Summer 2012
Term C: June 4-July 27
Geography 3053
Cartography: Visualization and Information Design
Lectures: Mon/Tues/Wed/Thurs 9:15-10:30pm, Guggenheim 201E
Labs: Tues and Thurs 12:45-3:45, Guggenheim 6 (KESDA)
Instructor:
Galen Maclaurin
galen.maclaurin@colorado.edu
Office hours: M and W 10:30-11:30
or by appointment
Office:
Gugg. 301B, 303-735-1084
TA: Alex Stum
alexander.stum@colorado.edu
M and W 1-2 in Gugg. 301B
OVERVIEW: This course provides an introduction to cartographic theories and techniques. The lecture
portion of the course will have a seminar-like format with a combination of classroom activities, group
discussions, map critiques and lectures. The lab section will provide you with hands-on experience
designing maps and working with ArcGIS software. We will have a couple field trips to get a broader
view of cartographic applications outside of the classroom.
PREREQUISITES: Some prior experience with Windows computing. An introductory statistics course
is helpful. GEOG 3053 is a prerequisite for the Geography GIS courses and for Cartography 2.
TEXT BOOKS: Dent, B.D., Torguson, J.S. and Hodler, T.W. 2009. Cartography: Thematic Map
Design. Boston: McGraw-Hill. 6th edition.
Brewer, Cynthia A. 2005. Designing Better Maps. Redlands: ESRI Press.
ADDITIONAL READINGS: There will be some additional required readings available as PDFs on the
course webpage. See the schedule for the author’s name. Full citations can be found below.
IN-CLASS EXERCISES: There will be a number of in class activities where we will review the lecture
material interactive manner.
PRESENTATIONS: Short presentations will be assigned in pairs or small groups throughout the term.
LABS: There will be seven lab assignments in total, each spanning two lab sections. All assignments are
due at the beginning of lab on the date indicated at the top of the lab handout.
FIELD TRIPS: Tentatively, there will be two field trips that will take place during lecture and are
therefore mandatory. First, we will visit the Visualization Lab at the National Center for Atmospheric
Research. The second field trip will take us to the Boulder Google office for a tour where you will see the
inside of web-based cartographic applications.
GRADING:
Lab Exercises (7 exercises)
Class Participation/attendance
In-class exercises
Presentations
Written Exam
Lab Final
Total
110 pnts
15 pnts
25 pnts
25 pnts
30 pnts
20 pnts
225 pnts
ATTENDANCE: Students must attend all labs. Four points will be taken off your final grade for each
missed lab. Attendance in lecture is also mandatory; students will be allowed three unexcused absences
Updated 7/11/12
Summer 2012
Term C: June 4-July 27
during the term. After that, four points will be taken off your final grade for each additional absence.
Exceptions require permission from the instructor prior to the absence.
LATE POLICY: Lab assignments must be turned in to the TA at the beginning of the lab session on the
date they are due. For late lab assignments, 10% will be taken off the assignment grade for each weekday
they are late. There will be no make-up exams without a documented excuse.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE: We will adjust the schedule as needed during the term.
Week Date
6/4
1
6/5
6/6
6/7
6/11
2
6/12
3
4
5
6
7
8
Lecture
Course introduction
Cartographic process and Map types
Visual variables
Visual variables
Visual variables in ArcMap
Color
Readings/Resources
Lab Exercise
Dent 1
Dent 12
Brewer 1
Cartwright
Brewer 4,5
Lab 0: ArcGIS Introduction
6/13
6/14
Color in ArcMap
Scale and Resolution
Dent 14, ColorBrewer
Dent 2
6/18
6/19
6/20
6/21
Map Projections
Map Projections
Generalization
Generalization
Dent 3
USGS Map Projections
Regnauld & McMaster
Dent 9
6/25
6/26
6/27
6/28
Typography
Type Placement
Thematic Map Symbols
Data Classing
Dent 13, TypeBrewer
Wu & Buttenfield
Brewer 2,3
Dent 5
7/2
7/3
7/4
7/5
NCAR Field Trip (Tentative)
Data Classing
Fourth of July—No class!
Mapping Uncertainty
7/9
7/10
7/11
7/12
Mapping Uncertainty
Exam Review
Exam 1
Cartograms
MacEachren
7/16
7/17
Interactive Cartography
Animation Display
Peterson
NYT Animation
7/18
7/19
7/23
7/24
Bing Maps Field Trip
Mobile and Web Cartography
Cognitive Mapping
Participatory Mapping
7/25
7/26
ArcScene
Wrap-up and Debriefing
Lab 1: Intro to ArcMap
Lab 2: ArcMap Layouts
(Lab 1 due)
Lab 3: Figure Ground
(Lab 2 due)
Lab 3 continued
Lab 4: Terrain and Hydro
(Lab 3 due)
Lab 4 continued
Lab 5: Transportation
(Lab 4 due)
Dent 6
Lab 5 continued
Buttenfield
Lab 6: Residuals and
Choropleth (Lab 5 due)
Lab 6 continued
Dent 10, Cartograms
Lab 7: Greyscale
(Lab 6 due)
Lab 7: Population & natural
resources
Cloudmade
Lab 7: Green spaces
Nietschmann
Lab 7 continued
(Lab 7 due at end of lab)
Lab Final
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Summer 2012
Term C: June 4-July 27
READINGS
Buttenfield, B. P. 2001. Mapping Ecological Uncertainty. Chapter 6 in: Hunsaker, C., Goodchild, M.F.,
Friedl, M. and Case, T. (Eds.) Uncertainty in Spatial Data for Ecological Analyses. New York: SpringerVerlag
Cartwright, W. 2009. Art and Cartographic Communication. Chapter 1 in: Cartwright, W. (Eds.)
