GIS Project | Automated Spatial Analysis Task GEOGY538

GEOGY538 Project

As a part of the paper assessment you are required to conduct a GIS project that involves automated spatial analysis or visualisation. The project will be in an application of your choice and require you to identify objectives, prepare data, conduct analysis, and present your results. You will also need to search the literature, including the Internet, and identify existing knowledge (theory) relating to your topic; i.e. build on previous knowledge.

This assessment is linked to the paper outcomes as it develops your ability to use GIS as a research tool and provides experience in managing a GIS project. It also provides an opportunity to improve your understanding of GIS issues, develop your research and communication skills, and promote intellectual independence. You should view this project as a means of demonstrating your abilities to use GIS. The poster may be part of a portfolio presented to future employers.

You can choose any project you like, as long as it has a spatial dimension appropriate for GIS analysis, and uses automation. You will be required to produce a poster that describes your project and results. The poster will contain graphics and text. The poster should identify the objectives of the project and the nature of the problem being studied. The data sets used and the analysis required should be clearly stated. The benefits and limitations of the project should be discussed.

With your poster you are also required to submit a copy of your script or model used for the project. This should be annotated with comments and will be used to assess the complexity of your analysis.

To ensure that you have a productive start you are required to provide a one-page summary of what you propose to do for your project. The proposal should contain a brief overview of the following:

• the problem you are addressing (research objective and/or question),
• key literature that is relevant to the research (2 references),
• data sets that you are likely to use,
• analysis functions that may be required, and
• the expected outputs.

You should try and use the data sets that the Geography Programme already have. A list of this is available in the Data directory. You may be able to arrange access to other data sets through your own contacts or you may have to create your own data sets. Building data sets can be a laborious and time consuming task for which you will not get a lot of credit in your final grade. So give special consideration to this task when planning your project.

The topic for a project can be esoteric and specific, and in any application you want. Projects developed by previous students include:

• Assessing access to hospitals
• Visualising proposed forest plantations
• Hydrological analysis of the Tairua catchment
• Urban development in Tauranga
• Biodiversity representation

The grading for the project will be split between the poster and the script or model. The grading for the project will be based on the following criteria:

• A description of your research including a brief introduction, review of literature, method, presentation of results, discussion and conclusion.
• Sophistication of your script use of variables and loops, and complex analysis functions.
• Clear use of both written and graphical communication.