SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDY USING THE TEXTBOOK

GEOG 3813, Geographic Information Systems

Chuck Ziehr, Northeastern State University

Suggested method for reading/studying the chapters in the textbooks. Many of these suggestions are specific to the textbooks entitled, Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop: Basics of ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo (2004), Second edition, updated for ArcGIS 9 by Tim Ormsby, et al. and GIS Concepts and ArcGIS Methods, 2nd edition by David Theobald (2005).

1. Take careful notes WHILE you read. Almost all students take notes during class lectures, but few seem to take notes while they read the textbook. The usefulness of note-taking in class makes it obvious to me that note-taking while reading would also be useful. I recommend the following method:
• Use the boldface headings to compose an outline of the chapter.
• As you read each sub-section of the chapter, stop when you come to a term in italics; these are new terms that are important to the understanding of the chapter. In your notes, based on the context of the paragraph in which the italicized term occurs, develop YOUR definition for the term and write it down in YOUR words (don't just copy a sentence from the text). You'll remember your words better than the author's words.
• Give particular attention to figures. The graphs, charts, and pictures in these figures are often crucial to your understanding of the textual material.
• At the end of each sub-section, stop and review in your mind the main ideas and concepts that were just explained. Summarize the sub-section in two or three sentences, in your own words, and write your summary in your outline.
2. Use the tutorial exercises on the CD-ROM that came with Getting to Know ArcGIS Desktop: Basics of ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo as a supplement to and review of the main concepts covered in the book. 
3. After studying the chapters in the fashion outlined about, another good study aid would be to use the sample questions in Exam Study Guide.
4. If you have any questions about the material covered in the text, PLEASE stop by my office or call or e-mail me and ask questions. I'll try my best to help you understand the material.