Geography 59 Synthesizing ideas Guides available on class site Map Critique Exercise (in-class) Work on Lab 5 (if time remains) June 7, 2007

Types of maps covered ● Reference Maps – Scientific publications (regions) – Navigation – Roadmaps ● Thematic Maps – Choropleth Map – Dasymetric Map – Dot Map – Proportional Symbol Maps

Reference Maps ● Day-to-day usage ● Not data intensitive ● May be produced in drawing programs ● Best with reliable basemap (not a derived basemap) ● Sometimes it is hard to get a basemap ● Case-by-case exceptions are ok.

Thematic Maps: Choropleth

Thematic Maps: Dasymetric

Thematic Maps: Dot Map Dr. John Snow's Cholera Map (1854) Dot rep. disease occurrence X rep water pump Above: Cropland harvested (1949) Below: Cell phone tower placement

Thematic Maps: Proportional Symbol Maps

Thematic Maps: Flow Map Illustratrates movement, flow, load – this shows telecommunication patterns

Map Elements - Review ● Neatline/Frameline – same or separate? ● Title, Sub-title – Think about type placement. ● Legend/Key to symbols – when is it important? ● Scale – do you always need this? ● Orientation (North Arrow) ● Source of data (if needed) ● Accompanying text – do you need it? Time? ● Author, Date prepared

Map Element Hierarchy IVOther important map elements 5 IIIMap feature: water4 II-IIIExplanatory information 3-4 IIMain feature: land2 ITitle, legend, labels, symbols I IThematic SymbolsI Visual LevelObjectIntellectual Level

Map Symbols ● Pictographic (may be representative) – Medical Facilties – Restroom is shown by Man/Woman sign

Map Symbols ● Geometric Symbols – Circles, stars, other basic shapes – Not representational – May be varied in space (3D maps), location, size, spacing, shade, texture to express different ideas ● Symbols may be varied in size – City size/categories – Proportional symbol maps – built-in variation

Map Aesthetics

Maps should have “harmony” within themselves. An ugly map might be accurate, but is less likely to inspire confidence. -- John K. Wright, a noted map critic “Harmony” Composition Clarity

Visual Elements Balance among elements - where is the center of the page Contrast among elements –Lines –Textures –Value –Color –Details Reader’s Eye-Movement (that’s not their eye! Right-to-left languages are NOT included) focus field fringe Arrange elements accordingly

See course web site ● Tips on type placement (as per last week) ● Tips on acheiving ● Tips on constrast (Illustrator how-to) ● Figure-ground relationship - huh?

Figure-Ground relationship ● FIGURE: The part of the map to which we pay attention. The subject matter, the features to which viewers must notice ● GROUND: What is not figure is ground.

Example: City blocks are the figure See examples provided earlier in the quarter (also available on the class site)

Colors Basic ideas: ● Representative colors ● Data type (e.g. binary) ● Sequential data (gradients) ● Relate trend to color if possible (numbers)

Other thoughts on color ● Colorblind users – Use tools (ColorBrewer, on class site) to help determine what colors are ok for colorblink users ● Elderly users ● Culturally sensitive colors (offensive, biased?)

Typefaces – Placement of lettering Try to achieve “harmony”: use minimal variation in type, clean appearance Focus on legibility

Type rules: point features

Type rules: line features ● Avoid upside-down type ● Avoid stretching out too much ● Place text from bottom-to-top, but first try to place horizontally to ease reading

Type rules: use this when in doubt