ASSIGNMENT: Applications of GIS in Human/Cultural Geography with U.S. Census Data
Developed by M. Stephens
This may count as one of the required assignments.
You may submit this at any time before the due date.
Special Notes:
This looks like a quiz, but it will count in the assignment category.
Print
and complete this assignment by saving your responses to all the questions somewhere else before transferring them to Canvas.
This assignment
requires the use of
Adobe Flash
for a free, interactive mapping application on one or more websites.
I suggest you open links and make sure you can use the maps on your computer before deciding whether to choose this assignment, as I cannot troubleshoot technical issues.
About partial/preliminary scores: The multiple choice questions will be automatically scored immediately upon submission. The initial score does not include points for the questions that require your typed responses, so your grade will change (presumably, for the better!) once those questions are graded manually. If you would like to know your score before the due date, please send me a request.
Recall that if you submit more than the required four assignments, only the four highest scores count toward your final course grade. I strongly recommend that you do as many assignments as you can. Later on, then, you will have less stress and, if you are not satisfied with a grade on an earlier assignment, you will have an opportunity to substitute a higher grade on a later one.
Step 1: Read through this entire document before beginning the activities. Then, work through the steps and record your answers to the questions on paper or somewhere online as you go.
Step 2: When you are ready to submit the answers you recorded, open the quiz.
Although it looks like a quiz, it will count as an assignment, not a quiz, for grading purposes.
It is not timed. Note that the questions’ point values vary.
Caution: You may start and stop the activity, but you should submit your answers to the questions together at one time. Otherwise, a later submission may overwrite an earlier one.
Tips for Success
Start your work early!
Read through the instructions and the entire document carefully before you begin.
Only submissions that adhere to the directions will be graded.Unfortunately, those that do not adhere to the directions will receive a grade of zero.
Short essay questions
You must always use your own words; do not cut and paste from other sources. Cite outside sources if you use them. Write in full sentences in standard English suitable for a college course.
To earn full credit, write thorough, complete and accurate answers that demonstrate understanding of the material and incorporate geographic terminology as appropriate. Provide supporting detail or examples.
Statement of Academic Integrity: By submitting this assignment, you attest that this represents your own work and that you agree to abide by the terms and conditions of the course policies and College’s codes of conduct.
Learning Outcomes
After completing this activity, you should be able to:
- Interpret basic information from maps
- Describe demographic trends from map data
- Employ basic functions in a GIS application
- Modify settings on map layers to display selected information
- Describe ways that geospatial technology can be used to study, display and interpret geographical information.
Background
In this assignment, you will use GIS data to read and interpret U.S. Census information.
Read:
What is GIS?
http://www.gis.com/whatisgis/index.html
Read:
What is the Census?
https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/2020-census/about/what-is.html
To work with the U.S. Census website, use
Firefox
(preferred) or Chrome,
not
Internet Explorer.
Open
U.S. Census Bureau's Data Mapper website https://datamapper.geo.census.gov/
You should see the map of the United States on the main part of the screen and a list of map layers on the left, under the "Census Data Mapper" heading. Each type of spatial data (information) is mapped on a separate map layer.
If you do not have
Adobe Flash Player
on your computer, follow the directions on the page to download it.
Familiarize yourself with the site by going through these steps:
Change the variables numbered 1 through 5 on the left
(“data themes” etc.) under the box labeled "Census Data Mapper".
Then select “Make Your Map” and observe how the map’s appearance changes each time.
Above the map, toggle “Turn cities on/off” to turn the display of city names on and off.
Use the +/- to the upper right of the map to change the scale of the map display as needed to analyze the data.
Now, choose
the
data theme
map "Age and Sex".
Choose the different data tables and answer the questions below.
After each change, click on the "Make Your Map"
to redraw the map.
Examine the
Legend
next to the map to interpret the display.
Interpreting census map information
If the “Percent Male” heading is not displayed above the map of the continental United States, refresh the page before answering the next questions.
Hover the mouse over the insets for Hawaii and Alaska.
Compare the percentages of males in the population.
Question 1 (Q1):
Which of these counties has the
highest
percentage of males?
Hawaii County, Hawaii
Honolulu County, Hawaii
Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska
North Slope Borough, Alaska
Q2: On average, which area has the highest percentage of males in the population? (You do not need to do calculations to determine this answer. If you hover over the area, the answer should be evident.)
Hawaii Alaska Puerto Rico
Choose
“Percent Female”
in the data table.
Then click
“Make Your Map”
to redraw the map.
Q3:
Female majority census areas are most prevalent in which of these regions of the United States? (This should be obvious upon visual inspection of the map.)
Northwest Southwest Midwest Southeast
Choose the data table “Percent 65 years and older” and “Make Your Map” again.
