Vector, Raster, and Topology Analysis

This unit expands foundational GIS skills to applied vector and raster workflows, focusing on geometry types, topology validation, raster analysis, and data management in ArcGIS. Students will practice converting and organizing datasets, applying symbology and styles, performing spatial analyses (distance, cost, density), and assessing data quality to prepare for advanced spatial modeling in the next unit.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze topological relationships and geometry types (points, lines, polygons, multipatches) and validate and correct topology errors using ArcGIS topology tools
• Apply geodatabase and data-management workflows to convert shapefiles to feature classes, move feature classes into real-world coordinate systems, and configure layer properties, styles, reports, and charts
• Demonstrate raster and Spatial Analyst techniques—including Euclidean distance, raster calculator operations, cost/distance surfaces, density mapping, classification, and zone-to-region conversions—to identify and evaluate candidate sites
• Evaluate spatial data quality and integration by assessing units, projection, scale, resolution, GPS and TIGER/Line data sources, and execute basic Python geoprocessing scripts to automate reproducible workflows