Lecture 2: Cartography and the power of the map

Question 1

What are maps useful for?

Answer 1

Recording and storing information
As a way of analysing spatial distributions and patterns
As a method of presenting and communicating findings which are difficult to express verbally

Question 2

What are maps typically classified by?

Answer 2

Scale or function

Question 3

What is the scale of a map?

Answer 3

the ratio of a distance on the map to the corresponding distance on the ground

Question 4

What does a large scale map show?

Answer 4

Shows a small geographic area in great detail

Question 5

What does a small scale map show?

Answer 5

shows a large geographic area in less detail

Question 6

What do topographic maps show?

Answer 6

a range of features, both natural and human, in the landscape

Question 7

What do thematic or ‘special purpose’ maps focus on?

Answer 7

the distribution of a single variable – or the relationship amongst several.

Question 8

2 examples of common thematic maps?

Answer 8

choropleth maps and contour maps

Question 9

What are choropleth maps used to communicate?

Answer 9

the relative magnitudes of continuous variables as they occur within the boundaries of unit areas.

Question 10

What do we use choropleth maps to display?

Answer 10

Commonly used to depict census data, such as population density as it varies by county

Question 11

What do dot maps depict and how?

Answer 11

depict spatial distributions by varying numbers of uniform dots.

Question 12

What are line maps used for?

Answer 12

used to show the direction and magnitude of potential or actual flows.

Question 13

What happens in cartographic maps?

Answer 13

Shape is distorted in order for size of the areas to be representative of something

Question 14

What do we use heat maps to show?

Answer 14

Heat maps show the magnitude of something as a colour in two dimensions.

Question 15

What do we need to do to create an effective topographic map?

Answer 15

We need to reduce the scale and eliminate unwanted detail.

We must then fit the selected features on the map in an effective manner that aids understanding.

Question 16

Selection definition

Answer 16

Limit our concern to those classes of information that will serve the map’s purpose

Question 17

Generalisation definition

Answer 17

Fit the selected features on the map at the desired scale in an effective manner that aids understanding

Question 18

How can a map have clarity and be legible?

Answer 18

It should be clear what the map is trying to communicate

Clearly differentiate any features of the map (careful with colours/width)

Question 19

How can a map have hierarchy and structure?

Answer 19

Some layers have a clear hierarchy within them, such as roads, where motorways are more important than minor roads; or settlements where cities are more important than villages.
You should aim to make the more important details stand out

Question 20

How should a map use colour and patterns?

Answer 20

Use conventional colours when possible (e.g. blue for water)

Question 21

How should a map use visual contrast?

Answer 21

Consider varying symbol size, shape, colour or texture

For lines you can vary width as well as colour, showing a hierarchy

Question 22

What should be the relationship between contextual features and key information on a map?

Answer 22

Supporting contextual features should stand out less than key information your map is conveying