Examination Final Study Sheet
GGS 311: Introduction to Geographic Information Systems
Dr. Matt Rice, Fall 2011
Geographic Data Modeling
Longley, chapter 8
GGS-
311_-
_Lecture6.ppt
1) Definition of a Data Model
a. Lecture 6:3
b. Longley 8.1.1, p.208
2) Levels of abstraction in a data model (concept, diagram)
a. Longley 8.1.1, Figure 8.2
b. Lecture 6:5
3) Raster and Vector Data Models (concept, definition)
a. Longley 8.2.2 (Raster), Longley 8.2.3 (Vector)
b. Lecture 6:8
4) Representation of Points, Lines, and Polygons objects using a vector GIS data model (concept,
diagram)
a. Longley 8.2.3, Figure 8.7, 8.8, 8.9, 8.10, Lecture 6:13, 6:15-
:6:17
5) Definition of Topology (definition)
a. Lecture 6:14 (Broad definition)
b. Longley 8.2.3.2 , p.215 (GIS-
centric definition)
6) Split and Merge rules for Parcels (concept, diagram)
a. Longley 8.2.4, Figure 8.15
b. Lecture 6:25
7) TIN (Triangulated Irregular Network) (concept, definition, application)
a. Longley 8.2.3.4
b. Lecture 6:19 6:24
8) Common Mistakes in GIS Data Modeling & Conclusions
a. Lecture 6:31-
32
Cartography and Map Production, Geovisualization
Longley, chapter 12 & 13
GGS-
311_-
_Lecture7.ppt, GGS-
311_-
_Lecture7_extra.ppt
1) Definition of a Map (definition)
a. Lecture 7:8
b. Longley 12.1, p.299
c. Any other acceptable definition, including those relating to 3D 2D
transformation/projection
2) Two main types of maps (topographic, thematic) (definition, concept)
a. Lecture 7:10
3) Some general map problems
a. Longley 12.2, p.302
b. Lecture 7:10 (second bullet)
4) Limitations of paper maps
a. Lecture 7:13
b. Longley 12.2.1, p.304-
306
5) Parts of a map (diagram, concept)
a. Lecture 7:15
b. Longley 12.3.1, p.307
c. Longley Figure 12.8
6) Bertins graphic primitives (concept)
a. Longley, Figure 12.9, Lecture 7:16
7) Map classification
a. Lecture 7:20, Longley 12.2.3.1 -
Figure 12.13
8) Cartograms (* THIS WAS COVERED IN THE FINAL LECTURE *, but referenced in Longley Chp. 13)
a. Longley 13.3.2, p.335
b. Lecture 9:16-
17, 19
Uncertainty
Longley, chapter 6
GGS-
311_-
_Lecture8.ppt
1) Concept: It is impossible to make a perfect representation of the world, so uncertainty about it
is inevitable. (potential short answer)
a. Longley 6.1, p.148
b. Lecture 8:6
c. What does this mean? How does it relate to Longley Chapter 3 (representation)?
d. How does this concept find its way into practical GIS settings? What problems might
you encounter as a GIS practitioner in attempting to model complex features? What
uncertainties might be introduced?
e. Can you explain how the real world is extremely complex, and how your GIS model of
the real world might contain uncertainties? Can you provide a simple example of a
complex real world feature that might be simplified, generalized, or modeled in a way
that inevitably introduces uncertainty?
2) Sources of Uncertainty in GIS
a. Lecture 8:7 (measurement error, specification error, ambiguity, vagueness, quality
problems, etc. . . )
3) Conceptual view of uncertainty (diagram, potential short answer)
a. Longley 6.1, p.148-
149
b. Figure 6.1
c. Lecture 8:8
d. Can you describe the process of conceptualizing the real world (Figure 6.1, moving from
box 1 to box2) and the uncertainties that occur as a result of limited knowledge, limited
perception, limited understanding, and cultural/social/physical settings?
e. Can you describe uncertainties that occur as you move from box 2 (conception) to box 3
(measurement and representation)?
