Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Department of Urban Studies and Planning

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11.188: Urban Planning and Social Science Laboratory

11.205: Intro to Spatial Analysis (1st half-semester)
11.520: Workshop on GIS (2nd half-semester)

Lecture 5a: More Census Data, Queries, and Spatial Analysis Examples

March 8, 2017, Prof. Joseph Ferreira

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Administrative notes:

• Homework #1 is due today on Stellar
• Lab Exercise #4 (Census data) started this week and is due Monday, March 13
• Homework #2 is available online: Part I is due Wed. March 15, and Part II on Mon. April 10 (after Spring Break)
• Lab Exercise #5 (short - Database aggregation and charting) starts next week (3/13) and is due Monday, March 20
• Lab Exercise #6 (Vector spatial analysis) starts following week (3/20) and is due Wed., April 5 (last lab required for 11.205)
  
• In-lab test: Monday, April 3 (right after Spring Break)
  
• Optional, supervised lab times once again: Fridays 2:00-4:00 and 5:00-7:00 in 9-554

Today's Topics:

• Discuss Labs #1 and #2
  • Juan Camilo and Hongmou will comment on first few lab exercises (in addition to individual comments available on Stellar)
• Review key elements of Census data structure and MS-Access usage
  • Basic concepts and links to detailed discussion
• Examples of GIS mapping services and spatial analyses
• MassGIS & Metro Boston "Data Commons"
• 'Heat maps' of transit access and walkability
• A recent PhD thesis: Mi Diao, "Sustainable Metropolitan Growth Strategies: Exploring the Role of the Built Environment"

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Finish map elements, symbology, and color theory notes from earlier lecture:

Finish Census notes from last lecture:

Tutorials and training aides for MS-Access:

• Repeat of items in recent Census Data Lab #4:
• MS-Access 'recitation' notes by Lulu Xue and Shan Jiang: rec2_database_datafile.pdf
• Other useful online 'business skill' tutorials by http://www.GCFLearnFree.org
  • The Goodwill Community Foundation of East North Carolina provides these
  • The MS-Access tutorials are here: http://www.gcflearnfree.org/access2010
  • And, some useful pages on MS-Access query building are here:
    • http://www.gcflearnfree.org/access2010/8.2
• Links to Microsoft online tutorials for MS-Access
  • Get to know Access(45 min) http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/get-to-know-access-RZ006118141.aspx
  • Table that data(50 min): http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/table-that-data-RZ006149432.aspx
  • Get answers with queries(50 min): http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/training/queries-i-get-answers-with-queries-RZ001077757.aspx
• YouTube video clip: Tables and Relationships: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IarzvwTijwk&feature=related

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Examples of GIS mapping and spatial analysis

• MassGIS: http://www.mass.gov/mgis/
  • The State's official GIS agency
  • Many of the datasets we use in class are maintained and freely distributed by MassGIS

• Metro Boston data commons: http://www.metrobostondatacommon.org/
  • Boston'a metro area planning council (MAPC) maintains this community data commons

• A recent DUSP PhD thesis by Mi Diao
  • Sustainable Metropolitan Growth Strategies: Exploring the Role of the Built Environment
  • http://mit.edu/uis/theses/diaomi_dissertation_final_10sept.pdf
• See maps of vehicle miles travelled and neighborhood characteristics in metro Boston (by 2550x250m grid cells): Figures 1-9)

• 'Heat Maps' of transit and walking accessibility
  • Transit heat map (of one-hour access): http://www.transitheatmap.com/
  • Walkability Score: http://www.walkscore.com/MA/Boston
  
  
• Penn State video clips about the 'GeoSpatial Revolution' (i.e., location-based services): http://geospatialrevolution.psu.edu/episode1/complete

• ObamaCare vs. Republican proposal - Today's NYTimes comparison
• Thematic map of spatial differences by category:
• https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/03/08/upshot/who-wins-and-who-loses-under-republicans-health-care-plan.html

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Last modified 8 March 2017 by Joe Ferreira

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