Overview - This two-day course covers fundamental GIS concepts as well as how to query a GIS database, manipulate tabular data, edit spatial and attribute data, and present data clearly and efficiently using maps and charts. Participants learn how to use ArcMap™, ArcCatalog™, and ArcToolbox™ and explore how these applications work together to provide a complete GIS software solution.

Audience - Introduction to ArcGIS I (for ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo) is for those who are new to ArcGIS or to geographic information systems in general.

Topics Covered -
• ArcGIS overview: Capabilities and applications; Interacting with the interface; Basic display
• Spatial data concepts: Representing spatial data and descriptive information
• ArcGIS data model: Geodatabases; Shapefiles; Coverages; Feature types; Attributes
• GIS software: Components; Functions; Applications
• Spatial coordinate systems and map projections: Georeferencing data; What map projections are; How ArcMap works with map projections
• Querying data: Selecting and identifying features; Creating reports and graphs
• Map displays: Creating; Symbolizing; Scaling; Adding map elements

Prerequisites and Recommendations - Registrants should know how to use windowing software. Introduction to ArcGIS I (for ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo) provides the fundamental ArcGIS knowledge and experience needed to enroll in Introduction to ArcGIS II (for ArcView, ArcEditor, and ArcInfo) as well as several other ESRI courses. Attendees who complete this course should not enroll in Migrating from ArcView GIS 3.x to ArcView.

Students who have worked with ArcInfo prior to the current version and want to learn about the new applications in ArcInfo should take What’s New in ArcInfo. Students who have worked with prior versions of ArcView GIS and want to learn about ArcView applications should take Migrating from ArcView GIS 3.x to ArcView.