Course Catalogue

Module Code and Title:        GIS302 Spatial Analysis in Geographic Information Sciences

Programme:                          BSc in Environmental Management

Credit:                                    12

Module Tutor(s):                   Kinley Dorji (Coordinator), Jamyang Pelmo, Tshewang Dorji

General objective: This module allows students to develop practical skills for visualizing and analysing geospatial data. Students will acquire skills for applying a spatial analysis workflow to address geospatial problems.

Learning Outcomes – On completion of the module, students will be able to:

  1. Gather and process GIS data.
  2. Extract shape files for analysis.
  3. Overlay shape files.
  4. Perform proximal analysis.
  5. Convert data from one form to another.
  6. Interpolate GIS data and relate them to real world situations.
  7. Apply the principles of geospatial analysis to an environmental management problem.
  8. Present the results of a geospatial analysis using appropriate terminology and visualizations.

Learning and Teaching Approach:

Type

Approach

Hours per week

Total credit hours

Contact

Lectures

3

90

Computer lab and field practical work

3

Independent study

Assignments and projects

1

30

Reading and review of class materials

1

Total

120

Assessment Approach:

  1. Practical tests: 30%

Students will undertake 2 practical based class tests covering 6-7 weeks of teaching. One will be conducted before the midterm, and the other will be after the midterm. The tests will be conducted in the computer lab for a duration of 2 h each.

  1. Block-week field-visit report: 10%

Students will be taken for a block week field trip to Paro and Haa. Since the students will be assigned different tasks from other modules too, they will be asked to incorporate their knowledge of GPS usage in the tasks assigned. Students will learn to analyse different land use patterns in the places they visit and classify the forest types in different community forests they visit. The output will consist of a report 500-750 words in length and will be assessed based on the following rubric:

3%       Completeness of the map

3%       Analyses        

2%       Map elements and visual presentation

2%       Report (methods, results and discussion)

  1. Individual Project: 20%

Students will be asked to identify a problem related to a field of study under environmental studies and must be approved by the tutor. Based on the theme they have chosen, they will initiate a project using spatial analysis GIS tools to help solve the identified problem. They will produce a map(s) and a report of 750-1000 words hypothesizing a solution or recommendations to address the problem. Their report will contain a problem statement, objective(s) of their study, materials and methods, results and discussion. It will be conducted towards the end of the semester and assessed using following rubric:

5%       Completeness of the map

5%       Analyses

5%       Map element and visual presentation

5%       Report (methods, results and discussion)

  1. Semester-End Examination: 40%

Students will take a written exam of 2-hr duration (20%) and a practical exam of 2.5-hr duration (20%) encompassing all the subject matter covered in the semester. This assessment is comprehensive and summative in nature. The written exam will comprise structured questions like MCQ, fill-in-the-blanks, matching, definition, as well as open-ended essay questions. The practical exam will be conducted in the computer lab and require students to apply spatial analysis operations to analyse GIS data and generate GIS outputs.

Overview of assessment approaches and weighting

Areas of assignments

Quantity

Weighting

A.    Practical tests

2

30%

B.    Block-week field-visit report

1

10%

C.   Individual Project

1

20%

Total Continuous Assessment (CA)

 

60%

Semester-end Examination (SE)

 

40%

Pre-requisites: GIS201 Fundamentals of Geographic Information Sciences

Subject Matter:

