Analyzing Data with ArcGIS and Stata – Prof. Caitlin Myers

Technologies Used: ArcGIS; Stata (Statistical Analysis Software)
Course: Economics 1008 Deconstructing Discrimination (Winter Term 2009)
Number of Students: 20
Assistance: Jack Cuneo, a tutor in the media lab (ArcGIS help)
Anticipated Learning Outcomes: Experience with  collecting data and performing empirical analysis, familiarity with the  capabilities of ArcGIS software, ability to use  Stata software.

Summary: “My winter term class “Deconstructing Discrimination” carried out an empirical research project to examine whether retail gasoline prices are correlated with the racial and income characteristics of neighborhoods.  The project required obtaining, manipulating, and combining data from a variety of sources.  We purchased gasoline price data from Oil Price International (OPIS), used ArcGIS to identify the census tract for each station, and then obtained neighborhood characteristics from the 2000 Decennial Census using Geolytics software.  Continue reading “Analyzing Data with ArcGIS and Stata – Prof. Caitlin Myers”

Creating maps for a historical geography course

Anne Knowles’ poster session featured two atlases that had been created by students in her GEOG0219 course on the Historical Geography of North America.  The titles of the atlases are Historical Atlas of New England and Atlas of Industrial America and each student in her class was responsible for creating a map, essay and bibliography for the atlas on a theme approved by her.  Students found and used historical maps and created overlays that added new layers of information to the original maps.  Using technology was not the goal of the course, but it presented an opportunity for students to use GIS, create an original map and to develop skills in thinking geographically to show changes over time.  The feedback that Anne received from students was that their projects were the best and most satisfying assignment they ever had.

Copies of the atlases may be found in Special Collections, Armstrong Oversize and Stacks Oversize and may be loaned to other libraries through InterLibrary Loan.