The instructions for this chapter have 4 main parts. Click each Part name to see the steps in that part.

The instructions for this chapter and the accompanying screenshots were developed using a Macintosh computer. You will notice slight differences if you are working on a computer that uses a Windows operating system. Screen shots that show how to install and launch the GIS software are provided for both operating systems.

You may want to adjust the size of this window to make it tall and thin, then drag it to one side of your screen. This will allow you to keep the instructions visible on one side of your screen while you work with the data on the other side.

Part 1-Gather and Format Delimited Earthquake Data

Copy earthquake data directly from USGS html output and paste into a spreadsheet for editing. Save as a tab-delimited or comma-delimited text file.

Part 2-Load Data into a GIS

Download GIS software, create a base map, and add data.

Part 3-Analyze Data with a GIS

Layer and query the data to analyze geographic patterns.

Part 4-Report Results

Draw conclusions and describe findings. Make predicitions about where you think the next big earthquake will strike Earth. Write a report supported by your analyses.


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