Spatial analysis in GIS

Module code  ARC00083M

Module leader: Helen Goodchild

This module follows on from ARC00049M Geographic Information Systems. If you have not completed this course, you may be allowed to attend if you can demonstrate competence in ArcGIS. Contact Helen Goodchild (helen.goodchild@york.ac.uk) well in advance to establish whether you have the requisite skills.

Aims

This module is aimed at deepening students’ basic GIS skills by developing their understandings of analysis and model building in archaeology. This module will introduce methods beyond standard curatorial GIS practice in archaeology, and introduce skills that will allow innovative archaeological research, as well as enable wider application in cognate disciplines.

By engaging with spatial analytical methods in GIS, students will:

  • demonstrate understanding of the different analysis techniques that can be used with archaeological data, and the inherent problems in these datasets
  • carry out problem-solving activities with spatial data
  • have experience of advanced methods such as predictive modelling, geomorphometry and spatial statistics, and be aware of their potential within archaeology

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of this module students should:

  • gain an understanding of the use of GIS in complex, spatially-based archaeological investigation and analysis
  • demonstrate expertise in navigation and analysis in the ArcGIS software
  • create layouts at publication standard
  • be able to apply appropriate spatial analytical techniques to data in order to solve archaeological problems