Required for GEO 565 students - 3 options

Option 1 - Term Paper

• 20-page term paper
  • 20 pages (double-spaced) INCLUDING figures and references - please DO include page numbers!!! Please turn in your paper as an MS-Word email attachment instead of hardcopy. Please use MS-Word only so that I may use Track Changes to insert any comments.
  • Flexible on subject matter of paper.
  • Follow AND SPECIFY a scholarly journal format (follow the "Instructions to Contributors" or "Instructions to Authors" for that particular journal).
  • Indeed, please write your paper in a scientific report format, using objective language (i.e., not in the first person, which is generally unacceptable for professional scientific report writing or scholarly publication). specify key words.
  • Points will be subtracted if the above specifications are not followed.
  • More info. in these older Lecture 2 notes
  • Please see the following helpful web sites:
    • Teach Yourself to Use the Library
      (osulibrary.orst.edu)
    • The Library Research Process: A Tutorial
      (osulibrary.orst.edu/instruction/tutorials)
  • Term paper due by 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, Friday, December 4th.
  • Turn in electronically as email attachment of MS-Word document (or you can make a web site out of your term paper too).
  • Take final exam as scheduled.

• Option 2: Applied GIS Project (see below)
  • Due by 12:00 noon, Pacific Time, Tuesday, December 8th.
  • Turn in electronically as email attachment of MS-Word document (or you can make a web site out of write-up too).
  • No final exam.

• Option 3: Annotated Bibliography on the Web (more below)
  • Please see the following helpful web sites:
    • Teach Yourself to Use the Library
      (osulibrary.orst.edu)
    • The Library Research Process: A Tutorial
      (osulibrary.orst.edu/instruction/tutorials)
  • MUST turn in as web page.
  • Upload to a web server and email me with the URL by 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time, Friday, December 4th.
  • Take final exam as scheduled.

Your mission is to find your own data (it may come from somewhere on campus or the Internet) and perform a spatial analysis (again, NOT just compiling data or getting it in to the GIS so that you can make a map, but performing a spatial analysis WITH the data!!!!!), and then prepare a series of maps resulting FROM the spatial analysis. The project may be in an application area of your choice (perhaps related to your own thesis or dissertation research, but that is not required), and you may use a GIS software package of your choice (ArcGIS 9.x, Erdas Imagine, Idrisi, etc.). You may find my Option 2 Hints Page to be helpful.

Submit a Proposal

1. Your name, department and email address
2. Your previous experience with GIS (previous GIS coursework?, previous GIS experience during an internship or job?) Your proposal will not be accepted without previous GIS experience.
3. The question or problem that you would like to address during your analytical project, and
4. The tentative or expected analysis steps that you will take in order to answer the question or solve the problem.
5. If not already mentioned above, state where you hope to obtain your data if you don't have it already.

Please note that you will still be expected to complete Labs 1-6 in order to refresh yourself on necessary skills and perspectives.

1. Excellent Student, Department of X, student@science.oregonstate.edu
2. My previous experience with GIS includes a 4 credit undergraduate course called Geographic Information Systems that I completed in the fall of 2000 at Western Washington University. In the course, I learned the basics of data display, storage, and management in addition to some spatial analysis such as buffering, clipping, and merging themes. My final project addressed the question of where to build a nuclear waste facility based on geographic criteria such as proximity to cities with certain populations, proximity to watersheds, access to roads, and others. I was also involved in several applications of GIS in the field during various job experiences. First, I completed a three month internship with the National Park Service in which I was charged with creating, updating and maintaining several GIS projects tracking exotic weed control, archeological interest sites, and visitor use. Additionally, I use GIS in my current position with the US Forest Service. I was responsible for the creation of a GIS designed to track various management tactics and effectiveness throughout the forest dealing with hazardous fuels reduction. I collected the raw data with a Trimble Geo3Explorer GPS unit with a customized data dictionary and a handheld Dell Axiom personal data recorder. I then downloaded, corrected, and converted the GPS files to shapefiles with accompanying attribute tables and created detailed maps and databases of the plot locations using existing background files, field sampled data and digital photo links.
3. I would like to continue using the data I have collected with the US Forest Service and answer the following question: "Where are suitable priority treatment units in a 2,500 acre project area based on hazardous fuels conditions such as fuels density (tons per acre) and tree canopy height (height to first live crown), as observed using systematic sampling plots installed prior to treatment in 2005?"
4. I will create two maps, each displaying the current condition of the variables in each of the units based on sampling plots. The answer to my proposed question will be inferred from the results of a union overlay of the data layers in the two maps, as well as selecting by attribute, calculating by area, buffering, and clipping, to determine which plots have the highest fuel density AND lowest canopy height and then determining which units contain the most of these plots.
5. I have access to all required data from the Doublehead Ranger District of the Modoc National Forest, where I am currently employed. If my analysis requires additional data, I will be able to obtain it at the web site XX.

