Description
Book SynopsisAn easy-to-understand reference for navigating through geographic information systems (GIS) This guide avoids equations, computer codes, and overwhelming detail and instead provides a clear explanation as to how GIS technology captures, stores, counts, characterizes, integrates, analyzes, and displays data about the earth.
Table of ContentsIntroduction 1
Part I: GIS: Geography on Steroids 7
Chapter 1: Seeing the Scope of GIS 9
Chapter 2: Recognizing How Maps Show Information 23
Chapter 3: Reading, Analyzing, and Interpreting Maps 39
Part II: Geography Goes Digital 57
Chapter 4: Creating a Conceptual Model 59
Chapter 5: Understanding the GIS Data Models 73
Chapter 6: Keeping Track of Data Descriptions 93
Chapter 7: Managing Multiple Maps 109
Chapter 8: Gathering and Digitizing Geographic Data 117
Part III: Retrieving, Counting, and Characterizing Geography 135
Chapter 9: Finding Information in Raster Systems 137
Chapter 10: Finding Features in Vector Systems 147
Chapter 11: Searching for Geographic Objects, Distributions, and Groups 65
Part IV: Analyzing Geographic Patterns 181
Chapter 12: Measuring Distance 183
Chapter 13: Working with Statistical Surfaces 199
Chapter 14: Exploring Topographical Surfaces 213
Chapter 15: Working with Networks 225
Chapter 16: Comparing Multiple Maps 239
Chapter 17: Map Algebra and Model Building 253
Part V: GIS Output and Application 277
Chapter 18: Producing Cartographic Output 279
Chapter 19: Generating Non-Cartographic Output 293
Chapter 20: GIS in Organizations 301
Part VI: The Part of Tens 315
Chapter 21: Ten GIS Software Vendors 317
Chapter 22: Ten Questions to Ask Potential Vendors 329
Chapter 23: Ten GIS Data Sources 333
Index 343
