Module 2 - Data Models / ArcCatalog / Geodatabases

INTRODUCTION

When using a GIS, we work with abstractions of reality. The spatial data models are simplified representations of the world that suppport map display, querying, editing and analysis in a GIS. Data models are at the foundation of everything with do with a GIS.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Describe how GIS represent the reality.
2. Explain why coordinates are important in data models.
3. Describe the two distinct types of data used to define cartographic objects.
4. List several examples of things that could be represented in thematic layers.
5. Describe the difference between cartesian coordinate systems and sperical coordinate systems.
6. Describe the different attribute categories
7. Describe the vector data model
8. Describe the raster data model
9. Describe the spaghetti data model
10. Describe the advantages of using a topological data model
11. Describe the relationship between vector features and attributes
12. List some advantages and disadvantages of the vector and raster data models
13. Describe Triangulated Irregular Networks
14. Define object data model
15. List common formats for spatial data
16. Describe what ArcCatalog is used for
17. Utilize ArcCatalog of managing spatial data

TERMS TO KNOW

Lecture - GIS Fundamentals

• entities or phenomena
• spatial feature
• cartographic object
• data model
• coordinates
• thematic layers
• cartesian coordinate system
• orthogonal
• spherical coordinate system
• attributes
• nominal
• ordinal
• interval / ratio
• vector
• spaghetti data model
• topological data model
• topology
• planar topology
• raster
• cells
• cell dimension
• continuous
• discrete
• triangulated irregular network (TIN)
• digital elevation model (DEM)
• object data model
• data format

Lab - Getting to Know ArcGIS

• ArcCatalog
• catalog tree
• connect to folder
• file extension
• geodatabase
• feature class
• layer file
• shapefile

ACTIVE LEARNING EXERCISE

Lab: Getting to Know ArcGIS

• Chapter 4 - Exploring ArcCatalog
• Chapter 14 - Building Geodatabases
  

READING ASSIGNMENT

For next week lecture and class - GIS Fundamentals - Chapter 3 - Geodesy, Projections, and Coordinate Systems

HOMEWORK

Not

STUDY QUESTIONS

GIS Fundamentals, pp. 64-65 (do not do the coordinate conversion table)