Category: Course Student Work

BANTI GEOG WEEK 4

Chapter 1: 

In the first chapter, I learned how to navigate the ArcGIS Pro interface, open projects, and manage layers. Starting with ArcGIS Pro felt overwhelming. There are so many tools, menus, and options that it was easy to get lost. One of my biggest challenges was figuring out how to label a feature class. I spent way some time looking for the labeling tab. Once I found it, I realized that it will take a while to get used to the software. The large number of features makes ArcGIS Pro powerful, but it also means that mastering it takes time and patience. I also learned how important it is to organize layers effectively to avoid clutter, which makes the interface much easier to work with.

Tutorial 1.1

 

Chapter 2:

This chapter was both exciting and frustrating. Customizing map layers helped me appreciate how much control ArcGIS Pro gives over visualization, but I ran into a roadblock with the Remove Duplicate Labels function. Despite following the instructions carefully, I still saw duplicate labels. I tried adjusting label placement and checking layer properties, but the issue persisted. I suspect it might be related to overlapping features or multiple layers contributing to duplicate labels. This was frustrating as I spent extra time troubleshooting without finding a clear solution. I also learned that symbology can drastically change how data is interpreted—choosing the right colors and classifications makes a huge difference in readability.

 

Tutorial 2.4

 

Chapter 3

I found this chapter to be the hardest so far. Editing features required more precision and attention to detail than I expected. I had to redo several steps to get things right, as there were more details in the directions given. Comparing two maps on the same sheet was useful for spotting patterns, but I struggled with some of the alignment and formatting options. One of the most interesting parts was experimenting with dashboards. The ability to publish maps and adjust their visibility settings also made me think about how GIS can be used for collaboration and presentation. Consequently, I found this chapter very useful but also a bit more difficult compared to the previous chapters. 

 

Chapter 1: This chapter was like a basic “GIS for Dummies” intro. It introduced the main concepts and vocabulary, which was helpful. I learned the difference between a feature class (like a layer on a map, showing things like streets or buildings) and a raster dataset (images made up of pixels, like satellite photos). It’s the difference between drawing lines and coloring in squares, I think. The tutorials were pretty straightforward. Tutorial 1-1 was just about opening a project and messing around with the interface. Turning layers on and off, zooming in and out, that kind of thing. The book told me to add a basemap (the “Streets” one), then told me it was getting in the way, so I should remove it. I also played around with the order of the layers in the Contents pane. Tutorial 1-2 focused on navigating the map. Panning, zooming, using bookmarks (which are like saved views and are super useful). I even learned how to use the “Explore” tool to click on features and get info about them in a pop-up. I clicked on a random urgent care clinic and saw its address and website. Tutorial 1-3 got into attribute data – the information behind the map features. Every feature (like a point representing a clinic) has a table with details about it. I learned how to open the attribute table, sort the data, and even mess with the columns (like rearranging them). I also started to get a glimpse of how powerful this can be – you can search for specific features based on their attributes. Tutorial 1-4 was about symbolizing maps. I changed the FQHC clinics to green circles and made them a bit smaller.I also played with labeling, so that, the name of things appeared, the names of the municipalities.

Chapter 2: The main idea of this chapter is thematic maps – maps that focus on a specific topic or theme. Like, in Chapter 1, we were looking at the locations of health clinics relative to poverty areas. That’s a theme. The chapter stressed the importance of making the subject of your map (the “figure”) stand out, while the background information (the “ground”) should be less prominent. It’s about visual hierarchy. The tutorials were all about symbolizing different kinds of data. Tutorial 2-1 dealt with qualitative attributes – things like categories or types (e.g. land use types: residential, commercial, industrial). I learned how to use “unique values” symbology to give each land use type a different color. Tutorial 2-2 was about labels and pop-ups. I learned how to customize labels (font, size, color) and how to configure pop-ups to show specific information. Tutorials 2-4 and 2-5 were about mapping quantitative attributes – numbers. 2-4 was doing Choropleth maps that is how you use different shades of a color to represent different values (like population density). 2-5 did the same, but with dots. There were different ways to classify the data (like “quantiles” and “natural breaks”), I found this a bit confusing. The way the data is divided up can change how the map looks. 2-6 was about “normalizing” data. This is where it got a bit more mathematical. Basically, you’re adjusting the data to make it comparable. Like, instead of just showing the number of people in poverty, you might show the percentage of people in poverty. This is way more meaningful because areas have differing total number of people. Tutorial 2-7 was about dot density maps. It shows the number of people under 18 who are on food stamps in each neighborhood using dots. Tutorial 2-8 got me adding visibility ranges, I could make things appear and disappear based on how far you zoom in.

