Analytical Mapping and Spatial Modeling
W 1:25-4:25.
J. Francis. Fall.

The goal of this course is to introduce students in the social sciences and related fields to geographic information systems and spatial statistics as a set of tools to complement traditional analysis methods. Spatial relationships have become increasingly recognized as important in socioeconomic, political and demographic analysis. Recent research in these fields have demonstrated that understanding spatial relationships, in addition to other factors that account for differences and similarities between people and organizations, significantly increase our explanatory power. The first part of the course focuses on various features of GIS which are most useful to social scientists in their endeavors. The second part of the course introduces spatial statistics which further this understanding as well as control for spatial autocorrelation when it exists.