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What is this course about?

This is not as simple as it sounds!

The basic objective is to teach you

how to use ArcGIS v9.x without making a fool of yourself

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Simple?

Software has ~1,500 commands, buttons, tools, etc.

And you MUST understand some geographic theory

Projections, datums, etc. Map Composition and symbolization Analysis tools

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What is GIS, ArcGIS?

•GIS: a database system that knows where to put stuff in space

•That is pretty simple • It’s really more complex than

that but it will do for now

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ArcGIS

• A state of the art set of software– ArcCatalog – data management– ArcGIS – the working application

•Load data •Organize it•Analyze it•Create a map layout

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BUT

• It is NOT the only GIS• There are many more• But it’s like Word – if you know

Word it is pretty easy to figure out WordPerfect

• In NY it is the system you are most likely to run into.

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The Class• The course is computer intensive!• Figure on 3-6 hrs per week• Computers crash and students

(and professionals) screw up• Sometimes due to booby traps

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Expect it!

•Don’t sit there and keep doing the same thing over and over

•Or going nuts trying other things

• JUST WALK AWAY•And let your subconscious

work on it

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Class•Class meets here (140

Baker)Tuesdays & Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:30

•A Lab in 314 Baker immediately follows the Tuesday class

•A second lab is Friday 1:50-4:50 in 309 Baker

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Class• The labs are essentially times

when you know you can reach me or Mr. Acee, your TA.

• You are NOT required to attend any lab and are free to attend either or both of them.

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How the Class works• There is 1 exam – on Oct 9th• There are many quizzes and the

focus of them is on terminology and where tool are located in the ArcGIS interface

• In other words – how you do things• There are weekly assignments …

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Assignments• Each week the following assignments

are usually made1. A module of or partial module in the

ESRI on-line course Learning ArcGIS desktop 9.2

2. A no-hands-held assignment by me that reinforces what you learned in the ESRI module(s)

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Assignments

• Each module has an “exam”

• Your grade on each exam will be emailed to mod557@rousmail.esf.edu on the due date

• The exercise by me (Class Exercise) is turned in on its due date and follows a specific format. Due dates are specified on the Schedule

• You have roughly one week to complete these assignments

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Texts• The main text is ESRI’s on-line course

“Learning ArcGIS desktop 9.2”• It is free and instructions on how to

create your ESRI campus password and the course password have been e-mailed TO YOUR ESF ASSIGNED E-MAIL ADDRESS

• Get established in the virtual campus ASAP!

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College assigned e-mail

• It is very important that you use the e-mail address assigned by the registrar

• It is the ONLY one I will use• It is very easy to forward mail from the

SU account to the account you usually use – DO IT!

• More later…

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Doing the on-line course• Method 1

– You can do it by having two windows open on the computer

– You then flip back & forth (and lose your place)

• Method 2– Copy and paste lessons/exercises into Word– Print it – now you have a book– You put that next to the computer and

check off what you do (and don’t lose your place)

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Course Web Resources

• The schedule is the key to what is going on.

• PowerPoints, exercises, etc. can all be downloaded – we hand out very little paper! (quizzes).

• Notes – sources of information• Help at

@Help557@rousmail.esf.edu

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The Schedule• The course schedule is kept up to

date on the web• You can expect changes in the

schedule as we work through it so don’t bother to print it!

• Where is it?

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• http://www.esf.edu/FOR/HERRINGTON/557/shd55706.htm

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Where are the rules?• On the course Syllabushttp://www.esf.edu/for/herrington/557/details557.htm

• Course descriptions• Grading rules• Rules about handing stuff in• Etc.Note: The only paper handed out in this

class is a) Quizzes and b) Grade reports. Everything else is on the web!

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Forwarding e-mail• If you don’t want to use your

@syr.edu e-mail assigned to you by the College THEN REDIRECT (FORWARD) MAIL to it to the account you usually use

• Go to:• http://its.syr.edu/kt/ktdoc.cfm?docId=

918

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Easy

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