4) Ambiguity : Language, Labels
a. Longley 6.2.2.2, p.154 Lecture
b. 8:12
c. Relationship between ambiguity and language
5) Ambiguity: Direct vs. Indirect Indicators
a. Longley 6.2.2.2, p.154-
157
b. Lecture 8:13, quote p.157 Ambiguity is introduced . . .
6) Measuring Uncertainty in Nominal (Categorical) Data
a. Confusion Matrix & Interpretation
b. Longley 6.3.2.1, p.161
c. Longley p.161, Table 6.1
d. Lecture 8:17 8:21
e. Be able to identify entries in a confusion matrix associated with:
i. Original classification / data recorded in a database [rows]
ii. Field check / error assessment (done later) [columns]
iii. Total number of parcels [bottom right-
hand cell: 304 in the lecture example]
iv. Cells showing agreement between classes in orig. and field check [diagonal
entries]
v. Cells showing disagreement between classes in orig. and field check [off-
diagonal entries]
vi. Calculation: # of parcels in agreement (diagonal entries) divided by total
number of parcels (in class example, this was 209 / 304 = 68.8) You wont need
to calculate Kappa, which is more difficult.
7) Accuracy and Precision (diagram, concept)
a. Longley p.164, Figure 6.11
b. Lecture 8:23
8) Rounding (reflecting accuracy in the reporting of measurements)
a. Lecture 8:24
9) Positional Error: A Useful Rule of Thumb for Positional Accuracy
a. Longley 6.3.3, p.165-
166
b. Lecture 8:27-
28
c. Positional error on maps is usually 1/50th of an inch (0.5mm) at map scale.
d. For a map printed at 1:24000 (USGS 7.5 minute quads), this equals 12 meters
10) National Map Accuracy Standards (read slides 8:2,3,4 and then re-
read 8:27 and think about
how they are related)
11) Dealing with Uncertainty in GIS
a. Longley 6.5 (conclusions, five major points)
b. Lecture 8:33-
34
Web GIS / Future of GIS
Be able to identify some major issues, major developments, and their relevance to Web GIS / Online
Mapping. Reading the introduction & conclusions for chapters 11 and 18 might be useful.
1) Growth of the Internet (physical network) and the WWW
a. Lecture 9:3-
9:4
2) GIS Software Architecture
a. Longley 7.3 (figure 7.8)
b. Lecture 9:5
3) Important Events
a. Late 90s: Online maps
b. 2001: Keyhole
c. 2004: Google Earth
4) Legal Issues
a. FEIST and its relevance to copyright protection for collections of facts
b. Lecture 9:6-
9:8
5) Two principal geographic data distribution models (cost recovery, free distribution)
a. Lecture 9:8
b. Be able to identify the general mandated distribution model for the US Federal
government (free distribution or simple cost of reproduction), and contrast it with the
distribution models for State/local/foreign governments (widely varying, many include
cost recovery & licensing)
Material from the first half of class that may appear on the final:
1) Important Elements of Geographic Problems
a. Lecture 1:18
b. Longley 1.1, p.4-
10
2) Definitions of GIS (several places in text, in lectures, etc.)
a. Longley 1.1, end of 1, last sentence before bold point
b. Longley 1.4, Table 1.3 (p.16)
c. Lecture 1:10, 1:19, 1:25
d. Longley 1.5.1 (Anatomy of a GIS)
3) Anatomy of a GIS
a. Longley 1.5.1, Figure 1.16
4) Discussion of GIS: Geographic Information (Systems /Science /Studies)
a. Longley 1.7, Lecture 1:25
5) Three-
tier GIS software architecture model
a. Figure 7.2, (7.3-
7.4-
7.5-
7.6), Lecture 2:17-
21
6) Atomic Element of Geographic Information
a. Location(X , Y) ,Time , Attribute
b. Lecture 3:3, Longley 5.1
7) Function/definition of a Gazatteer, Lecture 3:12
8) Types of GIS Attributes, Lecture 4:12-
13
9) Data collection pie chart Lecture 5:4