Publications


Accessing Geospatial Data

Author(s): Multiple Authors

RGIS Regional Office: Great Lakes, University of Wisconsin

Date of Publication: 2006

Synopsis:

There is a large quantity of geospatial data available on the Internet. For example, geospatial data can be found on many agency websites, as well as in geospatial portals. As a result, finding needed data and determining whether it can suit a particular purpose can be a challenge. This module is intended for relative novices to GIS. It is designed to offer an introduction to accessing and searching for geospatial data on the World Wide Web. We provide a brief introduction to the issues that are relevant in evaluating a data resource – scale, coordinate system and datum, documentation, quality, format, and so forth. The course then presents students with an overview of geospatial data initiatives and geospatial resources on the Web. Many live links are included to encourage individual exploration of the websites.


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