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Introduction to ArcGIS I

» Class Contents

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This page provides a summary of the lesson contents for the Introduction to ArcGIS I class. If you have any questions, please contact Jackie Strager.

OVERVIEW

This two-day course introduces participants to ArcGIS™ and provides the foundation for becoming a successful ArcView®, ArcEditor™, or ArcInfo™ user. Participants learn how to use ArcMap™, ArcCatalog™, and ArcToolbox™ and explore how these applications work together to provide a complete GIS software solution. The course covers fundamental GIS concepts as well as how to create, edit, and work with georeferenced spatial data. Participants learn how to manipulate tabular data, query a GIS database, and present data clearly and efficiently using maps and charts.

AUDIENCE

This course is for those who are new to ArcGIS or to geographic information systems in general. Please note that the course will be taught using ArcGIS 9.0 (there are slight differences from previous versions of ArcGIS).

GOALS

  • Display feature and tabular data
  • Work with georeferenced spatial data
  • Query features using logical expressions
  • Find features using spatial relationships
  • Edit spatial and attribute data
  • Associate tables with joins and relates
  • Produce maps, reports, and graphs

TOPICS COVERED

  • ArcGIS overview: Capabilities and applications; Interacting with the interface; Basic display
  • Spatial data concepts: Representing spatial data and descriptive information
  • ArcGIS data model: Geodatabases; Shapefiles; Coverages; Feature types; Attributes
  • GIS software: Components; Functions; Applications
  • Spatial coordinate systems and map projections: Georeferencing data; What map projections are; How ArcMap works with map projections
  • Querying data: Selecting and identifying features; Creating reports and graphs
  • Map displays: Creating; Symbolizing; Scaling; Adding map elements

PREREQUISITES AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Participants should be familiar with using Windows. This course provides the fundamental ArcGIS knowledge and experience needed to enroll in Introduction to ArcGIS II as well as several other ESRI courses. Many of the topics covered in this course are similar to those in Migrating from ArcView 3.x to ArcView 8. Participants who complete this course should not enroll in Migrating from ArcView 3.x to ArcView 8.

CLASS TOPIC OUTLINE

Introduction

  • Welcome and logistics
  • Course materials, objectives, and timeline
  • What is ArcGIS?
  • Other support resources and training

Exploring GIS Concepts

  • What is a GIS?
  • GIS functions
  • Capturing data
  • Storing data
  • Querying data
  • Analysis
  • Display
  • Output
  • Organizing and representing spatial data
  • Map scale
  • Overview of applications: ArcMap, ArcCatalog, ArcToolbox window
  • Exercise: Explore a sampling of GIS concepts

Displaying Data

  • ArcMap interface
  • Data view, layout view
  • Data frames, layers, and maps
  • Moving around the map
  • Managing layers
  • Layer symbology, labeling, and properties
  • Qualitative and quantitative legends
  • Saving a layer file
  • ArcMap options
  • Exercise: Display data

Querying your Database

  • Identify tool
  • Find tool
  • Measure tool
  • Maptips and hyperlinks
  • Selections and selection tools
  • Selection methods and selection layers
  • Interactively selecting features
  • Selecting features by attributes
  • Selecting features by location
  • Calculating summary statistics
  • Exercise: Query your GIS database

Working with Spatial Data

  • Representing geographic features
  • Features and attributes
  • Spatial data formats: Geodatabase, coverage, shapefile, raster
  • Tabular locations and point features
  • ArcCatalog: Preview, manage your data
  • Metadata
  • Exercise: Working with spatial data

Working with Tables

  • Understanding table structure
  • Table data types
  • Associating tables with join and relate
  • Graphs
  • Graph wizard
  • Reports
  • Report Writer and Crystal Reports
  • Exercise: Relate and join tables
  • Exercise: Create a graph and report in ArcMap

Editing Data

  • Editable data formats
  • Editor toolbar
  • Edit sessions
  • Selecting features to edit
  • Working with sketches and simple editing functions
  • Create New Feature task, other editing tasks
  • Exercise: Edit features with the editor toolbar
  • Exercise: Edit attribute data

Working with Georeferenced Data

  • What is georeferencing?
  • Coordinate systems, datums, datum conversion
  • Referencing locations
  • Map projections and distortion
  • Storing, viewing, and changing projection information

Presenting Data

  • Map and design objectives
  • Simple cartographic design concepts and issues
  • Creating maps in ArcMap
  • Using map templates
  • Printing and plotting maps
  • Exporting a map
  • Exercise: Create a map