Here is another example of a creative and acceptable analysis (a site selection):
Coastal Forestry - You work for Forest for the Trees, a large site analysis and location company.
Question: Where are the best site and most suitable sites for logging?
Criteria: A large logging company has contracted with your firm to assist them in identifying these sites. The criteria for site selection are:

• Forest Type: The company is interested in all forest types, but it is especially looking for tall straight trees. An example | An example
• Elevation: Elevations less than 300 m are best since the lower elevations typically provide easier access for logging equipment, and more trees are preserved on slopes and ridge tops in order to maintain erosion control. An example
• Distance from roads: Those sites within 10 km of a road are best because of decreased hauling distances and less road construction. An example
• Settlements: Urban areas within the study area are off-limits.
• National/State/City Park Locations: These areas must be omitted and sites close to them are somewhat undesirable.

What to Turn In

1. A brief introduction to your problem, including major questions that you are asking and why.
2. A discussion of the process you used to solve this problem, including a step-by-step listing of the commands you employed in your GIS.
3. A flowchart showing this process (An example)
4. A series of maps showing your results. In the case of the logging example above, the factors (i.e., criteria) were ranked according to a 1, 2 or 3 (three = highest, one = lowest) classification. Using this information, final map was created showing "Excellent Logging", "Fair Logging", and "Poor Logging" areas (an example)
5. Please insert all figures, maps, and other kinds of graphics directly into the text, directly after the paragraph in which they are first mentioned. Please do NOT put them at the back of your document. This makes it MUCH easier on the reader. In these days of electronic publishing, where we all have access to fancy word processors, there is no need to follow the old, hardcopy convention of placing figures at the back of a manuscript.
6. A narrative detailing your results (e.g., sites selected) and a brief discussion or list of recommendations.
7. A discussion of any caveats pertaining to data quality, accuracy, or error. For instance, in the logging example above, one could mention that the maps do not include the important variables of land ownership, ecosystem health, presence/absence of endangered species, etc., all of which are important additional considerations to be taken into account before choosing to log.
8. Please write your entire paper in a scientific report format, using objective language (i.e., not in the first person which is generally unacceptable for professional scientific report writing or scholarly publication) .
9. Please turn in your paper electronically (i.e., send me the MS-Word document as an email attachment). I prefer this format, especially so that I can use MS-Word Track Changes to directly insert comments or corrections before returning to you. You can also make a web site out of your project write-up, if so inspired.

Here is an example of what would be expected for the project write-up, an excellent submission by a student who took the course: dusk.geo.orst.edu/gis/option2_example.pdf.

Tips on Obtaining Your Own Data

There are many other databases available on the Internet that you might use for your project. You might start with Geodata.gov. You (or a group) might also produce your own database and perform some analyses with it. There are also several databases available on campus. Please see me or the TAs if you need help. Other useful sites for data:

Oregon Explorer - oregonexplorer.info

USGS

Background on DEMs
30-m USGS DEMs for Oregon
10-m DEMs for Oregon
Importing USGS DEMS
Importing USGS Digital Ortho Photo Quarter Quads (DOQQs)

CU Data Resources for Geographers CIESIN - Consortium for International Earth Science Information Network - www.ciesin.org

Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Data Resources - soils.usda.gov

EPA Data (Oregon is in Region 10)

There are also many, many articles that appear in their entirety on the web. Note that your annotated bibliography should NOT consist merely of a list of links to web sites of companies, research laboratories, etc., as that is not really an annotated bibliography is it? And please don't confuse the fact that your bibliography must be presented as a web page with the idea that all the references in your bibliography must be web links! That is not really the idea. Your bibliography will most likely contain references to hardcopy materials (journal articles, books, etc.). The only difference is that you are turning in your bibliography as a web page rather than hardcopy. If you find complete articles on the web you may link to them, but your citations must still include an annotation. If you find interesting web sites, again, you may link to them but your citations must STILL include an annotation. Here is an example of a great annotated bibliography that was prepared during a previous class:

Please follow a similar annotation format for your web page! You should find and annotate AT LEAST 10 references. I am NOT enforcing any standards for web page design, as some are better at HTML than others, and students are choosing a very broad range of topics. The idea is find as many references as possible during the term that will be the most helpful to your graduate research or interests.

Please DO make sure that you include the course name and number (GEO 565) and your name, linked with a "mailto:" tag to your email address somewhere on your web page so that I (and others) can send you helpful comments on the page. For example:

Need help with web page creation or uploading your page to a server? Have no fear, click here! (dusk.geo.orst.edu/gis/page_help.html)

At some point, you should consider developing your own home page (if you haven't done so already) that includes links to your resume/CV and your GEO 565 project. Home page design and creation is not only TONS of fun, but potential employers or major professors may be favorably impressed with a well-designed page that demonstrates your skills and talents.

http://dusk.geo.orst.edu/gis/projects.html

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