Exploring Geographic Information Systems

This exploration of geographic information and geographic information systems (GIS) expands the discussion beyond the normal input-processing-output sequence. It begins by examining the manipulations that support analytical uses of GIS, including measurement and frameworks, representations, data quality, transformation and operations, parametric mapping, simple logic and overlay, taxonomy, distance transformations and surfaces. It then moves on to discuss operations that connect the practical exercises in the book to professional applications of GIS techniques in bureaucratic, social and cultural contexts.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is the organized activity by which people:

• measure aspects of geographic phenomena and processes;
• represent these measurements, usually in the form of a computer database, to emphasize spatial themes, entities, and relationships;
• operate upon these representations to produce more measurements, and to discover new relationships by integrating disparate sources; and,
• transform these representations to conform to other frameworks of entities and relationships.

These activities reflect the larger context, such as institutions and cultures, in which these people carry out their work. In turn, the GIS may influence these structures. This text provides the comprehensive coverage you will need to master this powerful new technology.