Data Management: Managing Geospatial Data
About
Every geospatial project depends on data that is organized, documented, stored safely and checked for errors. This course covers the principles of managing geospatial data during a research project: how spatial data is structured, which formats and coordinate systems to use, how to design a dataset before collecting it, how to organize, version and back up files, and how to judge data quality.
The course is conceptual: it has no programming or software exercises, though it refers to QGIS where that helps. Each module includes examples and challenges with solutions.
| Module | What you will learn |
|---|---|
| Introduction to Data Management | The research data lifecycle, why geospatial data needs extra care, and data management plans |
| Geospatial Data Models | Vector and raster data, topology, resolution, and choosing a representation |
| Geospatial File Formats | Shapefile, GeoPackage, GeoJSON, GeoTIFF and others, and which to use when |
| Coordinate Reference Systems | Datums, geographic and projected systems, EPSG codes, and defining versus reprojecting |
| Designing Your Data | Data dictionaries, field types, domains, unique IDs and relationships |
| Organizing, Versioning and Backing Up | Folder structures, file names, portable projects, version control and the 3-2-1 rule |
| Data Quality | Elements of spatial data quality, geometry errors, and quality checks |
Prerequisites
- No prior GIS or programming experience is needed
- Familiarity with spreadsheets and with files and folders on a computer
The companion Data Curation course covers what happens so data can be reused after a project ends: metadata, documentation, preservation, sharing and ethics.
This course is part of Enabling the Geospatial Turn in the Social Sciences, a set of training modules developed at Purdue University with support from the National Science Foundation.
| Type | Course |
|---|---|
| Level | Foundation |
| Length | 5 hours |
| Topics |
Concepts Community: Spatial Turn |
Modules
-
Introduction to Data Management
Module 1 • 40 minutes
The research data lifecycle, why geospatial data needs extra care, and data management plans
-
Geospatial Data Models
Module 2 • 45 minutes
Vector and raster data, topology, resolution, and choosing a representation
-
Geospatial File Formats
Module 3 • 45 minutes
Shapefile, GeoPackage, GeoJSON, GeoTIFF and others, and which to use when
-
Coordinate Reference Systems
Module 4 • 45 minutes
Datums, geographic and projected systems, EPSG codes, and defining versus reprojecting
-
Designing Your Data
Module 5 • 50 minutes
Data dictionaries, field types, domains, unique IDs and relationships
-
Organizing, Versioning and Backing Up
Module 6 • 45 minutes
Folder structures, file names, portable projects, version control and the 3-2-1 rule
-
Data Quality
Module 7 • 45 minutes
Elements of spatial data quality, geometry errors, and quality checks
Instructor
Aniket Dev Roy
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