Geographic Information Systems for the Social Sciences: Investigating Space and Place (Hardcover)

by Steven J. Steinberg (Author), Sheila L. Steinberg (Author) "In its simplest form, a geographic information system (GIS) is a system designed to store, manipulate, analyze, and output map-based, or spatial, information..." (more)
Key Phrases: modifiable area unit problem, least cost analysis, nonspatial data, United States, South Town, Census Bureau (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Geographic Information Systems for the Social Sciences: Investigating Space and Place is the first book to take a cutting-edge approach to integrating spatial concepts into the social sciences. In this text, authors Steven J. Steinberg and Sheila L. Steinberg simplify GIS (Geographic Information Systems) for practitioners and students in the social sciences through the use of examples and actual program exercises so that they can become comfortable incorporating this research tool into their repertoire and scope of interest. The authors provide learning objectives for each chapter, chapter summaries, links to relevant Web sites, as well as suggestions for student research projects. 

About the Author

Dr. Steven J. Steinberg is an Associate Professor of Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences at Humboldt State University, Arcata, California. He received his bachelor's degree from Kent State University, Ohio; his master's from The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; and his doctorate from The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. He has been involved extensively in the development and teaching of geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing courses in both the university and professional development arenas. Since coming to Humboldt State University, Dr. Steinberg has taught and developed a variety of courses in the area of GIS, remote sensing, and spatial data analysis, with an emphasis on human interactions with social and environmental surroundings. His recent research interests include the development of simple, Web-based spatial analysis tools. He also has interests in the interactions between people and their surroundings through the use of spatial analysis techniques. As cofounder and director of Humboldt State University's Advanced Spatial Analysis Facility, Dr. Steinberg has overseen a variety of GIS and spatial analysis projects and research with organizations and government agencies in northern California and elsewhere. He was selected as a Fulbright Scholar for 2004-2005, serving as distinguished chair in airborne remote sensing with the Centre for Scientific Computing at Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. During 2005-2007, he is participating as part of an interdisciplinary team of scientists at Humboldt State University on a National Science Foundation project extending research experience to undergraduate students in a cross-disciplinary computing modeling and applications environment.

 

Dr. Sheila L. Steinberg is Associate Director of the California Center for Rural Policy and is an Associate Professor of sociology at Humboldt State University, Arcata, California. She completed her bachelor’s at the University of California, Santa Barbara; her master’s at the University of California, Berkeley; and her doctorate at The Pennsylvania State University. Her research interests include sociospatial research, rural poverty, rural health, applied sociology, community development, and environmental sociology. She has conducted field research in Nepal, Guatemala, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and northern California. The theme throughout this research has been the examination of people and their relationship to space and place. Her current research examines how to integrate GIS into rural health research. In 2000, she joined Humboldt State University, where she now teaches courses on human interactions with the physical environment at the local, national, and global levels.

 

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Sage Publications, Inc (August 11, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761928723
• ISBN-13: 978-0761928720
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 6.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,389,307 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent guidebook for good research practices, April 23, 2008

By	W. Grannis "bookworm" (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Geographic Information Systems for the Social Sciences: Investigating Space and Place (Paperback)

I bought this book several months ago, but only just recently finished reading it. I got it on the recommendation of a colleague who recommended it, and I was not disappointed.
While the book is geared more towards social scientists and graduate students pursuing a career in social scientists, it does an excellent job of showing researchers common fallacies in using GIS for research. The book does not use many case studies, as other books do, which I think is more helpful because it allows the reader to think out how they would like to pursue their own direction in researching a topic, as opposed to a reader thinking, "well now, that doesn't really work for me," and tossing out the advice that comes from examples altogether.
The book is generic enough when talking about GIS systems that you don't get the feeling that you're reading a 200-page advertisement on the glories and wonders of ArcGIS. I also appreciate the layout of each chapter, opening with an outline of topics, an introduction, the main chapter, and then a summary. It gives you several opportunities to check to make sure you understand exactly what the authors are talking about.