harvard government 90dn lecture 2

8/14/2019 Harvard Government 90dn Lecture 2

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Government 90dnMapping the Census

Lecture 2: Data from the Census: Strategies to

understand and acquire it

Sumeeta [email protected]

Reference: Unlocking the Census, Ch 2; www.census.gov
mailto:[email protected]://www.census.gov/http://www.census.gov/mailto:[email protected]


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Standard Format for ClassesLecture (1 hour or less)

Followed by or interspersed with discussion

Discussion: based on article

Lab Exercises (1-2 hours) All due Nov 20th

2-? hours (may extend beyond class times) thatshould be ideally returned to the instructor before

the next lab


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EvaluationLab exercises (5): 25%

5 points each for Labs 1-5

Final project: 55%Proposal (5%), presentation (10%) and report (40%)

Participation: 20%


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Final ProjectProject proposal by November 1st

Should include spatial and non-spatial datadescription

Background research (context) and motivation

Research questions,

Proposed methodology

Project presentation on December 5th or 12th

Project summary report Jan 1st


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Course Topics1. Introduction to Census

2. Census Data Basics

Data Types

Databases3. Introducing Maps

GISCartography

Applications

DemographyEconomicsHousing and Transportation

Research MethodsWriting Proposals andPapers

Quantitative methods


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Geographic Information System

Container of mapsSpatial decision support system:

Method for revealing patterns and processes in

geographic information


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Example:The Hispanic Population: 1990-2000 Growth and Change

Source: www.sabresystems.com/whitepapers/hispanic_population.pdf


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Sources of DataUS Census

Local Agencies (Massgis in Massachusetts otherState agencies in other states)

Harvard Map Library


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Linking to Internet Sites

Geography Network Example


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US Censuswww.census.gov TIGER Maps

Summary File

(SF) Tables


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Census Tracts (TIGER)Small, relatively permanent statistical subdivisions

of countiesdelineated by local committees in accordance with CensusBureau guidelines

between 1,000 and 8,000 people (in general)

1,700 housing units or 4,000 people

homogeneous population characteristics (economic status andliving conditions)

normally follow visible features

may follow governmental unit boundaries and other non visiblefeatures

more than 60,000 census tracts in Census 2000


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State Census Tracts


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County Census Tracts


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City Census Tracts


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Census Blocks GroupsBlock groups (BGs) are the next level below

census tracts in the geo-graphic hierarchy

- a subdivision of a census tract

-400 housing units, with a minimum of 250, and amaximum of 550 housing units

-follow clearly visible features, such as roads, rivers,

and railroads


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Census Block Groups


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Census Blocks

Smallest geographic area for which the CensusBureau collects and tabulates decennial census

information.

Block boundaries are visible (street, road,

stream, shoreline, etc.) or nonvisible (countyline, city limit, property line, etc.) features.


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Census Blocks


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Other Census TIGER Layers


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SF1 Tables


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SF2 Tables


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SF3 Tables


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Download Census Data Table


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Download Census Data Table


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Data Types


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Data TypesDatabase Compatible


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Clean Data in Excel

Delete

unnecessaryrows


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Clear Formatting


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Highlight Cells


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Save DatabaseSaved as .CSV or .DBF


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Add in ArcMap (GIS)


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Add Data Table in ArcMap


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Download Shapefile


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Add Shapefile


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Select County Features and Export


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Check Fields to Join

Problem!

Fields are not the same


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Create New Fields


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Ready to Join


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Join Data


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Fields Added to Tracts Table


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Number FieldsQuantities will only appear with number fields


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Common DatasetsU.S. Census Maps and U.S. Census Tables


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Common DatasetsZip Codes

Use with U.S. Census data or Geocoding


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Place Geocodes: FIPS CodesFederal Information Processing Standards Codes

Developed by the National Institute of Standards andTechnology

Codes for Place Names Throughout the Worldcountries

states/provinces

counties

metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs)

cities

places - indian reservations, airports, and post offices in the US


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Place Geocodes: Hierarchy

Country: US

FIPS CODES

County: 003 (Allegheny)

State: 42 (Pennsylvania)

Tract: 0501

Block: 12 (US420030501312)Block Group: 3

CENSUS CODES

Minor Civil Division: 85188 (Wilkinsburg)

Parcel (Block & Lot#)


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Keys

All attributes or sets of attributes that have theproperty of row uniqueness are candidate keys


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Examples


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SQL QuerySELECT *

FROM Off199803

WHERE Context = BURGLARY

ORDER BY Crnumber;


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GIS RQBE


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Result

harvard government 90dn lecture 2

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