What Makes a Good and a Bad Map?

We've all have been there before. We've stumbled across them in textbooks, fumbled with them in crowded cities, theme parks, and in the back of a car while simultaneously shouting at the driver to turn right or left - we really don't know. We've been overwhelmed, befuddled - most of all, lost. Why? Poor mapmaking; in this case we exclude the possibility of certain individuals' incompetence at reading well-designed maps. Most of all, we've taken maps for granted.

So what makes maps well-designed? There are so many elements that go into creating them. Map making is both an art and a science. It requires skill, talent, technology, training, and an artistic eye. All maps have different purposes. Cartographers must seek to make their maps as readable as possible to specific audiences.

Here, I have chosen one example of a good map and one of a bad map, and why (maps from Urban.org).


Example of a bad map


Why it is a bad map
There is no title or legend to describe what the map is depicting. A scale bar is missing, as well as a North arrow. The symbols, lines and points in the map do not have a legend for the viewer to understand what they represent. There are also too many red-brown points which make it difficult for the reader to see the map clearly, as many symbols overlap. The current scale of the map makes it difficult for one to see all the points. A map with the most relevant points, or a map that is larger in scale will make it easier to read. The map does not contain the name of the creator, source, or date. Finally, the aesthetics of the map are not appealing and do not have a color harmony that appeals to the viewer's eye.



Example of a good map


Why it is a good map
This is a good map for several reasons. It contains all the essential elements that are necessary for good map making. These are: a title, legend, scale bar, north arrow, neat/accurate lines, a date, and the map sources. The title is the largest font size on the map and should be clearly visible (usually at the top of the page). The legend allows the viewer to understand what the points on the map represent. The scale bar provides a sense of distance for the viewer and is usually placed at the bottom of the map. The North arrow, in the same way, provides a sense of direction for the viewer. Neat, accurate lines depict relevant areas on the map that are highlighted for the viewer. The date and the map sources are important for citing references and letting the viewer know when the map was created in case it is time sensitive. Finally, the aesthetics of the map are pleasing, and everything is neatly arranged on the page. The colors complement each other but are not too overwhelming.

Mapping the 2000 US Census

With the 2010 US Census taking place this year, it will be interesting to reflect on the nationwide census that took place a decade ago. Here, I focus on the population percentage of Black, Asian and people of some other race alone in the United States. Using ESRI's ArcGIS program in my Geography 167 - Cartography class, I have mapped out the locations of the above mentioned as calculated from the 2000 Census.

The following series of maps details the 2000 US Census of the population percentage of Black, Asian and people of some other race alone. The 2000 Census showed that the population of the United States was 281.4 million. These facts and figures are from the US Census website. Of the total, 36.4 million, or 12.9 percent, was Black. Of the 12.9 percent, 12.3 percent reported as Black only. The geographic distribution of the Black only population in 2000 was concentrated mostly in the South, with 54.8 percent residing in the South. 18.8 percent resided in the Midwest, 17.6 resided in the Northeast, and 8.9 percent resided in the Western portion of the United States.

The ten states with the largest Black populations were New York, California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, North Carolina, Maryland, Michigan, and Louisiana. However, the places with the largest Black populations were New York and Chicago. The US Census bureau collected information on race for legislative purposes. It is needed for evaluating and assessing employment programs and for enforcing and implementing programs such as the Equal Opportunity program.

The 2000 Census showed that the population of Asians in the United States was 11.9 million, or 4.2 percent. Of the 11.9 million, 10.2 million reported as Asian only, or 3.6 percent. Between 1990 and 2000, the Asian population increased faster than the total population. The Asian alone population increased by 3.3 million between 1990 and 2000. The geographic distribution of the Asian only population in 2000 was concentrated mostly in the West, with 48.8 percent. 20.7 percent of the Asian only population resided in the Northeast, 18.8 percent reported from the South, and 11.7 percent reported from the Midwest. Over half of all people who reported Asian lived in California, New York and Hawaii. The Asian population was concentrated in counties in the West, especially in California and Hawaii.

The population of some other race along reporting in the 2000 Census reported mostly from the West and in the Midwest. 5.5 percent reported as some other race alone, or 15.3 million people. The geographic distribution for some other race alone accounted for 18 percent or more of the total population in counties in Texas, California, and Washington.