GY451 Web Mapping: Construction and Design Advanced Cartography/GIS     Level 4     (3 hrs.)           F07

GY451 GIS Special Topics Problems and Applications Advanced Cartography/GIS     Level 5     (3 hrs.)           F07

2156 01 8:45-9:45 MWF 203 Martin Hall

Instructor: Dr. Miriam Helen Hill
Office: 205 Martin Hall

E-mail addresses-HILLMIR@aol.com AND mhill@jsu.edu (Both go to AOL)
Telephone: (256) 782-8063

Text: Paul Bolstad, GIS Fundamentals: A First Text on Geographic Information Systems White Bear Lake, MN: Elder Press, 2002. 0-9717647-0-0

AND ONE of the following:

Other resources and prerequisite: USB key (minimum 256 M) is required and CDs to burn. Access to computers and the World Wide Web are required and available through university facilities. Students are expected to be familiar with computers and to have had previous experience using ArcGIS 8.3 or 9.x and ArcView 3.x. Prerequisite GY 307 and tablet digitizing. GY 451 Levels One and Two and/or Three must precede or be concurrent with this course. Consent of Instructor required.

Purpose of the course: This course is designed to provide hands on experience using ArcGIS/ArcInfo in a practical setting. This course will often be taken as part of a coop or internship experience where hands on and field activities will supply and supplement the educational experience. Specialization in appropriate topical applications is emphasized.

Computer requirement: ArcGIS/ArcInfo are available for student use in the GIS laboratory.

Class homepage: The class homepage will be at http://www.jsu.edu/depart/geography/mhill/advgis/advgisf.html and linked to Dr. Hill's homepage at http://www.jsu.edu/depart/geography/mhill/index.html This syllabus will also be linked to the class homepage.

Grading: Four written reports will be required. Text Summary 1 and Text summary 2 will each count 20% of the grade. The Preliminary report will count 10%, and the Work/project report will count 50%. Guaranteed percentage grades will be: above 90% A; 80-90% B; 70-80% C; 60-70% D; below 60% F. Papers without names or with illegible names, and late submissions may earn NO CREDIT.

Reading Assignments: Use the attached schedule to read and work through the assignments.

Projects: Text Summary 1 and 2 will be written reports answering the following questions.

• What are the ten most important concepts presented in this text and why are they important?
• Identify the ten most important new concepts that you learned from this text and explain how you can apply these to your GIS work.
• Who is the audience of this text?
• What are the strengths of this text?
• What are the weaknesses of this text?

• Where will you be working and with whom? In detail, describe what you will be doing.
• Briefly describe the types of data that you will be using.
• Identify five things that you expect to learn from this experience.
• Identify at least five challenges that you expect to face.
• Identify five professional goals that you want to accomplish through this work.

• In detail describe the work you did.
• Describe the data that you used, and how the data were structured.
• Identify the five most important things that you learned from this experience and how you expect to use that knowledge in the future.
• Describe the five biggest challenges you faced and how you overcame them.
• Describe your experience in working with others doing GIS.
• Revisit the five professional goals from your preliminary report and comment on whether or not you achieved each of these goals and explain in detail.
• Include a brief report signed by your supervisor evaluating your work and the work experience.
• As possible, include documentation of your work that you can include in your professional portfolio.

Always remember to back-Up your work routinely.

Attendance: No specific attendance records will be kept for classroom work. Attendance is expected for on the job experience. You are also expected to work on the computer assignments outside of class time, although a portion of any class sessions will be devoted to computer work.

Class membership: Class members are expected to answer and ask questions, be involved in activities, and to facilitate an educational academic atmosphere. Proper attitude and behavior are expected. At all times presence should facilitate a smooth flow of intellectual ideas, knowledge, and intelligent discussion. Failure to contribute or promote this important goal will risk grade penalties. Computer laboratory rules are to be strictly adhered to and unauthorized manipulation of the systems will risk removal of access privileges. On the job, remember that you represent the quality of our program and dress and behave appropriately.

Additional Comments: During class sessions, other bonus points might be offered. These are only available to the students in attendance that day. Bonus credit is possible for exceptional meritorious performance or behavior in all categories of grading. See Dr. Hill with any questions.

Academic Dishonesty: Academic dishonesty is defined to include any form of cheating or plagiarism. A discussion of the topic is set forth in the student handbook. Working and studying with classmates are beneficial and to be encouraged. Copying work is not to be confused with comparing work and discussing similarities and differences. You are responsible for both understanding answers submitted and the completion of the materials.

You will need: Bring ALL of your texts, class notes, paper, pencil, and other related materials to each class meeting.

Questions or problems: Please contact the professor. Asking questions is an extremely important part of the learning process.

Class Schedule: Use the outline provided to complete the assigned reading BEFORE class on the designated dates. Specific readings generally will not be announced in class.

COURSE OUTLINE (Tentative^*)   GIS Special Topics Problems and Applications Advanced Cartography/GIS    Level 4/5 F07

*Any major changes to this schedule will be announced in class.

No grades will be posted or available from the instructor by telephone. If a SASE is provided, the final grade will be sent as soon as grades are completed. All grades are final at ten a.m. CST on December 10, 2007.