Collecting & Mapping
Due: 10/8
What
Create a vector dataset of point locations through field work using the GPS receiver of a cell phone. The points should represent the locations of some thing (object, phenomena, landmark) that you encounter in the immediate surroundings of your everyday life or significant points along some kind of path (route, invisible border, etc). Design a map using the dataset you created.
Note: you may not use maptiles (Stamen, Open Street Maps, XYZ Tiles) as the basemap for this assignment but must instead locate data to design your own basemap (or design your map in such a way that a basemap isn’t necessary…). See suggestions below for places to look for basemap datasets for NYC.
How
Begin by reading through Tutorial 3. This tutorial will walk you through how to use Epicollect – a digital data collection tool that works on cell phones. You will create an account and set up a new ‘form’ or data collection tool. Unlike previous weeks there is not a separate deliverable for tutorial 3, instead you will need to use it as a resource for creating your own data gathering instrument.
After you have a grasp on the process of setting up a form to collect data then:
- Decide on what you would like to collect data about. (Choose a location you can easily travel to and where you will feel comfortable being in public space.)
- Write out what information you would like to collect about each point location (these will become the fields in the attribute table of the new dataset you are creating)
- Design a form to collect point locations and each of the attribute fields you are interested in using the Epicollect website and app described in Tutorial 3.
- Go out into the world and collect your data. (Please observe social distancing & wear a mask).
- Export it as a CSV file, and create a map of it in QGIS
Requirements
- Collect ten to fifteen data points, or as many as is necessary to convey what you hope to show in your map.
- Design a map that uses a graphic/visual approach which is related in some way to the data it is depicting OR some aspect of the experience of collecting that data (as always, draw on precedent projects!!)
- In assembling data for your basemap you might look to:
- Your final map must be a designed map composition. You are encouraged to select one of the map examples discussed thus far during class and imitate some aspect of its graphic style.
- Your designed map composition must include:
- title
- legend
- scale bar
- north arrow (your map doesn’t need to have north pointing vertically…)
- citations for all data sources
- projection used
- your name
Submission
- Upload your map:
- as a pdf to Canvas
- add it to the pin-up Google Slides presentation for 10/1 in the course Google Drive folder