Lab 4

 

In these two weeks, we learned the basic usage of the ArcGIS software. In order to practice, we did a series of exercises and finally created a group of maps on the topic of the expansion of airport and the effect of its noise. During this process, I learned a lot and had a fun experience.

 

The ArcGIS software has many advantages. It simplifies the process of making a map and increases the accuracy of map. At the same time, the software makes map making, which can only did by professionals in the past time, nowadays, become handleable for non-professionals, such as students. Moreover, the ArcGIS trained our logical thinking ability, since you have to make map steps by steps. It also trained our sense of spatial, so that we can have a better idea of how our word looks like after finish those maps.

 

However, the ArcGIS also has some disadvantages which need to be improved. First of all is the automatic saving function. The ArcGIS has to have the function of automatic saving so that people will not lost their valuable work by accident, since it really takes a long time to finish a good map. The second point is timing. Although it is handleable for normal people, the steps are still so complicated that people can hardly finish the work individually at the first several times.  Moreover, there are so many steps we need to keep repeating, such as adding north arrow, legend and scale bar. I believe the program can be more simplified so that we only need to add those tuffs once for all the maps in the same group.

 

In conclusion, ArcGIS is a great software which helps people to have a better idea about how to create maps, and, at the same time, trained people’s mind. Of course, it also has some disadvantages, but I believe that it can become more powerful after those improvements.