Geography 291: Geospatial Analysis with Desktop GIS

Chapter 4

Chapter 4 honestly made me realize how easy it would be to mess up a GIS project if you are not organized from the beginning. Before this, I didn’t really think about where data was stored as long as it showed up on the map. But working inside a file geodatabase made everything feel more structured and intentional (and a lot more difficult). Creating the geodatabase and importing feature classes felt simple at first, almost like a puzzle in a way. However, once I started looking at attribute tables, I noticed how technical it actually is. The difference between text and numeric fields seems minor until you try to join something and it doesn’t work. Then it suddenly matters a lot. Editing fields also made me think about how permanent some changes are. Once you delete a field or change a format, that affects everything connected to it. I say this because I sadly had to learn it the hard way. It definitely made me more careful about clicking through steps too fast.

Chapter 5

This chapter was probably the one that made me stop and think the most. I’ve heard of coordinate systems before, but actually switching between them and seeing how the map responds made it all real. When the map adopted the State Plane coordinate system automatically, I didn’t realize at first why it changed. Once I understood that the first layer sets the coordinate system for the map, it became more real. I will have to admit that the Census portion took more effort than expected. Cleaning the CSV file, formatting GEOID fields, and making sure everything matched before joining it to the shapefile showed how much preparation happens before visualization. Sometimes, I wish the system would read my mind and all I have to do is click a button when I want it to do something. 

Chapter 6

This last chapter felt more active compared to the others. Instead of just organizing or displaying data, I was actually changing it. I found the summing of  the housing unit fields during the dissolve process interesting. It showed how powerful these tools truly are. The totals carried over automatically, which is efficient, but it also made me wonder how often people double-check those outputs. Could the computers even get it wrong? Geoprocessing tools feel powerful but also slightly intimidating. If you run a tool with the wrong settings, you could create misleading results without realizing it. That part stood out to me — GIS requires attention to detail the entire time. I can see where mistakes happen though, especially with looking at the complex bright screen for a long time. These tutorials specifically made me realize how easy it would be to misinterpret data if you don’t understand what’s happening behind the scenes. A map might look convincing, but small technical decisions can completely change what it’s showing. These couple chapters most certainly made GIS a whole lot more serious. 

 

Chapter 4:

         For Chapter 4 (and chapters throughout the manual in this section) It doesn’t show you many examples of what the map is supposed to look like throughout the text; it just simply walls you through a wall of confusing explanation. This makes it very difficult to check if you are doing the right thing, as there is little visual comparison. I made many mistakes because of the exclamation leaving out small but important details with almost nothing to compare it to visually. Chapter 4 was dedicated to file geodatabases, as we created and managed file geodatabases and then edited said data in specific ways using various methods. For example, we modified attribute tables, carried out attribute queries, aggregated the data with spatial joins, used central point features for polygons, and lastly created a new table to join to another table. A new thing about chapter 4 is that the data is not already loaded in on a pre-existing template. We had to be the ones to create it this time, which was a difficult hurdle for me. Especially when I feel the instructions would lead me to a dead end on multiple occasions. 

 

Chapter 5:

        Chapter 5 introduced more advanced geoprocessing tools and focused the reader on spatial data. The focus was on solving spatial problems by combining multiple tools and methodologies. Unlike earlier chapters, where the tasks felt somewhat guided, this one required a lot more attention to detail and understanding of what each tool was actually doing behind the scenes. This caused me to make several errors. For example, in tutorial 5-6, there was an error stating “010819: The input path contains spaces” despite the input being selected from a predetermined dropdown box. There were no instructions to fix this issue. Little errors like this occurred often that stopped me in my tracks because of the detailed nature of chapter 5. 

Chapter 6:

      Chapter 6 felt more focused on selecting and analyzing data rather than creating new feature classes. This is becuase chaoter 6 focused on Geoprocessing, which is a framework and set of tools for processing geographic data. I became accustomed to searching for specific tools in the geoprocessing tab, specifically within this chapter, as almost every tutorial section has you using a specific tool you must look up in order to complete the task. This can be tedious, as being introduced to a new tool almost every single section became overwhelming. This, combined with the previous issues of instructions still being very dense and not very visual, as well as not providing workarounds to errors, led to an overall stressful experience for me. 

 

Chapter 4

Chapter four goes over how to import data, join tables, and provides an introduction to attribute tables and SQL queries. The first tutorial shows us how to import data and explains what a shapefile is. I am glad that the textbook covers this because we usually begin each project with the data already added, and I’ve been curious how to do it ourselves. We then used join tools throughout the chapter, which I had a bit of trouble with. Overall, this chapter was a lot more difficult than the previous chapters with finding certain tools and following the instructions, as I feel like they were more vague than they had been.

