GE30LEC6

• Elements of Map Composition


  • Title
  • Orientation/Direction/North Arrow
  • Date
  • Author
  • Legend
  • Scale
  • Index
  • Graticules and Grids
  • Neat Lines
  • Border
  • Insets
  • Projection
  • Graphs
  • Explanatory Text
  • Credits

  
• Title


  Text explaining what the map is supposed to portray: what is happening, where, and when

  
• Title


  • Avoid using excessive amount of map space
  • Must not include superfluous words (i.e., "Map of...")
  • Dominant in size and is typically placed at the top of the map and centered to focus attention on the purpose of the map
• Orientation/Direction/North Arrow


  A symbol indicating the direction in which north lies
• Date


  Text identifying when the map was made and/or updated
• Author


  Text identifying the cartographer or organization responsible for making the map
• Legend


  Lists the symbols used on a map and what they depict

  
• Successful Arrangement of Legends

  • Grouping: Locating together all the legend items that describe a particular category
  • Hierarchy: Individual items are arranged in logical order (i.e., size)
  • Symmetry: To improve appearance and visibility
• Scale


  Explains the relationship of the data frame extent to the real world, described as a ratio
• Scale


  • Common locations: centered below map title, within the legend box, in blank area of map
• Index


  A listing of the places on the map and where to find them using grid coordinates—either latitude-longitude or letter-number
• Graticules and Grids


  Types: Full Grid or Graticule (used in reference maps to locate features by coordinates or determine coordinate location of selected feature), Ticks (to delineate major and minor divisions on the graticule to reduce clutter on land area)
• Neat Lines


  A box drawn around the map to give a "neat," or tidy, appearance to the product, indicating exactly where the area of the map begins and ends
• Border


  An additional line, or set of lines, drawn outside the neatline and parallel to it
• Insets


  Smaller secondary maps shown with the primary map, treated as independent maps with their own projection and scale, used to provide either an overview of the area or a close up of a section or sections of a map
• Insets


  • Location Map (to assist the map user in visualizing the location of the mapped area in relation to a larger, more recognized region)
  • Enlargement (to show a more detailed view of a section of the main map)
  • Related Area
  • Special Subject

  
• Projection


  The projection used to create a map influences the representation of area, distance, direction, and shape
• Graphs


  Pictorial representations of numeric data, often used as an additional method of displaying the data represented on the map, such as line graphs, bar graphs, and pie charts
• Explanatory Text


  Text that is not part of the map's title, legend, or credits, used to give the map reader a deeper understanding of the map, its data, and/or its theme

  
• Credits


  Text that may include sources, author, photographers, individuals, or organizations involved in creating the map or its contents
• Title


  map element that focuses attention on the purpose of the map
• Thematic maps 


  depict information on a particular topic or theme
• Thematic maps


  designed to illustrate a particular dataset or attribute
• Thematic maps


  designed by matching nature of the data to map symbols
• North arrows are usually drawn on bottom or top of sheet
• 3 Keys to Successful Arrangement of Legends:

  • grouping
  • hierarchy
  • symmetry
• Grouping 


  legend arrangement where you locate together all the legend items that describe a particular category
• Hierarchy


  Legend arrangement where items are arranged in logical order
• symmetry


  legend arrangement that improves appearance and visibility
• neat lines


  lines used to frame a map and to indicate exactly where the area of the map begins and ends
• types of insets

  • location map
  • enlargement
  • related area
  • special subject
• Location Map


  inset that assists the map user in visualizing the location of the mapped area in relation to a larger, more recognized region.
• Enlargement


  inset that show a more detailed view of a section of the main map
• Choropleth map


  A method of cartographic representation which employs distinctive color or shading applied to areas other than those bounded by isolines.
• The choropleth technique is appropriate whenever the cartographer wishes to portray a geographical theme whose data occur within well-defined enumeration units
• If the data cannot be dealt with as ratios or proportions, they should not be portrayed by the choropleth technique
• enumeration unit


  An areal unit by which enumerated data is aggregated and quantified (spatial mapping unit)
• Modifiable areal unit problem


  Differences between various types of enumeration units change how data is aggregated and can result in dramatic differences in display
• Examples of typical enumeration units used in choropleth maps include countries, states, provinces, counties, census tracts
• Considerations in Choropleth Mapping

  • Geographic Phenomena
  • Number and Kinds of Enumeration Units
  • Data Classification
  • Color Map Symbolization