Chapter 3: This chapter was all about sharing maps. Tutorial 3-1 was about creating layouts. A layout is like a page where you can arrange your map, add a title, a legend, a scale bar, and other stuff. It’s like putting together a poster. I made a layout with two maps showing arts employment in different states. I also created a chart showing the number of arts jobs. Tutorial 3-2 was about sharing maps online using ArcGIS Online. This was pretty cool, and I already have some experience with this from GEOG 292. You can publish your maps so that other people can view them in a web browser. Tutorial 3-3 introduced ArcGIS StoryMaps, another thing introduced to me by GEOG 292. These are like interactive reports or presentations that combine maps with text, images, and videos. It’s a way to tell a story with your data. Tutorial 3-4 was about ArcGIS Dashboards. In them, you can see maps, charts, and other information all in one place. These would be useful for monitoring things that change quickly, like traffic or weather.

I’m starting to see how powerful GIS can be, but it’s also a bit overwhelming. There are so many tools and options! I feel I’m going to need to keep practicing, else I’m going to forget.

Chapter 1

I had a significant learning curve with Chapter 1. It took a bit to figure out the user interface on the desktop compared to the WebGIS that I grew accustomed to last semester. Some new terms arose as well as some old terms were rehashed. A feature class is a grouping of common features that are represented using the same symbols, points, lines, and shapes- making feature classes somewhat similar to a point of interest but in a broader sense. I believe that now I understand what a Raster dataset is- more so than before. Raster data is image data whereas vector data concerns points, lines, and polygons just like feature classes. In my early learnings of the desktop software, I kept managing to remove my map and the contents tab, but I found out that there is a way to reset the contents tab. Though, I had to leave without saving to get the map back at least once. A problem I encountered throughout chapter one alongside the other chapters was the use of terms that I was presumed to already know such as ribbons, groups, and bounding boxes. With that aside, I have acquired the ability to better navigate through maps and data via zooming in and out, zooming to full extent, and properly utilizing bookmarks. Additionally, I have gained experience using Structured Query Language to easily locate the names of specific features. Building upon the claims of the Mitchell reading, I was employing the GIS software to perform statistical analyses using sum, mean, standard deviation, etc. In all of the learning I have done thus far, the most engaging part was going through the symbology of the symbols for the various features. Though, I could not find any such “Dialogue Launch” or “Active Symbols” tab when manipulating the labels and symbols of features. 

Chapter 2 

For Chapter 2, everything began smoothly with coloring the different areas. After that step, I had a lot of trouble finding the label class group on the ribbon for the next section of the tutorial, so I chose to move on. Otherwise, I did not have any trouble with using the popups. Then, once again, I was manipulating symbols- which I enjoy doing very much. When I moved on to making the Choropleth map, I encountered a lot of troubles that hindered my ability to perform everything properly. For some reason, I had an error come up every time I attempted to apply any settings under symbology, so I was virtually unable to complete the task. Moving past that, the next section went smoothly. I renamed the layer, changed the symbology, and that was all. Then, I had another issue with changing the symbology in the Female Headed Household feature. I was unable to change the method in the symbology to “manual interval.” Then, I had a lot of trouble locating the feature layer tab, but, as I acclimate to the system, I should eventually have less trouble navigating and location the different groups and layers. Following my pattern, the next section ran much more smoothly. I was working with symbology, and everything was great. Then, I encountered yet another roadblock. I could not locate anything labelled “beyond” or “current” in the visibility range group. There were only numbers where I found anything associated with visibility range, so I moved on.