Chapter 5

Chapter five worked with global data and coordinate systems. We began by looking at the different types of map projections. We then learned how to find and change the projected coordinate systems. The next tutorial we went over was what a KML file is. Lastly, we worked with census data. I really enjoyed this tutorial because we learned how to find and download the data from different sources as well as use it within ArcGIS. Chapter five was a lot easier to follow than chapter four; however, I wish the tutorials were a little longer so we could learn how to apply these techniques in more ways.

Chapter 6

Chapter six was my favorite of these three chapters. It was super easy to go through, and everything worked the first time. I did have to go back and read through some steps I forgot how to do. This chapter used a lot of tools, so I got very comfortable with the search bar and using each of these tools. It also went in-depth on how to use and edit attribute tables. I thought it was cool that we got to learn how to cut off all the outlying features, and we learned how to export data. I didn’t comprehend all of the tools we used as much as I’d like to, but I think this chapter will be very helpful for the final project and future uses.

Chapter 4 notes

Tutorial 4-2 had some trial and error for me to understand the directions, since I know nothing about coding. It turns out, it’s kind of similar to some of the ways you can create equations in Excel; the connection made it easier for me to understand after realizing it.

Chapter 5 notes

I’m excited to work with map projections, though I’m worried it will be difficult. In Tutorial 5-5, I accidentally made GEIOD equal to GEIODNUM rather than the other way around and could not figure out how to fix it without going back and restarting the tutorial. I struggled quite a bit with this chapter because I messed up a couple of things that I didn’t know how to fix and had to restart a couple tutorials. This is definitely the most difficult chapter so far; I might go through it again to make sure I understand it.

Chapter 6 notes

There are multiple types of merge tools that show up when you search merge. I had to just cycle through them to see which one would work for what I’m doing with it. It’s interesting that the symbol next to the tool doesn’t seem to make a difference in what the textbook refers to it as when you search for a tool. A hammer icon and scroll icon are both referred to as “tool” in the textbook. This isn’t a big deal, but can make similarly names tools with different symbols hard to pick through since I don’t know which it is asking for. It could also be a small discrepancy between the book and the software.

   

Delaware GIS Data Project

Chapter 4: 

This chapter on spatial databases was definitely more challenging than the earlier ones, but it ended up being the most useful so far since I can actually see myself using this stuff to import data and analyze certain trends in real situations. Learning about attribute queries and how to link tabular data to map features was really interesting, especially since I didn’t realize before that SQL coding could be used in GIS to work with attribute values. The crime mapping exercise was probably my favorite part because it made me think about how law enforcement and public health officials could actually use this to identify problem areas and figure out where interventions are needed most. I had some issues in this chapter with finding certain tools but overall it wasn’t too difficult

Chapter 5: 

This chapter provided valuable insight into map projections and how different projection systems minimize distortions depending on the scale and region being mapped, which helped me understand why we use specific projections for US based versus global datasets. Learning to work with coordinate data from GPS units and external databases to create point feature classes was particularly interesting to me. The chapter’s explanation of spatial data sources and coordinate systems was a bit confusing but not too bad, and I can see how these skills will be directly applicable to the final project. 

Chapter 6: 

This chapter introduced me to geoprocessing techniques for manipulating spatial data, including tools like Pairwise Dissolve for aggregating block group attributes to the neighborhood level and Pairwise Intersect for summarizing feature class data into grouped datasets. What really stood out was how these various tools work together in practice and build off each other. I’ve noticed I’m getting a little more comfortable navigating the software overall as I can now quickly identify which tools I need and where to find them which I wasn’t as good at in past chapters. While I still encountered some technical issues this week, they were significantly fewer than before, and I’m feeling more confident applying my statistics and mapping skills as I work toward the final project. 

This tutorial book continues to go in depth on how to use GIS and how to use all the little features it has. Chapter four was tough for me; I was struggling to find a few of the attributes or tabs it was asking me to find. When I got to the portion where it asks you to delete the unnecessary portions of the “Tracts” tab, I was unable to, as the “delete” selection was greyed out. I am unsure of where I went wrong, but when I opened the attributes table for “Tracts,” it only showed one variable, while the attributes I was not able to delete were showing in another tab. When attempting to add the “GEOIDNum” field, it also did not show up in the attributes table. This very well could be user error, but I will have to go back to the first part of chapter four.

