本教材在内容体系上针对学生英语掌握程度而在课外教学材料方面还需要进一步充实和完善。由于教学改革和知识更新，教学内容需要调整，以适应当前教学需要。按照教学大纲要求，本教材以概述、原理、技术、分析和应用等5个环节为基本架构，对具体内容进行了修订，不仅在充实和完善地理信息系统原理的理论和学习材料等方面有提高英语教学的教学效果，提高学生和英语自学者的语言运用能力，而且通过增编习题，完善内容和教学体系，也可对学科建设和学生国际视野的培养具有明显的实际意义。
本教材主要适用于开设本课程英文教学的高等院校选用，也可为具有一定英语读写译能力的相关专业的大中专院校研究生、本科生和科研人员参考使用。

前言
Preface
Chapter 1 Introduction to GIS
1.1 Geography
1.2 Information System
1.3 Definitions of GIS
1.3.1 Basic Concept
1.3.2 Selected Definitions of GIS
1.3.3 Alternative Names of GIS
1.4 Contributing Disciplines and Technologies
1.5 Brief History of GIS
1.5.1 Era of Open Innovation
1.5.2 Era of Commercialization
1.5.3 Era of Exploitation
1.6 Component of a GIS
1.6.1 Hardware
1.6.2 Software
1.6.3 Data/Database
1.6.4 Network
1.6.5 Procedures
1.6.6 Personnel
1.7 GIS=GISystem, GIScience, GIService and GIStudies
1.8 Benefits of GIS
Vocabulary
Questions for Further Study
Chapter 2 GIS Software
2.1 Evolution of GIS Software
2.1.1 The 1st Generation of GIS
2.1.2 The 2nd Generation of GIS
2.1.3 The 3rd Generation of GIS
2.1.4 The 4th Generation of GIS
2.2 Architecture of GIS Software
2.2.1 Scope of GIS Projects
2.2.2 Three-tier Architecture
2.3 GIS Software Technology
2.3.1 Integrated GIS Development Tools
2.3.2 Modular GIS Development Tools
2.3.3 Component GIS Development Tools
2.3.4 WebGIS Development Tools
2.4 GIS Software Functions
2.5 Types of GIS Software
2.5.1 Desktop GIS
2.5.2 Server/Internet GIS
2.5.3 Mobile GIS
2.5.4 Developer/Component GIS
2.5.5 Open Source GIS
2.5.6 Others
2.6 Main Vendors of GIS Software
Vocabulary
Questions for Further Study
Chapter 3 Representing the Real World
3.1 Geographical Representation
3.1.1 Necessity of Representation
3.1.2 Geographical Representation
3.2 Perception of the Real World
3.2.1 Discrete Object
3.2.2 Continuous Field
3.3 Vector Representation
3.4 Raster Representation
3.5 Attribute Data
3.5.1 Concept
3.5.2 Attribute Data Classification
3.6 Data Output & Visualization
3.6.1 Data Output
3.6.2 Visualization
Vocabulary
Questions for Further Study
Chapter 4 Nature of Geographical Data
4.1 Geographical Phenomena
……
Chapter 5 GIS Data Modeling
Chapter 6 Creation and Maintenance of Geographic Databases
Chapter 7 Geographical Query and Measurements
Chapter 8 Spatial Analysis
Chapter 9 Digital Terrain Model and Digital Elevation Model
Chapter 10 Network Analysis
Chapter 11 GIS as A Decision Support Tool
Chapter 12 Main GIS Application Area
Bibliography