Читать книгу GIS Research Methods - Steven J. Steinberg - Страница 32

When you use GIS to locate, analyze, and assess information and, ultimately, make better decisions, you gain a spatial advantage. Why would you want to incorporate GIS into your research methods? Because using GIS facilitates better, more comprehensive, and effective research. GIS integrates different types of data and presents a more realistic picture of the situation. It is perfect for multiple methods research. Locations can be explored at multiple scales ranging from the most micro level, such as the inner workings of a biologic cell, to the local-level relationships of artifacts within a homesite or at an archeological dig. Or they may be explored at larger, macro-level spatial scales, such as customer demographics for a business in a city or emergency responders at a regional level. The study area of natural scientists may scale from an individual habitat or ecosystem all the way to global effects of climate change, whereas social scientists may focus on communities or places defined by political boundaries, such as states, provinces, or sometimes even countries. Almost everything has a spatial component—it’s just a matter of identifying what that is and determining how it relates to your research question.

GIS is a powerful technology and has much to offer. Like any new tool you encounter, GIS must be handled with care so as not to misuse it. But with a little patience and practice, GIS can serve you well and provide a new set of capabilities that would otherwise be missing from your analytical repertoire.