Chapter 3

Chapter 3 was more geared towards my experience with WebGIS from last semester. By far, this chapter proceeded the most smoothly with no real issues inhibiting my ability to fully understand and complete the tutorials. For the first section, I transferred the maps to the sheet oriented for common viewership as well as creating the charts to understand and interpret the data of each map. After completing the sheet, I transferred the sheet and was reunited with my beloved WebGIS where I could set everything into precisely how it was meant to be. Then, I created the story map as I had many times before in 292. Next, I created the dashboard. I remember having trouble the last time I made a dashboard last semester, but this time went far better. With that said, when I made the table for the map, it ended up being on its own little separate section instead of being displayed with the map. I am unsure if that was intended, but it did not create any major discrepancies with showing all of the data in the finished product. At first, I thought the table I created disappeared into oblivion. Then, I found it in its own little area of the dashboard, so all was well. 

Chapter 1:

I found Chapter 1 to be relatively easy, but also a bit confusing as this was my first time using GIS software. I found it interesting that it chose Allegheny County out of everything as that is where I’m from.

 

Chapter 2:

My favorite part of chapter 2 was being able to change the colors of the different areas like water and parks. There were so many varieties of colors that could be chosen. Obviously, the book wanted us to use specific colors though.

 

Chapter 3:

I found this chapter a bit confusing. When I got to it, there were certain parts that I learned in chapters 1 or 2 where it expected me to remember what to do. It was fun making the different graphs and everything though,

Chapter 1:  The first chapter was all about showing me the ropes on the different settings of ArcGIS. I learned how to nagviate the ribbon and the contents plane which made everything else I had to find much easier.  I liked the each tutorial focused on one aspect of a map, and went in depth on not only how to create things, but also how to find new things and go back and change mistakes. I also liked that throughout chapter  1 the map stayed the same, I just worked on different parts of it. I found that ArcGIS was very easy to navigate, especially with the tutorial book because it was very easy to understand. At first I found it a little tenuous but then I realized that having me do the same steps so many times made everything easier in the long run because it became muscle memory. I really liked the section of each tutorial called “your turn” because it allowed me to see what I remembered and what I still needed more help with. Overall, chapter 1 was a good introduction to ArcGIS and gave me the necessary tools I needed to be able to move on to the next two chapters.

Pic.pdf

Chapter 2: This chapter used the information I was taught previously and built off of it to explain new ideas and concepts. Most of what I learned in this chapter was about symbology. I picked colors and symbols, as well as labels and pop ups. I was unable to edit the symbology for “over age 60 using food stamps” despite my efforts to restart the computer, and troubleshoot. From looking at my peer’s posts, it seems I was not the only one who had this problem. I also couldn’t find a button called “out beyond” but I was able to still achieve making my popups appear and disappear through the visibility range> max/min> <current>. In the tutorials in this chapter I was able to learn how to separate my data by different categories and figure out how to label things differently based on what I wanted the readers to learn from my map. I also learned how to create a dot density map, and how to change the features so it looks the way you want. This chapter had a lot of information, but each tutorial took information from the last, which made it flow nicely and easy to understand.

PDF pic chap 2

Chapter 3: This chapter is the one I found the most interesting. I liked being able to go from my maps I had created to making a blog and importing data to a website. Seeing everything I had done so far come together was really cool. The first tutorial was long and had a lot of content to cover but it was also very helpful. Learning how to compare two maps was very helpful, as well as comparing thee data in both of them to see the relationship between them. This chapter caused me more problems than the others. I felt that I wasn’t always sure I was doing the right thing but being able to use the pictures in the book to compare was very helpful. I felt that creating and editing a dashboard was the most helpful thing I learned in this chapter because it allowed me to interact with real data, as well as upload and change things. Sharing my map and my blog was a cool first step into seeing how much can actually be learned through GIS. THis chapter gave me insight into how GIS is used in the real world and all of its different programs and uses.

