Government 90dn

Mapping the Census

Lecture 0: Introduction to Seminar

Sumeeta Srinivasan
ssrinivasan@cga.harvard.edu
Outline for Today

Course description

Objectives, lecture format, evaluation and
project, schedule

Course overview
Course Objectives

To use mapping as an analytical technique to study
Census data

To investigate the use of geographic, economic and
socio-demographic data from the US Census

To enhance the research process through the use of
maps and spatial queries

To introduce basic Geographical Information Systems
software

To introduce cartographic techniques
Evaluation

Lab exercises (5): 25%
5 points each for Labs 1-5

Final project: 55%

Proposal (5%), presentation (10%) and report (40%)

Participation: 20%
Standard Format for Classes

Lecture (1 hour or less)

Followed by or interspersed with discussion

Discussion: based on article

Lab Exercises (1-2 hours) – All due Nov 20th

2-? hours (may extend beyond class times) that
should be ideally returned to the instructor before
the next lab
Final Project

Project proposal by November 1st

Should include spatial and non-spatial data
description

Background research (context) and motivation

Research questions,

Proposed methodology

Project presentation on December 6th

Project summary report Jan 1st
Readings
Required:

Unlocking the Census with GIS by Alan Peters and
Heather MacDonald. ESRI Press (2005)
Optional:

Making Maps: A Visual Guide to Map Design for GIS by
John Krygier and Denis Wood. The Guilford Press, New
York/ London. New Ed edition (2005)

Mapping Census 2000: The Geography of U.S.
Diversity by Cynthia A. Brewer and Trudy A. Suchan.
ESRI Press Edition
Course Topics
1. Introduction to Census 4. Applications
2. Census Data Basics
Demography

Data Types
Economics

Databases
Housing and
Transportation
3. Introducing Maps 5. Research Methods

GIS
Writing Proposals and

Cartography Papers

Quantitative methods
How this course (might) fit into your
plan of study

Provides general Introduction to GIS software

Provides you methodological tools if you are looking at
research questions that may be spatial in nature

Provides you with an opportunity to explore some rich
data sets even if your future research is not spatial

Can combine the project with other course projects/
papers/ thesis/ interests

Can use other mapping software (Google Earth etc.)
Outline

Course description

Objectives, lecture format, evaluation and
project, schedule

Course overview
Overview Outline

Why is geographic information different?

What is GIS?

Social Implications of Mapping
The Vocabulary

Geographic – Earth’s surface and near-surface

Spatial – any space (including geographic)

Geospatial – synonymous with geographic
Geographic Information is:

Multidimensional

Voluminous

Requires projection to flat surface

Unique analysis methods

Analyses require data integration

Data updates are expensive and time consuming

Map displays require fast data retrieval
Geographic Information System

Container of maps

Spatial decision support system:

Method for revealing patterns and processes in
geographic information
Planning for Emergency Evacuation

Major natural and human-induced events may
necessitate area evacuations

GIS can be used to create effective evacuation
vulnerability maps based on

Distribution of population

Street map

Model demand and impact of bottlenecks on speed
of evacuation using standard GIS network tools

Adjacency, connectivity, shortest path network calculation
dotdgis.dotd.louisiana.gov
dotdgis.dotd.louisiana.gov/website/GIS-T2006.ppt
 Example:
The Hispanic Population: 1990-2000 Growth and Change

Source: www.sabresystems.com/whitepapers/hispanic_population.pdf
 Example (cont)
“Table 3 demonstrates that three of the four regions
experienced more than 50 percent Latino population
growth between 1990 and 2000. As in the past, the West
experienced the largest numeric increase of Hispanics.
However, greater proportional growth in the Latino
population occurred in the Midwest and South (81.0
percent and 71.2 percent, respectively) compared to the
North and West.”

Source: www.sabresystems.com/whitepapers/hispanic_population.pdf
Social Implications of GIS (Maps)

Favors generalization, possibly at expense of
minorities and individuals

Use is not always neutral and can be applied
to military and industrial surveillance

Tendency to be technological rather than
human need focused

Maintains and extends the status quo of
societal power structures
Source www.adversity.net/special/gerrymander_1.htm
Questions?