data, using conversion tools to import shapefiles into geodatabase so that they can be used on the map and converting other various file types. The next part got a bit more complicated with working in outside websites for the US census maps and data tables. For some reason section 5-5 took me too long and I had to do a lot of guessing and rereading to figure out how to get the end product and I struggled to join the 2 data tables together in the end to make the choropleth map. 

Chapter 6: 

 

Chapter 6 was all about geoprocessing which is basically a framework and set tool for processing geographic data. The purpose of this is to build study areas and perform various tasks. Firstly, I started out with dissolving features in Manhattan, New York to create neighborhoods. I didn’t really understand what dissolving really was but with a lot of these new things that I am learning with ArcGis, you kind of have to trust the process. The data from this section was then used to create a useful map in which emergency response teams can easily identify fire divisions and population. Overall though this chapter went by pretty fast and wasn’t too hard to do.

Chapter 4:

In this first tutorial, I had a bit of trouble finding the catalog pane. I found it eventually, but it took a lot of searching and head scratching. Other than that, this was a really good chapter for data additions and management. Tutorial 2 was also about data, but more so modifying and adjusting it for easier visualization. I especially appreciated learning how to work with the attribute table. Tutorial three taught me how to adjust selecting by attribute and how to save and modify selections to be more specific. Tutorial four was really easy. It showed me how to create a spatial join between features, which is useful for processing data with a relationship. Tutorial five taught me how to make a point layer, which is another way to see the relationship between an area and an occurrence. Finally, tutorial six taught me how to create a new attribute table and join data from other attributes tables to the new one.

Chapter 5:

The first tutorial taught me how to manipulate the world map and search by geographic coordinates. The second  tutorial was similar, but on a country scale, not a world-wide scale.  Tutorial three was similar to the others, but on an even smaller level. It also gave me some m0re practice adding and adjusting the symbology of data. Tutorial four taught me more about shape files and how to use them.  Tutorial five was a lot. I learned where to find things like census data and how to put them into Arc. Tutorial six taught me more about finding and inputting data from national sources, or from other public agencies. This is really useful for future endeavors.

Chapter 6:

The first tutorial taught me how to use the pairwise dissolve tool, which allows data to be shown in a more concise way.  Tutorial two was a refresher on specific selections, and how to extract and clip these selections.  Tutorial three was short and sweet, and showed me how to merge features into one attribute table. Tutorial four was also short, and taught me what the append tool did. This allows me to add new data directly to an attribute table. Tutorial five was a new way to work with the attribute table, through using the intersect and summary tools. It helps organize the data better. Tutorial six also taught me more about the attribute table, specifically how to use the union tool and the calculate geometry tool.  It also let me practice more with joining tables. Tutorial seven taught me how to use the tabulate intersection tool, which makes sure that across lines, the actual population remains.

Chapter 7:

The first tutorial taught me how to manipulate polygons on the map, which is incredibly useful for lining things up properly, making it easier to view and analyze structures. I also learned how to split a polygon into multiple parts. Tutorial two built on one, but teaching me how to create and delete polygons on the map. I also learned how to use the trace tool to create a study area. Tutorial three taught me how to use the cartography tools to do things like smooth polygons. The final tutorial taught me how to transform features, and how to add and export them as a CAD drawing.

Chapter 8:

The first tutorial of this chapter was a bit weird. It taught me how to locate zip codes and use that data. I can see why it would be helpful, but it’s still a but strange to me. The second tutorial was equally as strange to me, as it taught me how to geocode based on street addresses, rather than ZIP codes.

Project:

Chapter 1

Finally being able to apply my knowledge to the actual program was very exciting. At first it was a little bit hard getting the hang of everything but the book was very spot on to the program. It was fun figuring out how to open and close different layers as well as being able to zoom in and out revealing different layers. There were so many tools used in this chapter but I was able to run through all these tutorials pretty seamlessly. I learned that patience is key when working on the software. Each step is very meaningful and if you miss one your result will not be correct or usable. I enjoyed the  “your turn” part because it really made me think and apply the knowledge rather than just reading and doing exactly what the book was telling me to do.

Chapter 2:

Chapter 2 was a little bit of a different story. This chapter took me more time than the first chapter and included steps that were more complex than the first. I think that the first chapter did a very good job at giving me a basic understanding and chapter 2 took it to the next level. The symbology tab was very daunting at first but I slowly started to get the hang of it. However, I was unable to change the symbology for “over age 60 using food stamps”. This was the first problem I ran into and I wasn’t sure exactly how I was going to fix it. Before completely freaking out, I went to the website and read some of my classmate’s posts. That’s when I found out that this was a collective problem and no one had an answer to fix it. Additionally, I could not find the out beyond button and checked posts for a possible answer. I used Henderson’s post as a guide to fix my problem. I followed their directions by going to visibility range> max/min> <current> in order to make the pop-ups appear. Overall this chapter was mostly easy to follow and I’m slowly getting the hang of performing these tasks much more easily then the first chapter.

