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| GeoCommunity Mailing List |
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| Mailing List Archives |
| Subject: | GISList: GIS "test" for new job applicants |
| Date: |
05/27/2003 02:05:00 PM |
| From: |
Kris Kolodziej |
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Hi list,
Is anyone aware of a formal GIS test for new job applicants, one that would
assess GIS application, analytical skills, map projection, etc. I am trying to
come up with such a test that will have a one open-ended question with some
sort of application scenario (to test problem solving skills) and about 5
short answer questions.
I have come up with one possible short answer question that I think has good
analytical measures for testing the 'spatial thinking' of the job applicant:
Cancer registries are required to assign census tract level geocodes. The
specification of this level of geographic detail reflects what is needed
for the purposes of reporting at a national level while still protecting
confidentiality.
QUESTION: However, what may be the advantages of mapping cancer cases to a
point location (latitude, longitude) rather than to a polygon (ZIP Code,
census tract, etc.)?
The potential answers would be:
a) ...using the smallest possible spatial unit of analysis (i.e., street
address) would allow GIS analyses within a state for cluster identification
and analysis. Aggregation can then be done as needed to protect
confidentiality before reporting to external organizations.
b) Software can induce errors if there are defaults for county and or ZIP
Code, city and/or state. Analysts often wish to perform time trend
analyses, but census tracts and ZIP Code boundaries do change over time.
c) To complete longitudinal studies, a point location needs to be correctly
assigned to the correct polygon in any desired time period.
d) Point locations allow a more disaggregate level of analysis, i.e.,
proximity to a point source of pollution
e) There are many spatial analysis tools that help analysts to examine the
spatial pattern and concentrations of points (“hot spots”).
I would appreciate any questions/topics that you feel would be the most fair
to test the skills of an applicant applying for a GIS job position.
Thanks!
Kris
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