Global Positioning System: A Field Guide for the Social Sciences

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1405101857 ISBN 13: 9781405101851

Publisher: WB, 2003

Global Positioning System is the first book to guide social scientists with little or no mapping or GPS experience through the process of collecting field data from start to finish.

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• Takes readers step-by-step through the key stages of a GPS fieldwork project.
  
• Explains complex background topics in clear, easy-to-understand language.
  
• Provides simple guidelines for GPS equipment selection.
  
• Provides practical solutions for real GPS data collection issues.
  
• Offers a concise guide to using GPS-collected data within geographic information systems.

Book Description:

Global Positioning System is the first book to guide social scientists with little or no mapping or GPS experience through the process of collecting field data from start to finish. The book takes readers step-by-step through all the key stages of a GPS fieldwork project, covering planning, implementation, and data integration. For each phase, the authors supply clear and concise explanations of relevant technical topics, such as accuracy issues, the selection of appropriate GPS equipment, and the use of coordinate systems. Separate text boxes highlight important practical considerations and give sample solutions for real GPS data collection issues. Model checklists for project planning and equipment can be used as a basis for readers' own projects. Researchers and students from fields as diverse as sociology, anthropology, geography, and public health will find this an invaluable resource.

About the Author:

John Spencer is Assistant Director for Spatial Analysis in the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Brian G. Frizzelle is Research Associate and Senior Spatial Analyst in the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

John B. Vogler is Spatial Information Technology Specialist in the Research Program at the East-West Center, Hawaii, USA.

Philip H. Page is Director for the Spatial Analysis Unit in the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.