Q4: Zoom out using the “+” to expand the view of Pennsylvania and examine the census display for the state. Which of these most accurately describes the geographic distribution of residents 65 and older in Pennsylvania?
A) Clearly, there are more census areas with more residents 65 and older in the western half of Pennsylvania (closer to Pittsburgh).
B) Clearly, there are more census areas with more residents 65 and older in the eastern half of Pennsylvania (closer to Philadelphia).
C) There is no clear distinction between the eastern and western parts of the state with regard to census areas with residents 65 and older.
D) It is impossible to determine this from the census data displayed.
Refresh
the screen, and zoom back out to see the entire county map.
Stay on the “Age and Sex” data theme and continue to analyze the map data.
Consider:
What do you know about popular places for retirement in the United States?
What states are known for having many retirees?
Based on what you know, make some predictions. Which states or regions of the country do you expect to have higher percentages of people 65 years of age and older?
Keep the “Percent 65 years and over” data table displayed.
So far, the number of classes has been
3, and the classification type has been “Quantile”.
Before changing those selections, look carefully at the legend, and note the number of categories and the range of percentages displayed in each.
Then, change those selections:
Under “number of classes,” choose “5” from the drop down menu.
Under “classification type” choose “Equal interval”.
Q5: Describe how the legend changed.
Note the color changes.Observe:In general, which areas of the country have the youngest populations? Can you see any clear patterns?
Select different regions to investigate and compare, such as east versus west, north versus south, coastal areas versus the Midwestern states.
Q6: Of the states listed below, which has the fewest census areas with populations 65 years and older?
Alaska
New York
Florida
Continue without changing the other settings selected.
Above the map, select the “Display Data Table” tab. A data table will appear.
Q7: Which county listed in the table has the highest percentage of people aged 65 and older?
Sumter County, Florida
La Paz County, Arizona
Sumter County, Florida
Eagle County, Colorado
Q8: Which of these states has the most counties listed among the first ten with the
lowest
percentage of people aged 65 and older?
Idaho Georgia Florida Alaska
Read:
U.S. Census site
https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.2010.html
and explore the
New York Times
site,
Mapping the 2010 U.S. Census
http://www.nytimes.com/projects/census/2010/map.html.
The data for the following questions are readily available at other reliable sites, if you cannot find it at those two sites. (Your computer must run Adobe Flash to use the maps on the NYT site.)
Select “View More Maps” to see what other maps are available, and practice zooming to different states to explore data displayed.
Q9:Approximately what was the population of the United States as reported in the 2010 Census?
100 million
100 billion
308 billion
308 million
500 million
Select the NY Times map “Change in population” since 2010. Zoom to Pennsylvania, then Philadelphia.
Q10: Between 2000 and 2010, Philadelphia’s population ________________.
increased decreased remained the same
Q11: Between 2000 and 2010, the population of which racial group experienced the largest percentage increase in Philadelphia? (Note that the list reflects the categories used at the time of the census.)
Asians
Native Americans
Blacks
Hispanics
Whites
Q12: On the
New York Times
site,
Mapping the 2010 U.S. Census
, use the slider bar to zoom out and see the entire lower 48 states, and select one or more of the maps using the "View more maps" down arrow. Describe, in your own words, the geographic distribution of population in the United States from that site and any other information on the U.S. Census site. If you use any other sources, cite them properly.
a) What patterns do you see among states with higher and lower levels of population change?
b) Where are the states with the lowest population changes located?
c) Select at least one other map from "View more maps". Specify which one you selected. Describe the data presented and any geographic patterns that you see.
d) What geographic, historic, economic or other factors could explain what you observe?
Summary Section
Refer back to the readings:
What is GIS?
http://www.gis.com/whatisgis/index.html
Decennial Census https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/about/why.html (This site is under revision, so you may need to go to more than one section.)
Q13:
True or False
The U.S. Census is mandated by the Constitution.
Q14: The U.S. Census is conducted every ________ year(s).
Q15: What are two reasons that the Census information is important to local communities?
Q16
Imagine that a person unfamiliar with geospatial technology asks you what GIS is, and in what ways it is useful in presenting census data. Write a brief, clear paragraph explaining your response. Include
at least
two good examples.
Always
use your own words, and cite references if needed!
Q17. Please provide feedback on this activity. Were the instructions clear? Do you feel comfortable using the mapping application? Did you enjoy the activity? Why, or why not?
There are no correct or incorrect answers for this question.
You will earn a point simply for submitting thoughtful feedback that will help me design or modify assignments in the future. So, you are part of the instructional design team.
Thanks for participating!
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When you are ready, submit your answers for grading. Recall that the initial score displayed will not show points for the questions that require review by the professor.
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