Research Guides: NRE/LA 355: Finding Data

Working with Data

Below is an overview of common GIS file formats:

Wikipedia: GIS File Formats

Common types of data creation include:

Collecting Field Data: The process of gathering information by examining phenomena found in the world. Can involve taking measurements, observations, and/or recordings.
- Tools like GPS units or ArcGIS Survey123 can assist with gathering data.
Georeferencing: The process of transforming a scanned map or image by using GIS software to apply geographic coordinates.
- Georeferencing tools in ArcGIS Pro
Geocoding: The process of taking an address and aligning it with geographic coordinates
- Geocoding tools in ArcGIS Pro

Oftentimes the data you want is already available, you just have to find it! Below are lists of popular data websites and search engine websites that can assist you in locating the data you need to create a successful spatial narrative. Many of these datasets emerge from the Open Data movement and the push to make data increasingly available and transparent. If you are curious, you can read about Open Data here.

General Data Websites

These websites can be good for general searches.

Google Dataset Search
A search engine for datasets.
Living Atlas
Includes maps, data layers, and apps. May need to log into ArcGIS account to access.
ArcGIS Hub
ArcGIS platform to find data and tools.
Kaggle
Online community for data scientists that includes 1000s of datasets.
Data.gov
Open data repository for US Government.

Imagery

KY From Above
Features statewide imagery and elevation data.
Wayback Imagery ArcGIS
A archive of World Imagery dating back to 2014.
Open Topography
Provides access to high resolution topographic data.
NASA: Landsat Science
Provides details about finding and using Landsat data.

Historical Documents & Photos

Below is a list of websites where you can find historical maps, images, and documents that you can incorporate into your spatial narratives.

ExploreUK
UK Special Collections Research Center's Digital Archive
Digital Public Library of America
Library of Congress
David Rumsey Map Collection

Additional Data Websites

UK Campus Data
Access campus features, such as buildings, boundaries, and walkways.
Kentucky State Government Content
Landing page for Kentucky's open data portal.
Lexington Data Hub
City website that provides access to open data.
Kentucky Geological Survey
Data provided by Kentucky Geological Survey.
National Hydrography Dataset
USGS Highlights the water drainage network of the United States.
Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center (SEDAC)
Highlights human interactions in the environment, includes data about conversation, agriculture, sustainability, and health.
National Snow & Ice Data
Data about snow, ice, glaciers, and other facets of the Earth's cryosphere.
USGS Soil Survey Data
Provides data from USDA soil surveys.
EPA - Geospatial Data
Geospatial resources provided by the EPA.
National Park Service - Data
Assorted links to geospatial resources provided by NPS.
Natural Earth Data
Natural Earth is a public domain map dataset available at 1:10m, 1:50m, and 1:110 million scales. Great for basic geographical information, such as boundaries.
USGS: TopoView
Provides access to historical topographic maps in a variety of file formats.