Understanding GIS: An ArcGIS Project Workbook explains the methods, tools, and processes needed to apply full-scale GIS analysisto a spatially based problem. The tutorial is designed around a single, multifaceted problem: how to select a suitable location for a park near the Los Angeles River in Los Angeles, California.
The workbook aims to develop the student’s critical thinking and problem-solving skills using GIS. It is divided into nine lessons that contain more than 30 exercises with step-by-step instructions, graphic illustrations, and explanations of key GIS concepts. In addition, it includes a 180-day license for ArcGIS 10.1 for Desktop Advanced software and access to online instructional videos and additional materials.
The premise for the hypothetical project presented in the tutorial parallels the history of the Los Angeles River. After successive floods, the river’s bed and banks were encased in concrete in the 1940s, effectively creating a flood control channel. In 2005, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced the Los Angeles River Revitalization Master Plan to redevelop the river into wildlife and recreation area pockets. A short section of the river was recently restored and is now open to the public.
The book was written by Christian Harder, a writer at Esri and author of a number of case study books on GIS; Tim Ormsby, a technical writer at Esri, who has contributed to ArcGIS training courses for both the classroom and online learning; and Thomas Balstrøm, an associate professor in geoinformatics at University of Aalborg in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Understanding GIS: An ArcGIS Project Workbook (ISBN: 9781589483460, 392 pages, US$79.95) is available at online retailers worldwide, at esri.com/esripress, or by calling 1-800-447-9778. Outside the United States, visit esri.com/esripressorders for complete ordering options, or visit esri.com/distributors to contact your local Esri distributor. Interested retailers can contact Esri Press book distributor Ingram Publisher Services.