Chapter 3:

Chapter 3 was definitely much harder than the first two chapters considering we had to learn how to share our post as well as make a dashboard. It was fun to be able to learn how to actually post our work to the online website as well as learning the process for how to publish a story/dashboard. This definitely took me a lot longer because I have never used this online ArcGis program. I felt like the first two chapters were more of a follow step by step with extra hints whereas in chapter 3 you had to apply the knowledge you already knew without much help from the book. I did run into one problem when trying to format my dashboard . I am not sure I added my table element correctly. I tried following the steps again in the book but could not quite figure it out. I think I would benefit from possibly starting over and practicing this again in the future . Hopefully, when I have to make another post I will better understand how to without any hiccups

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Chapter 4: Tutorial 4-1 was about exporting features and I found it all to be fairly straight forward.  We also used a lot of the data from the gdb, which was cool to learn how to do. The second tutorial was about attribute tables. I learned how to delete columns, add fields using the fields view tool, and joining/combining data and how to calculate the sum of fields. This tutorial was easy and I had no problems with it. 4-3 was about queries and I struggled with it at first. It kept telling me that my queries weren’t valid but I moved on and came back to it and had no problem. It showed me how to do a number of different things with queries and I ended up using them in the following chapters. 4-4 was about spatial joins and was quick and easy. The fifth tutorial taught me how to use the Feature to Point tool to teach me how to create a point layer. This tutorial was also easy. 4-6 was helpful because it had two different “your turn” sections which allowed to test what I had learned. Overall chapter 4 was easy and helped with what I did in the next 4 chapters.

Chapter 5: 5-1 was about correcting distortions on world maps. Because it is such a large space, and because the earth obviously isn’t flat, distortions are created on maps. I was able to learn how to help eliminate those in the first tutorial which was helpful. 5-2 was short and easy as it only covered one thing. I learned how to set a projected coordinate system, which helped me with the next tutorial. The third tutorial was also about coordinate systems but it showed me how to add layers, change coordinate systems and change the projected system. 5-4 taught me how to use multiple different tools in GIS. I learned more about exporting features, creating new layers from data, and adding X,Y coordinates. This tutorial was very helpful because I continued to use the export features tool throughout the tutorials. The fifth tutorial had me download data from another website to implement into a map. This is definitely something I will need to use again in the future so I’m glad I learned it now. I also learned how to sort through data and join data together to a table. The last tutorial for this chapter was one that I had trouble with. I was able to extract by mask and add the new data but I was unable to download data from the public agency website because the layer it told me to download was no longer an option. Other than that this chapter went fairly smoothly and was very educational.

Chapter 6: Chapter 6 overall was the easiest chapter for me. I blew through it and had no issues. 6-1 was about dissolving fields in the attribute table and block groups. I felt very confident in this section because when I got to the “your turn” portion I was able to do what it said without looking back at the steps. 6-2 was about selecting and editing different layers. First I learned how to select by attribute and then by layer. I was also able to do this section easily without the steps. 6-3 was really short as it only went over one thing. It taught me how to merge feature classes into one. I did this with water and waterfront parks in NYC. 6-4 showed me how to append two different classes to an already existing larger class. This was similar to joing information except I added two to one larger one. 6-5 taught me how to use the Pairwise Intersect tool. This tool is helpful for putting data on streets/centerlines.  The summarize feature allowed me to create a new attribute table with summarized length. 6-6 started with the Union tool which created new layers with smaller polygons with popups. This is good for neighborhoods. Then i used the Calculate Geometry tool and made a new definition query. I also did different things with the attribute table which was helpful for the next two chapters. The last tutorial had me zoom to different fire companies to study the polygons and different information on each. The last thing I did was learn to use the Tabulate Intersection tool which helped sort information on the attribute table.  For the “your turn” section I used the summary statistic tool to find out the total number of disabled people which can be used for planning.

Chapter 7: 7-1 was all about using the move button. I moved buildings to line up with the basemap. For the second tutorial I continued to use the move tool but I also learned how to split and relabel things as well as trace the outline of something. 7-3 taught me how to make the harsh lines rounded for things like parks and bodies of water. The last section of chapter 7 was slightly more complicated. I added data to create a new layer and then moved it to a different section of the map. I couldn’t figure out how to turn on the different layers at first as there wasn’t a check mark next to them. Then I exported the features to a new feature class and deleted the original. That is when I rotated the building and moved it closer to the other parts of the map so that it wasn’t as large compared to in the photos.

