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Data Analytics: Mapping Fundamentals

Learning the ropes of geospatial analysis

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Learning Objectives

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Assemble a geospatial US Census data set using data from American Factfinder and Tiger shapefiles
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Use basic geospatial analysis tools in QGIS to answer meaningful inquiry questions
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Demonstrate the essential elements of mapping: coordinate planes, projections, datums, and spatial joins
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Export map data from QGIS into CartoDB for online sharing

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External Resources

  1. Cartography on Wikipedia: Essential concepts and interesting history on the field of mapping and geospatial analysis
  2. QGIS main page: The free and open source competitor to ESRI's $1000+ Arcmap software. It's documentation is extensive and amazing.
  3. US Census data is all accessible through the American FactFinder portal located here.
  4. The actual map polygons are all published through the TIGER shapefiles program
  5. Carto (formerly CartoDB) is a free tool for creating and publishing a variety of map types online. Great for sharing and visualizing and embedding but lacking the spatial join tools available in QGIS.

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Module Core Concepts

Map Coordinates and

  • Assemble a geospatial US Census data set using data from American Factfinder and Tiger shapefiles
  • Use basic geospatial analysis tools in QGIS to answer meaningful inquiry questions
  • Export map data from QGIS into CartoDB for online sharing

    • highlightThis is a core idea and its explanation.

    bookThis box references our textbook: Java: A Beginner's Guide (6th edition). This is a required text (and only costs $15!). Pausing to work the book where noted in these boxes is a mandatory activity in this class.

    warningThis is a warning and its explanation.

    computer code looks like this
    And some lines are indented

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    Exercise 1: Download and unpack an existing student file tree

    Exercise type: Navigation of an operating System

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    Exercise 2: Object-Oriented Code Highlighting

    Exercise type: Code Parsing

    Use this highlighting scheme to show the class-based relationships in our MissionControl and DisasterSite classes.

    Object-oriented highlighting scheme (different from non-object scheme

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    motorcycle

    Exercise 3: Enforce RescueTeam size restriction

    Exercise type: Adding code to existing classes

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    Exercise 4: Build out Mission Status

    Exercise type: Adding code to existing classes

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    Module mini-project: Mission Time Tracking

    Exercise type: Mini-project

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    Extension activities

    Exercise type:

    Content

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    Page created on 2018 and last updated on 2018 and can be freely reproduced according to the site's content use agreement.