  1. Unit I: Review of the basics of geospatial data
    • Data organization in appropriate formats: shapefile, geodatabase
    • Importance and role of coordinate system definition and projection between different coordinate systems
    • Differences between vector and raster data formats
    • Basic cartographic and data presentation techniques
  2. Unit II: Introduction to geospatial analysis
    • Purpose and types of spatial analysis: locating; making measurements (size, shape, distribution); determining how places are related; finding the best locations and paths; detecting and quantifying patterns; making predictions
    • General process for the spatial analysis workflow: Asking questions, exploring & preparing data, analyzing and modelling, interpreting results, modifying analysis as necessary, presenting results, making decisions
    • Preparation of data sets for geospatial analysis
    • Preliminary check and characterization of quantitative data with descriptive statistics
  3. Unit III: Queries and Joins
    • Basic structure of geodatabase SQL queries
    • Venn diagrams and Boolean operators in query construction
    • SQL queries for data filtering and feature selection by attribute
    • Spatial queries for data filtering and feature selection by location (proximity, containment, intersection)
    • Queries for identification of spatial patterns
    • Data selection by location with buffering
    • Joins and relates; one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, many-to-many
  4. Unit IV: Vector data analysis
    • Vector overlay analysis concepts: union, intersect and identity
    • Proximity analysis concepts: buffering points, lines and polygons
    • Most common geoprocessing tools and their usage: dissolve, buffer, clip, union, intersect, merge, append, erase
    • Use of overlay analysis to analyse multiple geospatial data sets together
    • Geospatial data model workflow to satisfy multiple location criteria
    • Basic concept of network analysis: determining routes and service areas
  5. Unit V: Raster data analysis
    • Review of displaying rasters in GIS
    • Local raster operations, raster data reclassification, raster boolean analysis
    • Raster data map algebra, e.g., NDVI calculation
    • Topographic data analysis
      • Elevation data: slope, aspect and hillshade surfaces
      • Use of elevation and derived data sets for analysis of environmental issues
      • Viewshed analysis: technique and value in site selection analysis
    • Basic surface hydrological analysis
      • Stream generation using flow direction and accumulation surfaces
      • Watershed creation based on topographic data
  1. Unit VI: GIS models and geoprocessing workflows
    • Purpose of modelling and role of GIS in modelling
    • Model types: descriptive vs. prescriptive, deterministic vs. stochastic, dynamic vs. static, deductive vs. inductive
    • Modelling process: selection, fitting, validation
    • Multi-step models using automation tools, e.g., Model Builder in ArcGIS

List of practical work:

  1. Exploration of attribute and spatial data tables. Characterization of data using descriptive statistics.
  2. Basic construction of SQL and spatial queries to select features and locations.
  3. SQL and spatial queries with Boolean operators. Use of queries to identify spatial patterns.
  4. Implementing one-to-one and one-to-many joins and relates of attributes and spatial data.
  5. Geoprocessing using dissolve, buffer, clip, union, intersect, merge, append, erase.
  6. Network analysis with vector data to determine routes and service areas.
  7. Raster data reclassification exercises.
  8. Map algebra for NDVI calculation.
  9. Topographic data analysis of elevation data: slope, aspect, hillshade, viewshed.
  10. Hydrological analysis: stream generation using flow direction and accumulation surfaces.
  11. Hydrological analysis: Watershed creation based on topographic data.
  12. Building multistep models and geoprocessing workflows.

Reading List:

Essential Reading

Chang, K. (2019). Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Law, M. & Collins, A. (2018). Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop (5th ed.). Redlands, CA: Esri Press.

Mitchell, A. (2020). The Esri guide to GIS analysis: Volume 1 (2nd ed.). Redlands, CA: Esri Press.

Sutton, T., Dassau, O., & Sutton, M. (2009) A Gentle Introduction to GIS. Eastern Cape, South Africa: http://download.osgeo.org/qgis/doc/manual/qgis-1.0.0_a-gentle-gis-introduction_en.pdf

Additional Reading

Bolstad, P. (2019). GIS Fundamentals: A First Text on Geographic Information Systems (6th ed.). Eider Press.

DiBiase, D. (continually updated). Nature of Geographic Information. Penn State: https://www.e-education.psu.edu/natureofgeoinfo/

Schmandt, M (continually updated). GIS Commons: An Introductory Textbook on Geographic Information Systems: http://giscommons.org  

Fundamentals of Remote Sensing, published by Natural Resources Canada: http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/earthsciences/pdf/resource/tutor/fundam/pdf/fundamentals_e.pdf

ESRI ArcNews. http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/index.html

ESRI ArcUser. http://www.esri.com/news/arcuser/index.html

LearnGIS. (n.d.). LearnGIS Textbook. https://learngis.org/textbook/introduction-gis-table-contents

Kurland, K. S. and Gorr, W. L. (2016). GIS Tutorial 1: Basic Workbook (10.3 ed.). Redlands, CA: Esri Press.

Scally, R. (2006). GIS for Environmental Management. Redlands, CA: Esri Press.

Date: June 2021
Royal Thimphu College