IMG_5480

 

 

 

GIS Tutorial for ArcGIS Pro

Chapter 1

I really appreciate how explicitly detailed the instructions are for each tutorial. Once I got familiar with how things are saved and such it was pretty smooth sails. I think the only hiccup I had was accessing the hyperlinks for individual urgent care clinics. I tried to poke around figure out why they weren’t showing up in my pop-up window but I ended up just moving on.

Chapter 2

Things went well for this chapter too. I wasn’t able to drag the Over Age 60 Receiving Food Stamps layer above the 3D layer heading in Tutorial 2-4 despite my efforts to trouble shoot, but I still ended up with something that looks similar to the map in the book. For Tutorial 2-8, I couldn’t find “Out Beyond” in the Visibility Range group of the Labeling tab, so I selected <Current> as the maximum scale and the minimum scale because I speculated that doing so would also cause the ZoningLandUse labels to disappear when I zoom in or out. I repeated this with the Lower Manhattan bookmark and it seemed to also achieve the goal of removing the school points and borough labels when zooming in and out.

Chapter 3

I had a pretty easy time following along with the instructions for this chapter as well. I wasn’t able to find how to enable the pie chart in the map configurations for Tutorial 3-4, but I was able to enable the serial chart and table. Overall, minimal bumps in the road and I feel somewhat comfortable navigating the program and ArcGIS web maps.

Chapter 1: In the first tutorial, I focused on learning how to change basemaps and add features to the map. This step was fundamental because selecting the right basemap provides the context needed for effective analysis. By the end of the tutorial, I had successfully completed the tasks and felt more familiar with navigating the interface and working with map layers. The second tutorial expanded on this by teaching me how to explore the map more effectively and adjust its features for better visibility. I learned how to zoom in, pan, and manage map layers to highlight key data while minimizing clutter. A key takeaway was learning how to access and use the attribute table, which made it easier to locate specific areas and quickly filter relevant information. In the third tutorial, I improved my ability to navigate the attribute table and use it to extract useful data. For example, I practiced sorting and filtering entries to identify key patterns, such as areas with high population density. Additionally, I explored the toolbox to generate quick statistics from the data, which helped me better analyze trends. The fourth tutorial introduced customization techniques for map symbols, allowing me to modify colors, shapes, and labels to improve the map’s clarity. I practiced toggling labels and feature classes, which helped reduce visual clutter and made the map easier to interpret. I also explored the 3D view, which was ahighlight of the tutorial. Seeing the data from perspective offered new insights into spatial relationships and made the mapping process more engaging. 

 

 

Chapter 2: The first tutorial expanded on adjusting symbology by teaching me how to customize map features using different colors, shapes, and symbols. This helped improve the map’s clarity, making it easier to distinguish between various data layers. The second tutorial introduced the labeling tab and showed me how to modify pop-up displays. I practiced configuring labels and adding relevant details to the pop-ups, allowing users to view important information, like names and statistics, by clicking on specific features. In tutorial three, I learned how to create definition queries, which allowed me to filter and display only the data that met specific conditions. This provided additional practice with symbology as I adjusted how the filtered data appeared on the map. Tutorial five covered displaying data using both quantile intervals and defined intervals, which helped me better classify and visualize ranges of data. Tutorial six then focused on importing symbology and adjusting it to make comparisons between different datasets, such as income levels versus population density. In tutorial seven, I created a dot density map, which visually represented quantities by distributing dots across the map based on data values. Finally, tutorial eight taught me how to control labels based on zoom levels. This ensured that labels only appeared when zoomed in, keeping the map clean and free of unnecessary clutter.

