Textbook: Slocum, T. A. 1999. Thematic Cartography and
Visualization. Prentice Hall: New Jesey. See Page 1-17
Define a thematic map?
A thematic map or statistical map is used to display the spatial pattern of a particular theme or attribute (e.g. temperature map). The main types of thematic maps are: proportional symbol (size), isarithmic (contour), dot , and flow maps.
Define
uni-variate, bi-variate, and multi-variate maps?
Univariate map: Displays a single attribute e.g. population density.
Bivariate map: Displays two variables or attributes simultaneously e.g. relationship between education and income.
Multi-variate map : Displays three or more variables or attributes simultaneously e.g. relationship among temperature, salinity, and current speed within the Atlantic Ocean.
Define
a general reference map?
A
general reference map focuses on geographic location e.g. topographic map
showing the location of rivers and roads.
How are
thematic maps are used? (see Plate 1: page 151)
1. To provide specific information about a particular location (e.g. population of UAE can be shown in a map with different color for each emirates e.g. Abu Dhabi range between 400,000-500,000 in yellow color).
2. To provide general information about spatial pattern (e.g. population density increases along coastal areas, in such case it is recommended to use ordered shades of a single hue).
3. To compare patterns on two or more maps (see Figure 1.2: page 4)
List the main steps for creating a map? (see
Figure 1.3, page 5)
1. Consider what the real-world distribution of the phenomenon might looks like (e.g. imagine how a mountain will look like, population are more in cities than in rural areas).
2.
Determine the purpose for making the map (e.g. population map, income map)
3. Collect data appropriate for the map purpose
(Primary: Field survey or Secondary: census data and statistical reports).
4.
Construct the map: This step involves putting many factors into
consideration such as type of map,
map design (symbol, color, size, generalization, classification), type of data measurement (nominal,
ordinal, interval, ratio), type of
audience (professional
geographers, public), time, and cost.
5. Determine whether users find the map useful and
informative (communicate
effectively). It is important that map-maker must put into his mine that
he
designs a map not for
himself, but for others. A feedback (comments) from map users is an important tool to enhance the map (e.g. change
symbol size, color, etc.)
Define visualization and communication?
Visualization: is an activity in which unknowns are
revealed in a highly interactive environment.
Communication: is an activity in which knowns are presented in a non-interactive environment
Define multi-media?
Multimedia
is a concept of integration of sound, images, and videos. Through a mixture of location (where-map)
and multimedia it is possible to use all means of human communication, which
include speech, pictures and images, text, and geographic data.
Animation
can be used to reveal a change in space or attribute, discuss?
Animation can be used to show the change in space and attribute in an interactive manner, for example:
Space: change in the boundary (Union of
Germany, Split of Yugoslavia) ,
Subdivision of a lot among sons
Time scale: Change in land use types between 1980 and 1990 (Every 10 years)
Change in the weather map-cloud cover, precipitation (every hour)
Change in the location of a vehicle in a road (every minute)
Attribute: Change in the name of owner of a lot
Change in the map currency of Europe (Euro since 2002)
Discuss the consequences of technological change
in cartography?
Map design and production have undergone through a series of developments that can be summarized into: Shift from manual (using hands) to mechanical (using printing machines), chemical (color development), and digital methods (computer). The consequences of using computers in cartography are:
1. Use of computers in map design allows more people (not only cartographers) to produce maps. Although this has an advantage of "cartographic awareness", however, naïve map-makers may not design an accurate and informative map (e.g. using different colors to depict population density -see plate 1: page 151). 2. Ability to produce maps that are difficult to produce by manual methods e.g. animated maps, electronic atlases, multi-media maps, and internet maps.
3. Ability to develop several different representation of the same data (data exploration).
4. Increase the number of color maps in books and journals mainly because of the availability of color display (16 millions colors) and color printers.
5. Availability of digital data from surveying, GPS, remote sensing, and GIS for map production.
6.
Reduction in labor, time, and cost of map production.
