Chapter 21

Research in GIS

From knowledge consumer to creator. Discover how to use your GIS skills to solve novel problems and contribute to the global community of Geographic Science.

At a Glance

Prereqs: Chapter 20 Time: 30 min read + 45 min draft Deliverable: Mini research proposal

Learning outcomes

  • Formulate a research question suitable for GIS/remote sensing.
  • Choose data and methods that answer the question.
  • Describe how you will validate results and report limitations.

Key terms

research question, hypothesis, operationalization, validation, uncertainty, ethics

Stop & check

  1. What makes a GIS question researchable (not just a map request)?

    Answer: It requires a method, evidence, and evaluation of uncertainty.

    Why: Research creates new knowledge or tests a claim.

    Common misconception: Any map equals research; research must be defendable and reproducible.

  2. Why must methods include validation?

    Answer: To quantify error and prevent over-claiming.

    Why: Spatial results can be wrong for systematic reasons.

    Common misconception: A model output is correct if it runs without errors.

Try it (5 minutes)

  1. Write one research question and one measurable outcome variable.
  2. List 2 datasets and one validation source.

Lab (Two Tracks)

Both tracks produce the same deliverable: a 1-2 page proposal (question, data, method, validation, ethics, timeline).

Desktop GIS Track (ArcGIS Pro / QGIS)

Draft your proposal and include one figure showing your AOI and planned layers.

Remote Sensing Track (Google Earth Engine)

Draft your proposal and include one figure from a quick exploratory script (composite/index).

Common mistakes

  • Questions that are too broad to answer with available data.
  • Methods that do not match the question.
  • No validation plan.

Further reading: https://gistbok-ltb.ucgis.org/

Geographic Inquiry: Asking Questions of Where

Before ever opening software, a GIS analyst starts with a question. "Where" is not just a coordinate; it is a relationship.

  • Concentration: Where is the phenomenon clustered?
  • Boundary: Where does it change sharply vs. gradually?
  • Uncertainty: Where is the data missing or biased?
  • Verification: Where would you stand on the ground to prove it?

🚀 The Scientific Method in GIS

GIS is more than just a tool for making maps; it is a methodology for discovery. When you move from "how to" to "why," you become a researcher. Geographic research follows a rigorous cycle of inquiry.

1. Ask

Define the spatial question.

2. Review

Read the existing literature.

3. Analyze

Test your hypothesis.

4. Report

Publish your results.

Critical GIS: Parachute Science

Historically, researchers from wealthy nations have flown into developing regions, collected data (mined the field), and flown back to publish their results. This "parachute science" gives back nothing to the local community. True geographic research builds local capacity and partnerships. Don't just extract data; share the knowledge.

🎨 GIS as an Art: The Scientific Visualization

Presenting research results is an art. You must distill complex statistical relationships into a single, intuitive graphic. A good research map balances info-density with legibility, using "Graphic Design" principles to highlight the signal and hide the noise. It is where data meets design.

🤝 Interdisciplinary GIS: Sociology

Qualitative research methods (interviews, ethnographies) are merging with quantitative GIS in a field called "Geo-Humanities." Researchers now map "feelings" (fear, safety, happiness) alongside hard infrastructure, proving that the human experience of space is just as mappable as the physical road network.

🦠 Interdisciplinary GIS: Microbiology (Biofilms)

Can you map a single centimeter? Yes.

A student research group applied GIS principles to Biofilms (slime layers of bacteria). Instead of mapping cities, they treated microscopic clusters of bacteria as "Islands" and the empty space as "Oceans."

The Discovery: By running standard landscape metrics (like "Patch Density" and "Connectivity"), they proved that bacteria behave exactly like animals in a forest. When the "habitat" (slime) is fragmented, the bacteria struggle to communicate. The laws of geography apply at every scale.

Summary of Big Ideas

  • Literature Review: Never start a project without knowing what has already been done.
  • Reproducibility: A good researcher provides their data and models so others can verify the results.
  • Geographic Inquiry: The process of asking "why" rather than just "where."
  • OER Commitment: This textbook is a part of the "Open Educational Resources" movement—sharing knowledge freely with the world.

Chapter 20 Checkpoint

1. What is the first step in a geographic research project?

Asking a spatial question or defining a problem.
Digitizing the first polygon.

📚 Chapter Glossary

Literature Review A comprehensive survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge and identifies gaps for new research.
← Chapter 20: Research Data Mgmt Next: Chapter 22: AI →

BoK Alignment

Topics in the UCGIS GIS&T Body of Knowledge that support this chapter.