 

 

 

Chapter 3: The first tutorial was extensive but packed with valuable information, giving me a comprehensive introduction to several key features of ArcGIS. One of the highlights was learning how to compare two maps on the same sheet, which allowed me to analyze and contrast data more effectively. This feature was particularly useful for spotting patterns and relationships between different datasets, such as comparing population density with infrastructure distribution. Although I encountered a few challenges during the tutorial, the overall experience was rewarding and gave me a deeper understanding of how multiple layers of information can be visually integrated. In the second tutorial, I learned how to publish maps and view them through ArcGIS. This step was important because it introduced me to the process of sharing my work with others and collaborating on projects. I practiced customizing the map’s visibility settings and explored how to control who could access my published maps. This is especially useful in group projects or when presenting data to others outside of the GIS environment, as it ensures that the information is both accessible and secure. Tutorial four focused on creating dashboards, which I found to be one of the most practical tools in this unit. Dashboards provide a streamlined display of key information using interactive charts, graphs, and maps, making it easy to track and visualize real-time data. I experimented with setting up different widgets and filters, allowing me to tailor the dashboard to specific data queries. This tool will be invaluable for organizing complex data and sharing clear, concise visual summaries with others. For the photo below, there was an error where I couldn’t insert the legend.  Overall, this unit significantly improved my understanding of ArcGIS and how to apply its various tools to real-world scenarios. I now feel more confident in managing, analyzing, and presenting geospatial data, and I look forward to incorporating these skills into future projects and assignments. 

 

Chapter 1: 

In the first tutorial, I learned how to change base maps and add features to a map. This was an important first step because choosing the right basemap helps give context to the data. By the end, I felt more comfortable navigating the interface and working with maplayers. It then showed me how to explore the map more efficiently and adjust its features for better visibility. I got the hang of zooming, panning, and managing layers to highlight key data without making the map look too cluttered. One of the most useful things I learned was how to access and use the attribute table, it made it easier to find specific locations and filter information quickly. I got better at using the attribute table to pull out useful data. I practiced sorting and filtering to spot patterns, like areas with high population density. I also learned about customizing map symbols. I learned how to change colors, shapes, and labels to make the map easier to read. I also experimented with toggling labels and feature classes to reduce clutter. 

Chapter 2: 

In this tutorial, I learned how to adjust symbology by customizing map features with different colors, shapes, and symbols, making it easier to distinguish between data layers. I also explored the labeling tab and practiced modifying pop-ups, allowing users to click on features to see important details like names and statistics. I worked with definition queries to filter and display only the data that met specific conditions, which helped refine the map’s appearance. I also experimented with different ways to classify and display data, such as using quantile and defined intervals. Additionally, I practiced importing symbology and adjusting it to compare datasets, like income levels versus population density. Other key skills I learned included creating a dot density map to visually represent data and controlling when labels appear based on zoom levels. This helped keep the map clean while still showing important details when needed.

Chapter 3:

This tutorial was packed with valuable information and gave me a solid introduction to several key ArcGIS features. One of the most useful things I learned was how to compare two maps on the same sheet, which made it easier to analyze and contrast data. This was especially helpful for spotting patterns, like comparing population density with infrastructure distribution. There were a few challenges along the way, but overall, it was a great experience that helped me understand how different layers of information can be visually connected.  I ran into an issue with inserting the legend in the map below and the program crashed multiple times. I was not able to work through some of the final steps, but I feel I know how to do them just from the reading. Overall, this unit gave me a much stronger grasp of ArcGIS. I feel more confident in managing, analyzing, and presenting geospatial data.

