A to Z GIS: An Illustrated Dictionary of Geographic Information Systems

Geographic information systems (GIS) are now everywhere; the technology has become embedded in our society. GIS is a tool for everything from saving endangered wildlife to exploring distant planets. As GIS has evolved and grown, so has the language of this powerful technology. A to Z GIS presents the most comprehensive collection of GIS terms and illustrations to help students, educators, and professionals understand and use the special language of GIS in research, field studies, and real-world applications.

With definitions written, developed, and contributed by more than 150 subject-matter experts, A to Z GIS: An Illustrated Dictionary of Geographic Information Systems is packed with the following features:

A to Z GIS is an indispensable guide and companion for anyone involved in the expanding field of geographic information systems technology.

Terms for the dictionary have been selected from GIS operations such as analysis, data management, and geocomputation; from rapidly evolving uses of GIS for modeling, GIScience, and Web-based GIS; and from the GIS foundation fields of cartography, spatial statistics, computer science, surveying, geodesy, and remote sensing. The dictionary’s colorful design and handy 5 ¼- by 8-inch size makes it an especially accessible reference for GIS educators and students. The definitions have been written and reviewed by hundreds of subject-matter experts at ESRI, ensuring authoritative coverage.

A to Z GIS was created from a database of terms and definitions that is also the source for the GIS Dictionary on the ESRI Support Center. In addition to GIS terminology, the GIS Dictionary on the Support Center contains ESRI software-specific terminology and will continue to be updated and improved for those who wish to keep tabs on the latest changes to the definitions.

A to Z GIS is a must-have resource for managers, programmers, users, writers, editors, and students discovering the interdisciplinary nature of GIS.

About the editors:

Tasha Wade is a project manager at ESRI. For the past four years, she has coordinated the ESRI GIS Term Library, a database of 3,000 terms and definitions that is the single source for all ESRI glossaries and dictionaries.

Shelly Sommer served as the corporate librarian at ESRI for twelve years before becoming a research specialist. She led the design team for the original version of the GIS Term Library as well as the GIS bibliography on the ESRI Virtual Campus Library.