Chapter 8: This chapter was very short, and I had no problems with it. 8-1 was about zip codes. I made geocode data by zipcode first and then rematched data by zipcode. I learned how to use new tools in this section which was interesting. The second tutorial taught me how to use the create locator tool and then match data. I also used the geocode addresses tool again and learned how to select minimum candidates and create matching scores.

Chapter 1 

Getting started was a challenge for me. This was more time consuming than I thought, especially since I had trouble from the beginning opening the files. Once I got started it was relatively easy to get the hang of. Tutorial 1-3 was a bit more challenging, I had issues finding the attribute tables, then my entire computer froze and had to redo all of 1-3.

This is from the end of chapter one. This Chapter was about changing symbols of feature classes like the color and size. This screenshot of the 3D map is an interesting way to see the difference in population density in a city. It was fun to play around with. Chapter one helped me get familiar with the system.

Chapter 2

Chapter 2 is about designing and symbolizing thematic maps. This chapter was a lot more in depth than the previous chapter, so was a little bit more challenging.  For some reason, tutorials 2-2 and 2-3 were particularly frustrating. I could not figure out the labeling part of the section.  However it was satisfying to complete once I got the hang of it. I could not figure out how to get the 3D map in 2-4 to work, so unfortunately had to skip that part.  I will be coming back to it at some point though because I think it will be useful to know how to do that in the future. The image below is from tutorial 2-5 and is about displaying data using point symbols in the center in each polygon. Even though the purple is very vibrant and probably not the best shade for this map, I like the colors I chose. 

 

Chapter 3

This has been my favorite chapter so far as it was easiest for me to understand. This chapter was about sharing the maps created with people who don’t have ArcGIS. I really liked making the story on the website. The image below is from the first part of chapter 2 where I made a layout of the two maps in a way to make it easier to read for someone unfamiliar with GIS. I think that it is very important to know how to share the maps online, and I like how this section got me familiar with the web GIS and how to connect the two. I didn’t  know that the two would be as compatible as they are. 

Wowza, I didn’t think that following along in tutorials could be so time consuming and difficult. I do however think that I  was able to understand what I read during weeks 1-3 . This being said I realize now that you should start the weekly assignment in advance so that you aren’t cramming assignments because spending 5 hours in the GIS lab in one day is not it.

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 was a good intro into layers and kind of the basics of how to use Arc GIS. I thought that this chapter helped me to piece together some things from the reading. I was grateful for the tutorials and the step by step instructions. I especially was thankful for the hints. Once I got through chapter 1 I felt like I kind of had an idea of where things were and how to save my projects and name them. Honestly, I think figuring out how to download the tutorials was the hardest part for me. But, we managed and got through it.

Chapter 2

Chapter two gave me an idea of how to apply some of the things I learned in chapter 1. These tutorials walked me through how to make a map look like a map someone could use. I learned how to add labels and features. For tutorial 2-4 there was a red “!” next to Neighborhoods so I Couldn’t make the graph or anything for that section, it kept saying that there was no data, I tried reopening the tutorial but it didn’t fix the issue. Because of this I wasn’t able to complete 2-4 but I continued and got the chapter done.

Chapter 3

Chapter three was wild I handled 3-1 well, Building layouts and charts was a breeze but for some reason I had a difficult time figuring out how to share my map online. I managed to get to the part where you get to the MapSharing.pdf but the pdf was blank there was no text any where and often times no matter which browser I used it told me I was unable to see the pdf. This unfortunately hindered me from completing 3-2 and 3-4 . So I need to figure that out but I think once I do, it won’t be that hard.

GIS Tutorial for ArcGIS Pro

Chapter 4

It took me quite a while to get the ball rolling for this chapter. I feel like the second part of the book seems to hold your hand a little less. Kelsea and I did a lot of trouble shooting and problem solving together. Lots of creating and editing of queries but, overall, not too painful.

Chapter 5

I was not super put out by this chapter until Tutorial 5-5. There were a couple work-arounds in the earlier tutorials that didn’t require an incredible amount of patience, but I do not think I downloaded the data files from the public agency hub correctly and that may have set me up for failure for Tutorials 5-5 and 5-6. Still, it felt good to figure out how to add x,y data by systematically poking around because it is slightly different that the instructions in the book.

Chapter 6

The tutorials for this chapter felt pretty quick and I didn’t really have any hiccups. I imagine I will need to extract and merge features in a similar manner in the future.

Chapter 7

Maybe I was just getting a little more comfortable but this chapter felt fast too. Plenty of cool things with making, deleting, moving, and rotating polygons in this chapter. For some reason, the study area buildings disappeared when I ran the export features tool in Tutorial 7-4 but, to be honest, I didn’t find a solution and I ended up moving on.

Chapter 8

Not to sound like a broken record but this was the briefest of the brief. No issues in this chapter!