Chapters five and six, however, went very smoothly! The tutorials were lovely and worked exactly as stated in the text. I do like how the tutorials give you the opportunity to test the lesson with a different outcome at the end of each section. I do find it quite helpful. Chapters five and six dive deeper into the more technical side of using GIS programs by showing us how to change numbering settings, sort through information (by data, type, quantity, etc.), and change layering and location specifics. I am quickly realizing just how many options there are in ArcGIS and can see how each of them is extremely useful to the overall function of the program. I am excited to try to start a map from nothing but data, as everything has been handed to us thus far, but I definitely need more practice with the basics first.

Chapter 4’s tutorial 3 was the most interesting of all the ones that. We’re in this specific chapter. We looked at a bunch of crimes in Pittsburgh and broke down how to examine each one and where they occurred. In this tutorial, we split many of the crimes into exactly where they occurred, when they occurred, which crimes they belong to, and how many of the crimes were specific types of crime. If it were a burglary or a robbery, we would have to look specifically for those things and pinpoint them on this map. They asked us to define where each of these crimes occurred by entering specific codes. Chapter 4 felt much smoother while doing all this compared to chapters 1-2 and 3, after spending lots of time in the lab trying to figure out how to make sure these run right and that I had done them correctly. Chapter 4 went by very quickly and felt like I was moving through it effortlessly, so it didn’t take me too much longer than the previous chapters. 

Chapter 5 Tutorials We’re very simple compared to the other two. The first one they asked us to do was to center the United States in the world, which took very little time.  The second tutorial of the chapter was also quite simple and specifically had us center the world as they have it is on the globe, which was more of an oval shape. The other tutorials we looked at in this chapter led us to examine the census data for NYC. One of the last ones we looked at was the spaces in Minnesota. 

 

In Chapter 6 tutorials, the ones I remember, we looked at the NYC boroughs, put the name “Upper West Side” on the map, and specifically marked out the neighborhood in downtown NYC. Also, in a different tutorial in chapter 6, we pinpointed multiple of them, Firehouses and police stations in that area on points which. We use a method that lets us pinpoint all of them very quickly, so we didn’t have to pinpoint one after another, since there are multiple firehouses and police stations. . 

Chapter 4:

This chapter pushed me a bit more than the earlier chapters, but I still enjoyed working through it. I thought it was really cool how the chapter showed different ways to control what you can see and can’t see on the map, especially when sorting layers or adjusting visibility settings. Some of the steps were a little harder to follow compared to previous chapters, so I had to slow down and double‑check what I was doing. Even with that, I liked experimenting with the symbology options and seeing how those choices changed the look and meaning of the map. Overall, the chapter helped me think more about map design and made me feel more confident using ArcGIS Pro.

Chapter 5:

This chapter focused on finding what features fall inside a specific area, which made the analysis feel more practical and straightforward. I worked through exercises that involved selecting features within boundaries and summarizing what was inside each region, and I liked how clear the results were. Compared to the previous chapter, I found these steps simpler and easier to follow because the workflow felt more direct. It was satisfying to see how quickly you can answer real questions just by defining an area and using the different tools. Overall, this chapter helped reinforce the basics of spatial analysis and also wasn’t too hard to follow. 

Chapter 6:

This chapter covered comparing features across different layers, which made the analysis feel more detailed and data‑heavy. I worked through exercises that involved joining tables and looking at relationships between datasets, and it was interesting to see how much information you can uncover when layers are connected. I found this chapter harder to navigate because some steps expected you to remember tools and menus from earlier chapters really well. A few times I had to look back or look up how to get to a certain table or window, which slowed me down. Even with the extra effort, the chapter helped me understand how powerful table relationships are in GIS and why they matter for deeper analysis.

Chapter 4

I found this chapter a little hard to navigate solely because of the “adding clauses” section of the tutorial. However, other than that, I was able to do the rest successfully. I now feel more comfortable working with GIS in general, and I feel capable finding and completing basic tasks.

Chapter 5

After Chapter Four’s difficulties, this chapter and tutorials made me feel a lot better. This chapter was all about spatial data. The Hammer-Aitoff projection is also pretty cool to be able to create. The only discrepancy I had was specifying the display units for the map, however, other than that, it was fine.

Chapter 6

This chapter is about geoprocessing. This chapter was also a little harder than I anticipated as well. The pairwise dissolve tool was okay at first, but the more I used it the harder I found it to navigate. Overall, I feel good about this week’s chapters and feel more confident in my GIS abilities

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 🙂