Introduction to Mapmaking with QGIS

Review of this resource is prerequisite for attending all other geospatial workshops facilitated by Koerner Library Research Commons.

This resource provides an overview of mapmaking with QGIS, a free and open-source Geographic Information System (GIS) for analyzing, modifying, and visualizing spatial data. By the end of this short overview, you will:

1. Understand what a GIS is, and the advantages to using QGIS;
2. Be able to identify different kinds of spatial data;
3. Differentiate between reference maps and thematic maps; and
4. Be familiar with the QGIS interface, having downloaded the software and practiced setting up a QGIS project.

The skills and concepts introduced by this resource are fundamental to mapmaking with QGIS. Review of this resource is prerequisite for attending all other geospatial workshops facilitated by Koerner Library Research Commons. You are welcome to work through it asynchronously on your own, or attend a scheduled facilitation. That way, we can spend all our time learning new skills together!

Once you’ve reviewed this resource, we invite you to attend any of UBC Research Commons’s mapping with QGIS workshops (colored teal in the Events Calender here):

• Reference Mapping with QGIS
• Thematic Mapping with QGIS
• Tools and Workflows in QGIS.

GIS Resources at UBC:

• General Informational website for all things UBC GIS: gis.ubc.ca
• UBC Library guide for finding and working with GIS resources: guides.library.ubc.ca/gis
• Archive of Research Commons workshops
• Research Commons Events Calender for upcoming facilitated workshops
• Contact UBC Library’s Geospatial team: library.gis@ubc.ca
• Schedule a 1:1 consult with the geospatial team here

This workshop was authored by Lily Demet and reviewed by Alex Alisauskas.