In Chapter 4 of Mitchell’s book, the focus is on understanding human cognition. Cognition encompasses the mental processes involved in gaining knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses. Perception, a key aspect of cognition, involves how we interpret sensory information to understand our environment. Memory, another crucial component, refers to the processes of encoding, storing, and retrieving information. Mitchell delves into these cognitive processes, highlighting the complexities of how our brains interpret and sometimes misinterpret sensory information. The chapter emphasizes the significance of memory in shaping our understanding and future decisions, providing a comprehensive overview of how cognition influences human behavior.

Chapter 5 explores the role of learning in human development, presenting various theories that shed light on how we acquire new knowledge and skills. Learning is defined as the process of acquiring new knowledge, behaviors, skills, values, or preferences. The chapter contrasts behaviorism, which shows that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning, with constructivism, which suggests that learners construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world through experiences. By examining these theories, Mitchell provides valuable insights into educational practices and developmental psychology. The chapter underscores the importance of both environmental influences and the active role of learners in constructing knowledge, offering a balanced perspective on the learning process.

Chapter 6 addresses language and communication, emphasizing their complexity and richness. Language acquisition, the process by which humans learn to understand, produce, and use words to communicate, is a central theme. Syntax, or the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences, plays a crucial role in constructing meaning. Additionally, pragmatics, the study of how context influences language use and understanding, is explored. Mitchell’s examination of these concepts highlights the intricacies of human language and communication. The chapter provides insights into how children acquire language, the significance of syntax, and the role of pragmatics in contextual understanding, making it a valuable resource for those interested in linguistics, psychology, or communication studies.

The preface is making me very excited to get started using GIS. There are so many potential applications for it, in both my field and in others. The start of chapter one explains the basic terminology for ArcGIS, which is especially useful as I did not know some of it beforehand. The most important part was explaining the difference between the gbs extension, which stands for a file geodatabase with feature classes and raster data, and an aprx extension, which contains a project, also known as the map or maps.

Chapter 1:

I got to the first turn section and tried to add the first base map, and the software froze. I rebooted the computer. It worked after this. The 1.1 tutorial was mostly focused on teaching me how to change basemaps and add features. I successfully completed this tutorial. The second tutorial focused on how to explore the map, and adjust the features of the map to see things more clearly. I also learned how to find the attribute table to find specific areas. In the third tutorial, I learned more about the attribute table, how to navigate it. For instance,I used the table to determine that object 204 had the largest population density. I also learned how to use the toolbox to get statistics. In the fourth tutorial, I learned how to adjust and change the symbols on the map. I also learned how to toggle labels and feature classes, and how to see a 3D version of the map, which was especially cool.

Chapter 2:

Tutorial one taught me more about adjusting symbology. The colors it had me choose for the map weren’t great, though. Not a lot of contrast. Tutorial two taught me more about the labelling tab, as well as how to change the information in the pop-up display. However, I couldn’t actually see any information in the pop-up beside the name of the neighborhood, even after I went back and triple checked that I did everything. Tutorial three taught me how to make definition queries, and let me practice adjusting symbology more. I attempted tutorial four, however, I could not adjust symbology due to an error, in which there was no data associated with the neighborhood, later renamed over age 60 receiving food stamps. I will try again later, when I can ask for advice. Tutorial five taught me how to display data in two different ways, quantile intervals and defined intervals. In tutorial six, I learned how to adjust and import symbology data, allowing for data comparisons. In tutorial seven, I learned how to create a dot map. In tutorial eight, I learned how to adjust labels, so that they can be seen only at certain levels of zoom. This is especially useful for keeping the map uncluttered.

Chapter 3:

Tutorial one was very big, but covered a lot of very interesting information. I enjoyed learning how to compare two maps on the same sheet. The create chart part did not work. The second tutorial taught me how to publish maps, and how to view published maps through ArcGIS. This is especially useful to know. Tutorial three is really useful for me, because one of my classes gives the option of making a story map for on the assignments, and now I know how! I’ll definitely be using this in the future. Finally, tutorial four taught me how to make a dashboard, which makes it easy to view information and share information with others. All in all, this unit has improved my understanding of arcGIS a lot.