GIS Tutorial

GIS is an extremely useful software that has been developed for efficient and practical use by humans in order to better understand their environment. Its capabilities seem endless, and structure composes an easy to use palette for an otherwise very complicated process. Because every map is unique in its purpose, qualifications and dimensions, GIS has made its format flexible and easily navigateable. Every toolbar and window conveniently groups the essentials you need to create an interesting and effective map.

With the help of the tutorial I found the program to be very easy to use. It was even fun at times due to the wide array of customizable options and features. Everything seemed to be placed and organized for the user’s convenience. However, any program that deals with such a complex matter has its flaws. These are some issues I noted that could be better programmed for a future version.    

Although the screens were manageable to navigate, I believe GIS could work on their shortcuts and movement features. Resizing maps, switching between toolbars and finding the right view became very difficult at times and caused me to ruin some data in the process of navigating. Also, the tools used to create new roads and features were extremely sensitive and hard to edit. Clicking a millimeter to the side of a button would cause a new road to appear which was then difficult to move or reposition. Aside from these minute flaws, GIS was meticulously examined and refined. Its capabilities do manage data were amazing, and can only be complemented by its potential for visual stimulation.

Because GIS is made for user-oriented maps, distinguishing key features and displaying data for research, I believe it’s potential to handle data has been fine-tuned. GIS’s later versions can now work on developing the visual aspect of the maps. This would include creating better graphics, more vibrant colors, a wider range of symbols, and even 3D capabilities that could all make the graph easier to read. I believe part of making the data displayed by these maps more accessible and interesting to the viewers is making them easier to understand and more interesting to read. This of course comes second to the practical, accurate, efficient and informational aspects of the map, but certainly should be a long-term goal for the GIS software. 

My Map: A Europe Trip

Copy and past the link to your browser to view my Interactive Europe Trip Map

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=209510638344327995222.0004bde4d184fae086381&msa=0&ll=60.586967,1.669922&spn=24.929166,75.234375

Lab #2: Learning How to Read a Map

What is the name of the quadrangle?

-        Beverly Hills Quadrangle

What are the names of the adjacent quadrangles?

-        1) Canoga Park, 2) Van Nuys, 3) Burbank, 4) Topanga, 5) Hollywood, 7) Venice, 8) Inglewood

When was the quadrangle first created?

-        1995

What datum was used to create your map?

-        The North American Datum of 1927 (NAD 27) and the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83)

What is the scale of the map

-        1:24 000

At the above scale, answer the following

a.     5 centimeters on the map is equivalent to how many meters on ground?

- 500 meters

b.     5 inches on the map is equivalent to how many miles on the ground?

- 5 x 24,000 = 120,000. 120,000 ÷ 5280 = 22.73 miles

c.     One mile on the ground is equivalent to how many inches on the map?

- 0.22 inches

d.     Three kilometers on the ground is equivalent to how many centimeters on the map?

- 30cm

What is the contour interval on your map?

-        20 feet

What are the approximate geographic coordinates both in degrees/minutes/seconds and decimal degrees of:

e.     The Public Affairs Building: 34°4’30”, 118°26’15”: 34.075, 118.4375

f.      The tip of Santa Monica Pier: 34°0’30”, 118°29’45”;  34.008333, 118.495833

g.     The Upper Franklin Canyon Reservoir: 34°7’0”, 118°24’40”; 34.116667, 118.411111

What is the approximate elevation in both feet and meters of:

h.     Greystone Mansion (in Greystone Park): 570 feet, 173.7 meters

i.      Woodlawn Cemetery: 140 feet, 42.7 meters

j.      Crestwood Hills Park: 760 feet, 231.6 meters

What is the UTM zone of the map?

-        Easting 362000 – 373000

-        Northing – 3763000 - 3776000

What are the UTM coordinates for the lower left corner of your map?

- 362000, 3763000

How many square meters are contained within each cell (square) of the UTM gridlines?

1000 x 1000 = 1,000,000 square meters

Obtain elevation measurements, from west to east along the UTM northing 3771000, where the easting of the UTM grid intersects the northing. Create an elevation profile using these measurements in Excel. Figure out how to label the elevation values to the two measurements on campus. Insert your elevation profile as a graphic in your blog.

What is the magnetic declination of the map?

- 14° east

In which direction does water flow in the intermittent stream between the 405 freeway and Stone Canyon Reservoir

- South

Crop out UCLA from the map and include it as a graphic on your blog.

Cool Maps!

 
SSSMOKIN! The Global Tobacco Trade
http://www.princeton.edu/~ina/images/infographics/smoking_big.jpg

This map delineates the trade markets that cigarettes run through. It provides the viewer with a bird's eye view of how such a controversial product is cycled throughout the world. One can see that many smaller nations are used as transit hubs, while larger ones are the distributers to poorer nations, smuggling the cigarettes to avoid high taxes and tariffs. It also shows that some countries, such as Russia, have moved to online sales, and that many traces of cigarette distribution has disappeared. Due to recent crackdowns on cigarette sales and raises in tariffs, these corporations have moved to the black market to distribute their goods. The smokey trails of smuggling create a vast web of underground sales that are very difficult to engage despite the eminent danger of the product. I think this map is interesting because of its incorporation of relative tangents. It breakdown the percentages of transportation devices used, outlines the dangerous aspects of cigarettes and even provides some interesting facts about the industry. By integrating these things on an easy to read and interesting communication display, I believe the "Global Tobacco Trade" makes an effective and helpful use of mapping. 

 

Who's Your City?: "The Singles Map" by Richard Florida

http://www.creativeclass.com/_v3/whos_your_city/maps/FIG_13.1_The_Singles_Map.gif

"The Singles Map" shows the distribution of single men and women throughout the country. The larger circles represent a greater quantity of single individuals in that given area and the smaller ones represent fewer numbers. Most of the numbers are split between the east and west coast, with few data sets provided from the Midwest and scattered results in the South and North. I think this map is interesting because it shows a distinct disparity between singles on the east and west coasts. There is a significantly higher number of single males on the west coast, and an even greater number of single females on the east coast. Unfortunately, the map does explain why there is this disparity, but it does provide the reader with a general view of the distribution of single individuals throughout the country. It also is interesting how the larger number of singles are clumped in the major cities, such as New York,  Los Angeles, Denver, Austin, Las Vegas, Memphis and Miami. When looking at more rural areas or in the midwest, the map does not show any single people.  

"The Magic Bean Shop" and "The Fries that Bind Us" by Flaming Toast Productions

http://www.princeton.edu/~ina/images/infographics/starbucks.jpg

This Princeton-based research studies the amount and location of Starbucks Stores and McDonald's Restaurants throughout the world. It shows that the main concentration of stores for both companies are in the United States. Starbuck's second distributing location is China and other parts of Asia, while McDonald's has a large number of restaurant in Europe. Being an older company, McDonald's has spread itself to South America, Australia and even South Africa as well, whereas Starbucks is mainly split between the United States, Europe and Asia. An interesting aspect of the map is the resource arrows provided for Starbucks. Much of the coffee beans comes from places in which there are no Starbucks stores, such as Central and South America, and Africa. They receive their paper for cups mostly from Norway, Sweden and Finland where no stores are located either. Lastly, they only get their sugar from two tiny locations off the coast of Australia and in Brazil, also areas in which no stores are to be found. This map also shows the stature of McDonald's over other fast food chains despite its dwindling reputation in the United States. It receives almost four times more revenue then its next leading competitor, Burger King. Most of this revenue is made from locations across the world, not in the United States.