GIS Data: Tools, Tutorials, and Reference

Add an existing shapefile, or other vector format, to a QGIS map document

There are 4 different ways to trim a dataset, or create a subset of data in QGIS, and here they are

You have a spreadsheet of data and a shapefile of the area you want to map. This tutorial will show you how to combine them into a new shapefile with your data.

How to create new fields in the attribute table by adding fields together, creating a ratio, or preforming other mathematical operations

Make a choropleth map from an existing shapefile (or other vector dataset).

Turn your spreadsheet with latitude/longitude points into a map.

Instructions on how to create either a graduated symbol map or proportion symbol map from a shapefile

How to get all of your data into the same projection and why that's important (and how to find what projection they are in in the first place)

How to choose a color scheme from QGIS's extensive color catalog, and how to add custom colors to your map (when the catalog doesn't have quite what you're looking for)

The basics of adding labels to your map documents/layouts, including styling and repositioning them.

Putting it all together in format you can print

Add grid lines (like latitude/longitude lines) to your map layouts

Change the display color of a singleband raster dataset to make viewing easier

Need to calculate the average value of a raster for a smaller region than the whole raster? Max-min, sum, standard deviation, etc. also. Also known as Zonal statistics

Adds the value of a raster cell at a designated point to the point's attribute table. Also covers random sampling of a raster

You Tube features many GIS tutorials on topics from basic operations to things more complex.

Open source, free geographic information system. Large, user-support system

Tutorials for QGIS and an explanation of a CRS (coordinate reference system)

There are many helpful tutorials available, no matter what you are georeferencing or what software you are using

Need latitude/longitude for your list of addresses? The TAMU Geocoder will process them for you. 2500 for free, then 5 for $.01 there after.

A fairly comprehensive site for GIS, cartography and remote sensing terminology and abbreviations.

GIS Bibliography contains references to journals, books, conference proceedings, and reports. You can also find supporting materials such as magazine and newspaper articles, audiovisual items, technical documentation, and white papers

Find the three-number county FIPS codes for U.S. states and possessions on this website. These codes are used in many federal datasets to indicate the geographical extent of files.

This site contains a list of GIS-related terms with an emphasis on ESRI software-specific ones. Items include a brief, one-paragraph definition, and are lightly cross-referenced.

An alphabetical list of filename extensions.

This site presents a discussion of the major types of map projections and their uses.