GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
cod. 1005610

Academic year 2016/17
2° year of course - Second semester
Professor
Academic discipline
Topografia e cartografia (ICAR/06)
Field
A scelta dello studente
Type of training activity
Student's choice
42 hours
of face-to-face activities
6 credits
hub:
course unit
in - - -

Learning objectives

The student learns the distinctive characteristics of spatial data; knows
the technologies for data acquisition and their tolerances; is aware of
data currency and of the importance of metadata. Know vector and
raster data characteristics, the basic on data bases and the query
language.
The student learns how to georeference data and how to perform data
interpolation and evaluate the result. Learns how to perform spatial
queries and selection based on attributes and combine them.
Applies this knowledge to the solution of engineering and planning
problems using GIS software.
Teamwork in the exercices help students to make and motivate choices,
exchange opinions, draw conclusions.
The exercices in class do not merely repeat several time the same case,
but demand of the student a critical review of his knowledge by varying
the format of the data available and of the source of information.

Prerequisites

Basic concepts of cartography, geodetic datums, statistical data
processing and analysis, computer literacy.

Course unit content

Cartography: conformal and equivalent maps; map contents and map
generalization; tolerances; italian topographic and technical maps.
Digital cartography: definitions and differences with traditional maps.
Contents of digital maps. Information coding.
Raster data: spatial and radiometric resolution.Raster data acquisition.
Rasterization of maps; georeferencing and mosaicking.
Vector data: geometric and topologic primitives.Vector data acquisition.
Cartographic editing and consistency checks.
Digital terrain models. Digital orthophotos.
Geographic information systems: fundamental components and
functions. Metadata. Manipulation of raster and vector data: queries;
processing of raster data; visualization and representation of results.
Presentation and use of GIS software.

Full programme

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Bibliography

C. Jones. Geographic Information Systems and Computer Cartography,
Prentice Hall. – Not available at the “Biblioteca politecnica di Ingegneria e
Architettura”.
Course material (slides of the lectures, exercices, sample data etc.) can be found under SISTEMI INFORMATIVI TERRITORIALI, at http://elly.dicatea.unipr.it. Registration to the course is mandatory.

Teaching methods

Lectures, exercises with DTM generation software and GIS software

Assessment methods and criteria

The examination foresees oral questions and the execution of simple
exercices or operations with visualization, processing and query of
geodata with Surfer, QGIS and ArcMap.
The questions are about theoretical and methodological aspects and
count for about 70% of the score. The exercices with software verify the
capability to apply knowledge and self-learning skills. The list of
mandatory skills with the sw programs is included in the course material
in the Elly platform.

Other information

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