GLY 560 Projects

Introduction

Each student will be required to submit a GIS-based project.  This project will involve the solution of an Earth Science problem using spatial analysis in a ArcGIS.  You will be asked to submit a project proposal to me by February 15.  Final project ideas will be approved by March 1, on which date all students will present their project ideas to the class in a short (<4 slides) presentation.  Students who do not have an approved project plan from me by March 1 will receive 0 credit on their project.  Final projects will be submitted as a web page, and presented to the class on the last day of regular classes.  The final project web page will be due on the last day of finals.
The purpose of the project is to provide an opportunity for you to develop your skills in GIS in an area of earth or planetary science which you find particularly interesting.  This area can be related to your thesis research if you wish.  This project should demonstrate knowledge of ArcGIS beyond that presented directly in class.  You cannot, for example, repeat a lesson with different data and get a good grade.  You will be graded on your ability to extrapolate the skills learned in class to solve a scientific problem.

Proposals

Your proposal should clearly define a scientific problem that can be addressed using ArcGIS.  If this statement can be addressed in the form of a hypothesis and hypothesis test, please do so.  In any case the proposal should be presented in using the following outline:

1. Statement of Problem:  The scientific problem to be addressed, preferably a hypothesis to be tested.
2. Proposed Spatial Analysis of the Problem:  What is the spatial component of this problem and what analysis needs to be made to address the problem?
3. Proposed Application of GIS:  What tools in ArcGIS do you propose to use?  This need not be defined completely at the proposal stage, but you should be aware of the tools that are available.  For example, if you propose to generate spatial statistics, you might propose to use the Geostatistical Analyst. If it is about contouring, you might use Spatial Analyst. If you think this can be done using base geoprocessing, then say so.
4. Anticipated Result:  What do you expect the analysis to show, i.e. do you think it will support or refute your hypothesis?

Draft Proposals are due February 15.  This should be a one paragraph statement outlining the basics of the four points above.  I will review these to give you some guidance on whether the topic is appropriate and what GIS tool might be useful.  Full proposals are due March 1.  This should be a 1-2 page statement formatted using the outline above.  If you do not turn in a proposal by March 1 you will get an automatic zero on your final project!

Grading Rubric: