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References

These materials are the primary and secondary references in our graduate-level introductory GIS course.  Each is either the best in its class or, despite imperfections, offers something unique for the reader.  Wherever possible, we cite the least expensive version of each book (paperback).

Books are organized into categories, arranged alphabetically (except "miscellaneous" appears at the end).  Within categories they appear alphabetically by author.

We are always looking to improve these resources and welcome your recommendation or comments.  Send e-mail to our reference department.

Computer programming

  Programming Pearls, Second Edition

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by Jon Bentley
A collection of articles originally published in the Communications of the ACM.  Easy to read, easy to understand, insightful, and very practical for anybody who programs in any language.

Bentley, Jon.   Programming Pearls, Second Edition.   1999, Addison-Wesley, MA.  ISBN 0-201-65788-0 (paper).     

  GSLib: Geostatistical Software Libarary and User's Guide

Cover unavailable

by C.V. Deutsch and A. G. Journel
A set of very clean, efficient Fortran source code for performing geostatistical analysis (the book includes a diskette).  The book is a well-written user's manual.  You need to know something about the practice of Kriging in order to use this, but if you want to do Kriging at all, the material is invaluable.  Compiling and running these programs isn't really any harder or more time-consuming than using executable programs, because all the work of kriging lies in preparing the datasets and the control parameters.

Deutsch, C. V., and A. G. Journel,  GSLib: Geostatistical Software Library and User's Guide.  1992, Oxford University Press, Oxford.  ISBN 0-19-507392-4.  (Includes software source code on diskette.)

  The Art of Computer Programming, Volume 3

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by Donald Knuth
Authoritative and rigorous.

Knuth, Donald.   The Art of Computer Programming, Volume 3: Sorting and Searching.  Second Edition, 1998, Addison-Wesley, MA.  ISBN 0-201-89685-0.

  Writing Solid Code

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by Steve Maguire
Simple techniques developed at Microsoft to write reliable, bug-free code can be used by anyone.

Maguire, Steve.   Writing Solid Code.   1993, Microsoft Press, Seattle, WA.  ISBN 1-55615-551-4 (paper).

  Computational Geometry: An Introduction

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by Franco Preparata and Michael Shamos
This book shows, through discussion of many examples, how to design, understand, and analyze the algorithms used in graphics and GIS.

Preparata, Franco. P. and Michael. I. Shamos.   Computational Geometry : An Introduction.   1985, Springer-Verlag, NY.  ISBN 0-387-96131-3.

  The Design and Analysis of Spatial Data Structures. 

Out of print

by Hanan Samet
Detailed descriptions and illustrations of the techniques used by GISes to store, manage, and analyze data.

Samet, Hanan.   The Design and Analysis of Spatial Data Structures.   1990, Addison-Wesley, MA.  ISBN 0-201-50255-0.

Data analysis and statistics

  Spatial Statistics

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by Brian D. Ripley
Clear and understandable.

Ripley, Brian D.   Spatial Statistics.   1981, John Wiley & Sons, NY.  ISBN 0-471-08367-4. 

  Exploratory Data Analysis

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by John W. Tukey
Everyone who uses, presents, or attempts to understand quantitative data needs to know these pencil-and-paper techniques.  Copious worked examples, brilliant ideas, yet with as non-mathematical an approach as one could ever hope for such a subject.

Tukey, John. W.   Exploratory Data Analysis.   1977, Addison-Wesley.  ISBN 0-201-07616-0.  (Techniques for pencil-and-paper analysis of data.)

Map symbolization

  Cartography: Thematic Map Design

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by Borden Dent
Principles of map design.  Elementary but extremely broad coverage.  Poorly edited, though, with many typographic errors that keep the reader thinking.

Dent, Borden.  Cartography: Thematic Map Design.  Fifth Edition, 1998, WCB/McGraw-Hill.  ISBN 0-072-31932-1.

  How to Lie With Maps

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by Mark Monmonier
Carries on with the idea of Darryl Huff's immortal "How to Lie With Statistics": knowing how to distort information with maps is the basis of critically evaluating them.  Although it does not quite achieve the same lighthearted spirit, it is still worth reading.

