Task Details

The practical involves taking a data file and generating a set of markers from the data.You will apply the techniques that you have learnt in this unit, and should also include explanatory text in the web page describing the data set. The data are a list of the locations of Blue Plaques in and around Leeds.

Blue Plaques

Blue Plaques are signs erected in public places, that commemorate historic events associated with that location, and the lives of historic people who have had an association with the location &ndash typically they have lived in the building to which the plaque is attached. The earliest and most widely established scheme is run in London, and is now administered by English Heritage; separately administered schemes are run in many other parts of the country. Like many cities, Leeds has a Blue Plaque scheme, with over 100 plaques designated.

• English Heritage - London Blue Plaques
• Leeds Blue Plaques

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Roger Daltrey and Pete Townsend unveil a Blue Plaque commemorating the recording of 'The Who - Live At Leeds (video)' at Leeds University Refectory
[Source: The BBC]

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The data

A book by John Stillwell and Rachael Unsworth (Around Leeds, A Guide to the City Centre, Leeds University Press, Leeds, 2008) discusses the development of Leeds as a city, including rapid recent growth. As part of the preparatory work for the volume, data were collected on Blue Plaques in and around Leeds. This data file is available here:

• LeedsBluePlaques.xls

The data are contained within an Excel spreadsheet, and thus represents a typical situation that someone developing a bespoke application for an intranet or public-facing web site might face. The spreadsheet contains all the data that are required, but poses some problems: the format is nothing like the format you may wish to use, and the data are also incomplete (not all fields are completed for all records).

The data set contains the following fields:

• Title – the main title on the plaque.
• Location – street address.
• Unveiler – who unveiled the plaque.
• Date – the date of the unveiling.
• Sponsor – who sponsored the plaque.
• Easting – OS grid reference.
• Northing – OS grid reference.
• What it Says – inscription on the plaque.

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Task

The overall task for the practical is to create a Google Map that contains markers for the Blue Plaque locations. You should use the methods discussed in this unit, but can extend the exercise to include additional components if you wish.

The next few pages set out some (hopefully) useful guidelines for you.

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[Next: Processing the data ]
[Course Index]

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