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Introduction to Digital Mapping Using QGIS

Scott Lussier

Geospatial analysis is a growing field due to its usefulness to decision makers. With this course you will learn QGIS, a free and open source software package that can perform all the analysis functions of its well known and expensive competitor. Whether you are making the transition away from ESRI products or just starting from scratch, learning QGIS will give you valuable analysis and visualization skills.

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Geospatial analysis is a growing field due to its usefulness to decision makers. With this course you will learn QGIS, a free and open source software package that can perform all the analysis functions of its well known and expensive competitor. Whether you are making the transition away from ESRI products or just starting from scratch, learning QGIS will give you valuable analysis and visualization skills.

Your Instructor has been using GIS for over 25 years and teaching it at a University in Boston, MA for over a dozen years. He has taught countless GIS labs using both ESRI products and, as of late, QGIS software. Upon discovering that QGIS is more powerful, faster, cooperative, and infinitely cheaper than ESRI products, he switched 90% of his geospatial work to Open Source QGIS and has never looked back. He would like to guide you on this journey as well. With QGIS and its associated programs, there are no limits to where you can go.

This course is designed for folks new to QGIS. If you are an ESRI user, this course will help you translate the concepts from ArcMap to QGIS. All the functionality is there, even the extensions, and this course will help you make the mental transitions with the new workflow. If you are brand new to GIS, this course will bring you from zero experience to an Intermediate user very quickly. Within a few days, you will be able to perform powerful spatial analysis.

The course comes with a sample data set, primarily focused on the island of Nantucket. Students are encouraged to follow along with the Instructor.  The best way to learn the concepts is to follow along and do them. Your instructor is very responsive to questions and feedback, and sees himself as a partner in your journey to GIS greatness.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Real world geospatial analysis techniques
  • Navigating the qgis interface
  • Geospatial map analysis
  • Telling a "data story" with a digital map

Syllabus

QGIS Basics
What is QGIS, GIS and FOSS?
Installing QGIS
Getting the Tutorial Data
Read more
Longitude and Latitude
Bookmarking Data Locations
Keyboard Hotkeys
Navigate the QGIS Map View confidently
The Browser Panel
An Overview of your Workspace
Adding Vector and Raster Data
Layer Properties
Zooming and Panning
Project Properties
Coordinate Reference Systems (CRS)
Identify Tool
Screen Measurement Tool
Selecting Features
Spatial Bookmarks
Change the Look of the Dataset to Something a viewer can interpret
The Attribute Table
Statistical Summary
Queries
Basic Vector Symbology
Vector Symbology by Category
Vector Symbology by Value
Point Labels
Polygon Labels
Raster Symbology
Download and install specific functionality
Plugins
Quick Map Services Plugin
Auto Save Plugin
A Look at More Plugins
Edit existing data and create fresh new datasets
Creating a New Shapefile (and Attribute Fields)
QGIS Editing Mode
Geopackages
Intro to Advanced Digitizing
Find and download data off the Internet
XYZ Tile Basemaps
Natural Earth Data
DIVA GIS
Free GIS Data List by RT Wilson
US Census TIGER Data
Bringing in Mapbox Baselayers (an Introduction)
Acquire data from user-generated dataset covering the entire globe
What is Open Street Map (OSM)?
Getting OSM Data from the OSM Website
Getting OSM Data with Overpass Turbo
Editing Open Street Map
Open Street Map Data Extracts
Analyze patterns in point. line and polygon data
Vector Basics
Buffers
Clips
Intersect
Dissolve
Unions
Calculating Lengths or Areas
Analyze patterns in image and cell-based data
Raster Basics
Getting Elevation DEM Data from USDA NRCS
Hillshades
Creating Basic Contour Lines
Sun Aspect Calculations
Calculating Slope from a DEM
Intro to the Raster Calculator
Prepare your results for printing and exporting
Creating a New Print Layout
Grids and Guides
Adding New Maps to Your Layout
Navigating the Print Layout
Adding Titles and Other Text Elements
Adding Images to Your Layout
Adding Scale Bars
Adding a North Arrow
Adding a Legend
Exporting and Printing
Go forth and conquer the GIS world!
Thank You!

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Examines geospatial analysis techniques, which are standard in the industry
Taught by a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience and extensive teaching experience in GIS
Develops proficiency in QGIS, an open-source software package that offers comparable functionality to expensive commercial alternatives
Builds a strong foundation for beginners in geospatial analysis
Provides hands-on learning experience through sample datasets and practical exercises
Covers a comprehensive range of topics, from GIS basics to advanced data analysis and visualization techniques

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Introduction to Digital Mapping Using QGIS with these activities:
Join or start a QGIS user group
Connect with other QGIS users to share knowledge and collaborate on projects
Show steps
  • Find a QGIS user group in your area
  • Attend user group meetings
Practice using the QGIS interface
Familiarize yourself with the QGIS interface and its tools to prepare for the course.
Browse courses on QGIS
Show steps
  • Download and install QGIS.
  • Explore the QGIS interface.
  • Add sample data to the map.
Complete the QGIS Tutorial Manual
Provides a comprehensive overview of QGIS's features and functionality
Show steps
  • Follow the step-by-step instructions in the manual
  • Complete the practice exercises
Five other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all eight activities
Create a map of your local area using QGIS
Lets you apply your skills to a practical project
Show steps
  • Choose a geographic area
  • Gather data from online sources or your own fieldwork
  • Create a map layout and add your data
  • Symbolize your data and add labels
  • Export your map as an image or PDF
Help other students learn QGIS
Reinforce your understanding of QGIS by teaching it to others
Show steps
  • Volunteer as a tutor or mentor
  • Answer questions on QGIS forums
Participate in the QGIS Geoathon
Challenging and rewarding experience that will push you to use QGIS to its full potential
Show steps
  • Register for the Geoathon
  • Work on the Geoathon project
  • Submit your project for judging
Write a blog post or tutorial about QGIS
Share your knowledge of QGIS with the wider community
Show steps
  • Choose a topic
  • Write your blog post or tutorial
  • Publish your blog post or tutorial
Contribute to the QGIS project
Make a direct impact on the development of QGIS and connect with the QGIS community
Show steps
  • Identify an area where you can contribute
  • Submit a pull request to the QGIS repository

Career center

Learners who complete Introduction to Digital Mapping Using QGIS will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

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Course image
Effort
6.5 total hours
Via
Udemy
Instructor
Scott Lussier
Language
English
Good to know
Examines geospatial analysis techniques, which are standard in the industry
Taught by a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience and extensive teaching experience in GIS
Develops proficiency in QGIS, an open-source software package that offers comparable functionality to expensive commercial alternatives
Builds a strong foundation for beginners in geospatial analysis
Provides hands-on learning experience through sample datasets and practical exercises
Covers a comprehensive range of topics, from GIS basics to advanced data analysis and visualization techniques
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