INTRODUCTION

What is GIS?

GIS stands for geographic information system and is a framework for organizing, managing, and analyzing data.

GIS provides a mechanism for spatializing, visualizing, and analyzing data.

GIS has interdisciplinary applications.

Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade - Introductory Maps

Life Expectancy by County in the U.S.

CER Interactive Pipeline Map

Mi’kmaw Place Names Digital Atlas

GIS Software

Desktop GIS

• ArcGIS Desktop
  • ArcMap
  • ArcGIS Pro
• QGIS

Online GIS/Web Mapping

• ArcGIS Online
• MapBox
• Leaflet

Overview of ArcGIS Online

• Web Map
• Web AppBuilder
• Story Map

Why Choose ArcGIS Online?

• No install necessary
• Don’t have to know any programming languages or how to code
• No server needed to host your published maps and data
• Can collaborate on and share maps
• Can easily embed web maps, apps, and story maps in websites

GIS Data Type: Vector vs Raster

• Vector data is the most common type of GIS data. It represents geogrpahic data symbolized as points, lines and polygons. Points can be geographic location of cities. Lines can be rivers, trails and streets. Polygon can be city boundary, lake or forest.

• Raster data represents geogrpahic data as a matrix of cells that each contains an attribute value. While the area of different polygon shapes in a data set can differ, each cell in raster data set is the same cell. Raster data is commonly found in remote sensing data and satellite imagery.

Supported Data Type of ArcGIS Online

If you have privileges to create content, you can add many types of content as item to ArcGIS online. Please check the ArcGIS online supported data file here.

• The most common data type that we use is Shapefile. If you have ArcGIS online organization account you can zip the shapefiles in a folder can upload the zip file to ArcGIS online account. If you have access to free public account, please convert your shapefile to other format such as KML or geoJSON before you upload them to ArcGIS online account.

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