Monmonier, Mark.  How to Lie With Maps.   Second Edition, 1996, University of Chicago Press, IL.  ISBN 0-226-53421-9 (paper).

  The Visual Display of Quantitative Information

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by Edward Tufte
A classic, beautifully illustrated, frequently misunderstood: so you have to read it for yourself.  If you make charts, graphics, or maps, rereading it every couple of years will reap continued rewards.

Tufte, Edward R.  The Visual Display of Quantitative Information.   1983, Graphics Press, CT.  ISBN 0-961-39210-X.

  Envisioning Information

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by Edward Tufte
A follow up to "The Visual Display..."  More illustrations, some more ideas.

Tufte, Edward R.  Envisioning Information.   1990, Graphics Press, CT.  ISBN 0-961-39211-8.

Projections and datums

  Introduction to Geodesy

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by James R. Smith
If you really want to know what datums are all about, this is one of the less painful ways to learn.

Smith, James R.  Introduction to Geodesy : The History and Concepts of Modern Geodesy   Second Edition, 1997, John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY.  ISBN 0-471-16660-X (paper).

  Map Projections--A Working Manual

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by John P. Snyder
This book is essential for anyone choosing map projections in the U.S.  It contains enough detail to code your own projection-unprojection-reprojection software, if you really want to, but it also provides relatively non-mathematical descriptions and illustrations of a large variety of projections used in the U.S. and the world

 Snyder, John P.  Map Projections--A Working Manual.   (U. S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1395.)  1987, U. S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC.  ISBN 0-16-003360-8 (paper).

Relational databases

 
  An Introduction to Database Systems

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by C. J. Date
Everybody thinks they understand relational databases.  Few actually do.  This is the book that makes a difference.

Date, C. J.   An Introduction to Database Systems.   Seventh Edition, 1999, Addison-Wesley, MA.  ISBN 0-201-38590-2.

Spatial analysis (raster model)

 
  Exploring Spatial Analysis in GIS

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by Yue-Hong Chou
The idea behind this book is good: explain and illustrate a wide variety of analytical techniques (both vector and raster).  It's still unique in what it covers (a lot) and the level at which it is covered (elementary, usually), so it's a pity that the writing is mediocre and the formatting, horrible.

Chou, Yue-Hong.   Exploring Spatial Analysis in Geographic Information Systems.   1997, OnWord Press, Santa Fe, NM.  ISBN 1-56690-119-7 (paper).

 
  Environmental Modeling With GIS

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by M. Goodchild et al, eds.
A collection of articles from the first environmental modeling GIS conference, Boulder, CO, 1991.  Some are classics, others are now outdated.  Worth a look, but the price is high.

Goodchild et al., eds.  Environmental Modeling With GIS.  1993, Oxford University Press, New York.  ISBN 0-19-508007-6.

Spatial analysis (vector model)

 
  Geographic Information Systems: A Management Perspective

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by Stan Aronoff
This is still one of the best introductory GIS books, despite its age (early '90s).  The software discussions may be outdated and the hardware illustrations amusing, but the balance of the text is just right: enough detail and depth to convey a decent understanding of the technology and its uses is coupled with straightforward advice about GIS design and management.

Aronoff, Stan.   Geographic Information Systems : A Management Perspective.  1993, WDL Publications, Ottawa, Canada.  ISBN 0-921804-91-1.

 
  Getting to Know ArcView GIS

cover

by ESRI Press
An illustrated, step-by-step account of using most of the vector analysis features of ArcView 3.x.  It illustrates many kinds of GIS analysis, which in most cases are well and correctly done.

Editors of ESRI Press.  Getting to Know ArcView GIS.   Third Edition, 1999, ESRI, Redlands, CA.  ISBN 1-879102-46-3 (paper with CD).

Miscellaneous

 
  The Professor and the Madman

cover

by Simon Winchester
Why is this book about the construction of the Oxford English Dictionary relevant to GIS?  Because it beautifully illustrates the power of data indexing (in a nineteenth century application!).

Winchester, Simon.   The Professor and the Madman.   1999, Harper Perennial.  ISBN 0-060-99486-X.

 

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