Chapter 1:

I was pretty intimidated to start using this software because I’m not very good with computers. It took me a while to really get going with and finish this chapter but by the end of it I had a better grasp of what I was doing. This chapter covers the basics of using  Arcgis such as adding and removing a basemap, turning off and on layers, reordering feature classes, and exporting a map.  Section 1-2 goes more into depth into navigating various features. From this part I learned how to use a pop-up window, zooming in, using bookmarks and searching for features. As the tutorials went on somethings got easier but I started having more problems with not being able to follow the instructions to a T and not being able to find what was being asked. Sometimes after looking for a long time I would eventually find it or I would just have to move on like at the end of 1-3. In the second half of chapter one I learned how to work with attribute data which could be tedious but I started to enjoy it. Finally, I learned how to symbolize and label features and then show the map in 3D which was my favorite part of the chapter.

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Chapter 2:

Chapter 2 had a lot more parts than chapter 1 so even though I had a better grasp on what I was doing it still took me a lot longer than expected. Nevertheless, I learned a lot of interesting and useful things like symbolizing qualitative attributes by using different symbols and labels. A highlight from this was honestly looking at all of the color options and their names in the symbology pane. I enjoyed seeing all of the layers start to come together to make a cohesive map in this section and learning how to manage pop ups to provide more information without mudding up the rest of the map. When it came to creating a coropleth map things became a bit more complicated and I found myself having to reread a lot but I eventually got it down. For the life of me I could not get the 3D map to work in 2-4 which I was very sad about because I like the 3D maps but I had to move on, I will probably go back and do some problem solving, though. As the chapter went on I learned more about having graduated points on graphs and customs scales that fit the population and then lastly making dot density maps with visibility ranges.

Chapter 3:

Chapter 3 was a lot shorter but dealt with a different format that before so it took me some time to learn where the different tools were. The first part went over  building layouts to display maps and charts in one space which I found very useful for future use in inserting maps into presentations and papers. The later section was where I learned how to share maps online and switched to using ArcGis online with different tools. I got lost on a lot of things in the later parts of the chapter but I got most things figured out after a while.  Creating a dashboard in ArcGis was tedious with many steps but the book made it pretty easy to follow even if I had to reread a few times. I think this process what a bit different that what I did before because it was like I was creating the dashboard for someone else and I wasn’t really sure what a dashboard was but I then understood and saw the usefulness in this application for possible future jobs I would go into.

CHAPTER 1
This chapter covered the basics of ArcGIS, emphasizing how to change basemaps, add features, and manage map layers. One key insight was the significance of selecting an appropriate basemap to provide meaningful context for spatial data. As I navigated through the software, I practiced zooming, panning, and adjusting layers to highlight essential details while minimizing unnecessary clutter. Accessing and utilizing the attribute table proved particularly beneficial, as it enabled efficient filtering and sorting of data, making it easier to identify trends such as regions with high population density. Additionally, I explored methods for customizing map symbols, including modifying colors, shapes, and labels to enhance readability. A standout feature was the introduction of the 3D view, which offered a fresh perspective on spatial relationships and added depth to visualizations. Although I encountered occasional difficulties, such as software crashes and missing tools, the overall experience strengthened my confidence in using ArcGIS for fundamental data visualization and organization.

CHAPTER 2
Building upon the previous chapter, this section delved deeper into refining map symbology and optimizing data presentation. I practiced adjusting colors, shapes, and symbols to create clearer distinctions between different data layers, improving overall map readability. Configuring labels and pop-ups made the maps more interactive by displaying key details, such as place names and statistical information, upon user interaction. Additionally, I experimented with definition queries, which allowed me to filter and display only specific data that met predefined conditions. This helped streamline the map’s appearance, ensuring that only the most relevant information was visible. I also explored different classification methods, including quantile and defined intervals, to better represent data distributions. Another valuable skill I developed was importing and modifying symbology for comparative analysis, such as examining income levels in relation to population density. Creating dot density maps further enhanced my ability to represent quantities visually, and learning to control label visibility at different zoom levels helped maintain a clean and uncluttered map layout.

CHAPTER 3
This chapter introduced more advanced ArcGIS tools, such as side-by-side map comparisons, map publishing, and interactive dashboards. Being able to compare multiple datasets within the same view was especially useful for identifying spatial relationships, such as the connection between population density and infrastructure placement. Another key takeaway was learning how to publish maps, which makes sharing data easier while maintaining control over visibility settings—an essential feature for presentations and collaborative projects. One of the most practical skills I developed was creating dashboards, which integrate charts, graphs, and maps into an interactive display. Dashboards are particularly useful for tracking real-time data and presenting findings in a clear, visually engaging format. Despite encountering some technical setbacks, such as missing legends and occasional glitches, this chapter significantly enhanced my ability to manage, analyze, and present geospatial data. I now feel more equipped to apply these ArcGIS tools in future projects and research.