Map Design for Geospatial Science Report

MAP DESIGN 1
GEOSPATIAL SCIENCE REPORT
AUTHOR:
The Name of the Class (Course)
Professor (Tutor)
The Name of the School (University)
The City and State where it is located
DATE: 06-Sep-18

MAP DESIGN 2
Geographical information system (GIS) refers to a framework used to gather,
manage as well as analyses data. GIS integrates a variety of data and helps to analyze spatial
location as well as organizing information layers into picturing using 3D scenes and maps.
Deeper insights thus can be revealed in data, for instance, relationships, patterns and situations
hence facilitating informed and intelligent decisions. GIS can, therefore, be applied in either as a
tool for research or as a map production tool. This paper specification inclines to explore and
apply the latter.
GIS is a mechanical field that joins topographical highlights with forbidden
information so as to outline, and evaluate certifiable issues. The catchphrase to this innovation is
Geography – this implies the information (or if nothing else some part of the information) is
spatial, as it were, information that is somehow referenced to areas on the earth. Combined with
this information is normally forbidden information known as quality information.
Property information can be for the most part characterized by extra data about
every one of the spatial highlights. A case of this would be schooled. The genuine area of the
schools is the spatial information. Extra information, for example, the school name, level of
training instructed, understudy limit would make up the trait information. It is the association of
this two information composes that empowers GIS to be such a viable critical thinking apparatus
through spatial investigation.
As a map production tool, the GIS is vital in availing a map as informative as
possible. Thus, the designer of the map and the map user most likely would be unknown to
another. In most cases, the user of the map may lack adequate familiarity with the GIS data, that
is, information behind the map. (Bossler, 2010)
The map for reference in this report is of a thematic kind. Another kind of maps
includes the reference map which is majorly used to represent topographical features and over a
wide area. Thematic maps provide specific distribution and information, mostly over a small
area. The thematic map shown for use, in this case, is a two-dimensional display. In order to
transfer features to a two-dimensional display from a three-dimensional display, there is a need
to use a map projection (Bossler, 2010). Therefore, the map shown is a product of a map
projection of a three-dimensional display.
A careful observation of our map reveals features such as roads, paths, parking
bays or car parks, vegetation, residential building/ establishments, stadia/ indoor arena,
recreational and sporting grounds, among other features. To design the map, therefore, we need
to employ the use of symbols to represent these things (Peterson, 2015). The symbols adopted
should be coherent and simple to understand to whoever will use the map. Also, there is an
absolute need to decide on classification, symbols, and data for use in map design as in this case.
Once you have decided on the symbols, classification, and data, we can create a map
composition. A map composition comprises of the following:
i. The map

MAP DESIGN 3
ii. A tittle
iii. A scale
iv. A legend
To attain a good map design, one needs more than choose typestyles and colors.
ArcView, a form of Geographical Information System, has made it easy to quickly observe the
effects of the decisions you make when designing a map and hence be able to employ several
options before obligating to a final design.
Map scale
The scale of the map indicates the enlargement or reduction factor of the real
features. It is a ratio of whereby one unit in a map represents multiple times that value in the real
world. The units for both representations are to be the same. In our case, we will adopt a
representation in cm. therefore, for our scale: 1 cm on the map would represent 100cm on the
ground. A scale of 1:100. A graphical scale will be adopted in this case as opposed to a verbal
scale. The scale bar should be as shown in the figure1. Below:
Figure1. Scale bar.
Map projections
A map projection is a systematic method of transforming features from a 3D
display onto a 2D display. Direction, angle, distances and area properties are handled differently
in different map projections. This is to say, not a single map projection is capable to
simultaneously preserve all the properties but only part (Lee, 2014). Considering our map of
reference, angles are not as important in our map design. Therefore, a projection adopted will be
based on the key properties such as the area and distances. Equivalent projections are used thus
in this case. Also, to preserve the distances, which should be from all points to all other points,
equidistant projections shall be considered. However, azimuthal projections for direction,
conformal projections for angles nor compromise projections shall not be used in our design
since such properties and their preserve are unessential.
Map generalization