Lab: Creating a Dream Island Paradise

 

Introduction

For this lab, you will be creating a map of an island that you would like to live on. This is intended as a fun exercise to get you into the ArcGIS software in a way that is fun and lower stress than giving you an analysis assignment in your first week. Please have fun with this while learning (or remembering) how to use ArcGIS.

Note: This class is now being taught in ArcGIS Pro. The older ArcGIS labs are retained in case some students are unable to get a copy of ArcGIS Pro working. Also, if you have a Mac and want to work at home, you can use QGIS. However, it is highly recommended that you use ArcGIS Pro because all of the course content will focus on that product.

There is a template to get you started.  The template is optional but it does outline all the content that you will need to be successful in this lab. It also contains a lot of information on how to create reports with spatial content. The template can also be used for future labs.

Note: Please make sure to remove the comments from the template before turning in your assignment.

Learning Outcomes

• Establish an understanding of a standardized folder structure.
• Use ArcGIS user interface and basic navigation tools.
• Articulate vector data types; point, polyvinyl, polygon.
• Create new shape-files.
• Create new features.
• Estimate Uncertainty of Digitized spatial data.
• Present a report using MS Word template.

Step By Step

The Steps below will guide you through creating your island paradise and creating the final report. You're welcome to use the videos and other resources as you need but please read the notes and take the steps recommended in them as these are key points to creating professional reports and being successful in this class.

1. Setting up your folder structure and getting into ArcGIS Pro

Video: Introduction to ArcGIS Pro

Note: Please do not use the backgrounds in ArcGIS that have text on them as your background! The text is often unreadable and frequently cut-off. Instead, use a satellite background without labels or create your own hillshaded background (more on this later).

Note: Please use the folder structure shown in the video and keep all the work for each lab in one folder. This will keep you from losing material later in the semester when you have over 10 labs!

2. Selecting an area

You can select any area you desire on the earth. Just make sure you have enough room to create your island and add labels.

Video: Selecting an Area

3. Digitizing

Digitizing is when we create new spatial data in a GIS application. For this lab, you will need to digitize polygons for the island(s), polylines for streams and/or roads, and points for trees.

Video: Digitizing Polygons

4. Symbology

Symbology refers to how your features appear on the map. There are a lot of options but keep colors simple and try to use colors that are related to the feature. Examples include using blue for water, green for forests, and black for roads.

Video: Symbology

5. Adding Attributes

Any feature can have attributes associated with it. Attributes are held in a table that accompanies the shapefile. Examples of attributes include names, lengths, areas, and codes. Each row in the table is for one feature and each column is for one attribute.

Video: Adding Attributes

6. A Little Analysis

GIS applications allow us to do calculations on spatial and non-spatial data include finding the area of polygons and the length of lines. You'll want to add the area of your islands to the attribute table.

Video: Computing the area of the islands

7. Creating Final Maps

Your final map should show off your island and inform the reader on the key features of your island. Since your map is going into a report, keep it simple. It does not need a title because it will have a caption in the report. It also does not need the author or date because you will have that information in your report.

Video: Creating Final Maps

8. Adding maps to reports

Download the template (see the start of the lab) and replace the second map with your final map. Make sure to insert it "In Line With Text" so that the map moves as you add text above it in the report. Update the rest of the content in the report to match your island and make sure to remove the comments before you submit the report!

9. Preparing a Locater Map

A locater map is a simple map that shows the location of your specific study area within its larger and presumably more familiar context.

Follow this link: Creating Locater Maps to learn about creating a good locater map.

10. Final Review

Before turning in your report, it is a good idea to have someone else review the report to see if anything is missing or incorrect. Also, check the syllabus for common errors.