Value of Maps

1. The Value of Maps

Maps are perhaps as fundamental to society as language and the written word. They are the preeminent means of recording and communicating information about the location and spatial characteristics of the natural world and of society and culture. Some would say that the use of maps distinguishes geography from all other disciplines. The truth is that maps, though of special concern to geographers, are used throughout the sciences and humanities and in virtually every aspect of day-to-day life. Millions of maps are produced and used annually throughout the world by scientists, scholars, governments, and businesses to meet environmental, economic, political, and social needs. Many cartographers have reflected on the important role played by maps in society. One of the most recent statements worth considering is Denis Wood's book The Power of Maps (New York: Guilford Press, 1992).

Maps gain their value in three ways:

1.1 As a way of recording and storing information

Location of USGS water-quality test sites in Wisconsin

1.2 As a means of analyzing locational distributions and spatial patterns

recognize

visualize

conceptualize

Environmental factors affecting poverty in Africa by Christine Byer, George Mason University

1.3 As a method of presenting information and communicating findings

The Rise and Fall of Mesoamerica by Chad Shuey, George Mason University

To realize this potential, it is useful to learn some basic principles of cartographic communication and map design. Cartography is a special type of communication that does require training. But, attention invested in learning the basics will pay off handsomely in the production of more effective maps. Sometimes people assume that such training is too highly technical to be mastered easily and forego the use of maps. This is unfortunate because maps could be used more widely in the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities for analysis and communication, particularly now that computers can be used as an aid to production. Some attention to first principles is still warranted. Apart from the following notes, you may wish to consult:

Cuff, David J. and Mattson, Mark T. 1982. Thematic Maps: Their Design and Production. New York: Methuen.
Dent, Borden D. 1985. Principles of Thematic Map Design. Reading, Mass.: Addison- Wesley Publishing Co.
Monmonier, Mark . 1993. Mapping it Out: Expository Cartography for the Social Sciences and Humanities. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. A very readable introduction to the principles of cartography aimed particularly at students and scholars who have had little training in geography or cartography.
Muehrcke, Phillip C. 1986. Map Use: Reading, Analysis, and Interpretation, 2nd ed. Madison, Wis.: JP Publications.
Robinson, Arthur H., Joel L. Morrison, Phillip C. Muehrcke, A. Jon Kimerling, and Stephen C. Guptill. 1995. Elements of Cartography, 6th ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons. This is the classic textbook, recently revised to reflect the tremendous changes in cartographic production resulting from widespread adoption of computer-based techniques and GIS.

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