Map Making Fundamentals

Introduction: 

Understanding cartographic fundamentals in mapping is an essential skill set to maintain in the field of geography. To begin, it is important to note that there is a minimum of at least five mapping elements which should be incorporated into all generated maps, including:

1. North Arrow
2. Scale Bar
3. Locator Map
4. Watermark (map illustrator)
5. Data Sources

      (and a Title, of course)

Other elements to consider in cartographic design could include:

• A Legend
• Data Frame
• Company or Client Logo
• Labels and Annotations
• Disclaimers
• the Date
• etc. 

This lab is designed to ensure that each of these key components within maps and all other proper mapping techniques are being included and utilized by students for the remainder of this course, as well as for other projects extending well beyond the duration of the course. 

Methods & Results:

Part One: Creating A Map Series of Sandbox Terrain Survey-

In order to put these cartographic fundamentals to practice, students were asked to utilize their sandbox survey imagery from the previous two labs and generate a series of five maps using an interpolation method of their choosing. The first map produced would be a hillshade map view of the sandbox survey terrain, and the final four maps required would be oblique maps of the terrain viewed from four different angles. 

For the purposes of this lab, the interpolation method of choice utilized for the map series was the Kriging Interpolation Method. The four oblique map's angles were arranged so that when organized together, the series would allow for each sandbox corner to take a turn at the forefront of the map. North arrows are used to help the map reader visualize the sandbox's orientation within each of the maps represented. The final series of maps for the Sandbox Terrain Survey is presented below:

                 Map Series 1: Sandbox Terrain Survey, Kriging Interpolation Method

Metadata: The tools utilized in collecting data points for survey model included a meter stick, tacks, and a string used for girding. Data points collected from far sandbox across the street from Phillips Hall between 3:00 and 4:30 pm on Monday, January 30th .

Part Two: Hadlyville Cemetery, Mapping with Attributes-

The section section of the lab required students to construct another series of maps concerning the features of a number of graves located in the Hadlyville Cemetery in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin. Students were to generate a total of four maps, including three nominal maps, one denoting the year of death on each grave, another the last names associated with the graves, and the last involving a color coated scheme indicating if the graves are still standing or not. The last map required a numeric ranking again based on the years of deaths written upon each grave. The resulting maps are posted below:

Map 2: Nominal Year of Death Map

The first of this map series reveals the dates associated with each of the graves within the Hadleyville Cemetery. The years range from as early as 1859 to as recent as the year 2006. Many graves which appear within the same year occur in a row, but overall there is no progressive number series to indicate any order to the burials lied out.

Map 3: Nominal Last Names Map

The next map in the series reveals the last names that are associated with each of the graves. It is common to find alike names buried near to one another across the cemetery. It is safe to assume that these common last name clusters belonged to individual families or married couples. Some of the more commonly occurring names include "Beardsley" at the eastern-most section of the map, "Folley" to the north, and "Higley" and "Hadley" to the northwest.

Map 4: Nominal Color Coded Conditions Map

This map is another example of a nominal map, though it has been color coded to indicate whether or not each grave is still standing. In this instance, it is appropriate to include a legend within the map in addition to the original five elements of maps. The legend is useful in helping the reader to decipher why each of the graves are color coated as such. The blue dots symbolize the graves still standing while the red dots indicate graves which have fallen. The "Null" yellow dots most likely account for graves which are already laid out parallel to the ground, or are graves which perhaps no longer have a stone to mark them at all. Overall, it seems most of the graves in Hadleyville Cemetery are standing in good condition. 

Map 5: Numeric Proportional Ranking Map based on Years of Deaths

The last map in the series was a proportional interval map relating  the dated ages of the graves found within the cemetery by a ranking system. Each of the three point sizes represent a time span of approximately 50 years. The smallest dots account for the oldest set of graves; their 'year of death' dates range between 1859 throughout the remainder of the century. The middle sized dots pick up the dates again beginning in 1900, and maintaining through the beginning half of the twentieth century into 1950. The largest dots represent the newest of the graves found in the cemetery. Its 'year of death' listings range beginning in 1951 until 2006. 

Conclusion:

Each of the maps provided within the two map series showcased above maintain all five elements of mapping essentials within them, including a north arrow, scale bar, locator map, watermark, and list of data sources. When useful, additional mapping elements can be added to the map, such as the legends featured within the last two maps in the second series. Overall, this lab was a useful exercise in the review of mapping element essentials and cartographic fundamentals. 

Sources:

Hadleyville Cemetery Geodatabase (provided by professor)
ESRI Software