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The increasing use of geographic information system (GIS) technology in various fields suggests the need for professionals, including those in Extension, to be mindful of communicating data accurately and effectively. This article examines approaches to creating classes or groupings within data as well as the weaknesses of each approach. Data break units discussed in the article include equal intervals, quantiles, and units resulting from natural breaks. Ideal situations for each type of data break are presented. The article emphasizes the need for Extension professionals to consider the effects of data grouping to avoid miscommunication when using GIS mapping. [To view "Part 1--Choosing Unit of Representation," see EJ1215045.]

Extension professionals are increasingly using geographic information system (GIS) technology to develop and inform programs and services. In this article, we use a mapping exercise to demonstrate how the unit of data can be applied and inadvertently misrepresented in GIS mapping. We contrast the use of counts, percentages, and location quotients with the same data and the resulting divergence in maps. The discussion addresses ideal circumstances for using each unit of data. Overall, the article illustrates the need for Extension professionals to be cognizant of the benefits and limitations of various units of data to avoid miscommunication when using GIS mapping. [For "Part 2--Determining Data Cutoffs," see EJ1215050.]

This study examines the quality of life in Crete, Nebraska, with the specific purpose of identifying the factors that play the largest role in determining residential satisfaction. The survey asks a number of questions pertaining to different aspects of living in Crete. The survey is adapted from a survey previously used for a similar study in Schuyler, Nebraska. Focus groups are used to identify key issues in Crete and make adjustments to the questionnaire. Cronbach's alpha is used to test the reliability of the topical variables, and index variables are created, which are used in the subsequent analysis. Using residential satisfaction as the dependent variable, stepwise multiple linear regressions are performed independently for the total population, the new arrivals, and the long-time resident groups. The findings of this study indicate that stressors and sociocultural issues are the significant contributors to the overall community's residential satisfaction. Keywords: quantitative study; residential satisfaction; comparison of immigrants

Planners and politicians do not always agree on the best way of distributing resources. Usually, planners take to a technical strategy while politicians take to a constituent building strategy. The differences in opinion between planners and politicians is most acute in Nicaragua's post Sandinista Administration. Nicaraguan planners are addressing enormous economic problems while simultaneously trying to obtain outside assistance form the Multinational Financial Institutions (World Bank, IMF, Inter-American Development Bank). Politicians, on the other hand, are trying to stabilize the country's political system after a decade of the marxist Sandinista's control. The desperate political and economic situation in Nicaragua has made the already troubled marriage between planners and politicians more tenuous.