Invited review for the XIII Canary Islands Winter School on Astrophysics.
astro-ph/0211148.

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Abstract. In these lectures I present a highly opinionated review of the observed patterns of metallicity and element abundance ratios in nearby spiral, irregular, and dwarf elliptical galaxies, with connection to a number of astrophysical issues associated with chemical evolution. I also discuss some of the observational and theoretical issues associated with measuring abundances in H II regions and gas and stellar surface densities in disk galaxies. Finally, I will outline a few open questions that deserve attention in future investigations.

Table of Contents

• INTRODUCTION
• OBSERVATIONAL METHODS FOR MEASURING ABUNDANCES
• Spectroscopy of H II Regions and Planetary Nebulae
• Observational Considerations
• The Direct Method
• "Empirical" (Strong-Line) Calibrations
• Photoionization Models
• Spectroscopy of Individual Stars
• Stellar Photometry and Color-Magnitude Diagrams
• Spectrum Synthesis of Stellar Populations
• Surface Photometry and Galaxy Colors
• ABUNDANCES IN LOCAL GROUP DWARF ELLIPTICAL GALAXIES
• Metallicities
• Element Ratios
• ABUNDANCE PROFILES IN SPIRALS AND IRREGULARS
• Gas and Stellar Masses
• Neutral and Molecular Gas
• Stellar Mass Densities
• Spatial Abundance Profiles
• Metallicity versus Galaxy Luminosity/Mass
• Abundance Gradient Variations
• Metallicity vs. Surface Brightness
• Barred Spirals
• Spiral Bulges
• Cluster Spirals and Environment
• ELEMENT ABUNDANCE RATIOS IN SPIRAL AND IRREGULAR GALAXIES
• Helium
• Carbon
• Nitrogen
• Neon, Sulfur and Argon
• Other Elements
• OPEN QUESTIONS AND CONCLUDING REMARKS
• REFERENCES