Which of the following best describes the process of georeferencing?

Georeferencing is fundamentally the process of aligning spatial data so that it corresponds to a specific geographic coordinate system. This involves converting the spatial information from a dataset, which may not have been created in a standard geographic framework, into a format where it can be accurately placed on the Earth's surface. When data is georeferenced, it allows for the integration of disparate datasets, ensuring that they can be analyzed together in a meaningful way.

While other options involve aspects of working with geographic information systems, they do not accurately capture the essence of georeferencing. Matching physical maps to digital datasets is more about the transition from one format to another rather than aligning spatial data to coordinate systems. Creating new geographic data refers to the generation of original data sets, which is unrelated to the alignment process. Digitizing printed maps involves converting paper maps into a digital format, but it does not inherently include the georeferencing aspect, unless the digital maps are subsequently aligned to spatial coordinates. Thus, aligning spatial data to geographic coordinates is the most precise and relevant description of the georeferencing process.