Midterm: What is GIS...?

What is GIS, and how and why did the researches use it in the context of this study? Why were notions of space important?

First of all, GIS stands for geographic informational systems. In one part of this article software was used to plot the closest library to any location in the city, creating polygons among the NYC area. GIS can be useful to create maps (known as cartography) but they also include useful ways to obtain certain information that is area specific. The polygons mapped onto NYC were used as spacial units that were analyzed by data such as population, race, median household income, and educational attainment for the population. It can be assumed that any given individual would most frequent the closest library to their house so this information was used alongside the data received from each library to analyze the public uses and issues with the libraries.

If this field of study at all interests you our college offers a certificate in GIS (http://www.geography.wisc.edu/GISCertificate/index.htm). The certificate includes 4 classes and some electives. To get an idea of learning more about GIS the four base classes include Geology 370, 377, 560, 578, which are named Introduction to Cartography, Introduction to GIS, Advanced Quantitative Methods, and GIS Applications respectively.