Cartography and Art. New York: Springer Verlag
MacEachren, A. M. 1992. Visualizing Uncertain Information. Cartographic Perspectives 13: 10-19
Nietschmann, Bernard. 1995. Defending the Miskito Reefs with Maps and GPS: Mapping With Sail,
Scuba, and Satellite. Cultural Survival Quarterly. 18 (4): 34.
Peterson, M. P. 2007. The Internet and Multimedia Cartography. In: Multimedia cartography. ed. by W.
Cartwright, M. Peterson and G. Gartner. Second edition. Berlin: Springer: 35-48
Regnauld, N. and McMaster, R.B.2007. A Synoptic View of Generalisation Operators. Chapter 3 in
Mackaness, W. A., Ruas, A., and Sarjakoski, L.T. (Eds) Generalization of Geographic Information:
Cartographic Modeling and Applications: 37- 66
Wu, V. and Buttenfield, B.P. 1991. Reconsidering Rules for Point Feature Name Placement.
Cartographica 28(1): 1-27
WEB RESOURCES
“Bing Maps” http://www.bing.com/maps is Microsoft’s free web mapping tool. In its current version it
has more functionality then Google Maps
"Cartograms" in the course schedule refers to a web site showing cartogram animations built by Dan
Dorling in 2008. See geographical space morph into a projected cartogram, as well as cartograms that
morph from one time period to the next. http://www.worldmapper.org
“CartoTalk” http://www.CartoTalk.com is a site which contains general discussion about cartographic
methods; to which you can post questions. Professional cartographers and students from all over the
world participate - a simple registration process gives you access to additional resources (online journals,
new books, sample maps).
“ColorBrewer” in the course schedule above refers to an excellent Web site on color theory and
cartography built by Cindy Brewer, showing guidelines for designing color maps, along with specific
mapped examples. http://www.colorbrewer.org
“Cloudmade” is an online mapping and mobile application development framework.
http://www.cloudmade.com
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Summer 2012
Term C: June 4-July 27
“ESRI Mapping Center” http://mappingcenter.esri.com/ contains an assortment of cartographic tips,
articles and whitepapers, general discussion about cartographic methods, particularly but not exclusively
in an ArcGIS environment.
“ESRI ArcGis.com” http://www.arcgis.com is an online framework for creating simple map overlays and
showing your own data on the web.
“Google SketchUp!” http://sketchup.google.com/ is a simple but powerful tool to create 3D objects or any
kind which can be easily displayed in Google Earth or exported in many different formats.
“Google Maps” http://maps.google.com/ is the most popular free web mapping with a lot of functionality.
“NYT Animation” This New York Time Immigration Explorer website provides an interactive map for
browsing immigration data of the USA. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/03/10/us/20090310immigration-explorer.html
“OpenStreetMap.org (OSM)” http://www.openstreetmap.org/ is a free editable map of the whole world.
Everyone can contribute new data to it. It can be described as the “Wikipedia for maps”.
"TypeBrewer” in the course schedule refers to a web site that lets you see the consequences of various
type fonts, families, and styles on the overall map appearance. Built by Ben Sheesley in 2006.
http://www.typebrewer.org
“USGS Map Projection Poster” http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/MapProjections/projections.html is a
collection of all major map projection commonly used when generating maps. This website gives in depth
details about major map projections without going to deep into the mathematical foundations of map
projections.
Updated 7/11/12
Summer 2012
Term C: June 4-July 27
Department of Geography Code of Conduct:
In the Department of Geography, instructors strive to create an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect in
which learning, debate, and intellectual growth can thrive. Creating this atmosphere requires that
instructors and students work to achieve a classroom in which learning is not disrupted. At the most basic
level, this means that everyone attend class, be prepared with readings and assignments completed, and
that students pay attention. This means no conversations with friends, reading the newspaper, coming
late, or leaving early. Such behavior is disruptive to the instructor and to your fellow classmates.
These basics of classroom etiquette are an important means of building and showing mutual
respect. Inevitably, however, disagreements will arise. Sometimes these disagreements will be about
content, sometimes about grades or course procedures, and sometimes they will be about the treatment of
participants in the class. In order to facilitate the resolution of these disagreements, the following
guidelines should be followed by everyone:
° All interactions must be guided by mutual respect and trust.
° If you are bothered by some aspect of the class, identify what it is that is bothering you and center the
discussion on that issue.
° Address issues that concern you early. Problems are easier to resolve before they fester.
° Consider whether it is best to address your concerns in class or in a separate appointment with the
instructor. Remember, behavior that disrupts your fellow classmates is not acceptable.
° Abusive speech or behavior will not be tolerated in any interaction between students or between
student and instructor. If an instructor feels that your speech or behavior is abusive, you will be asked to
leave the room. If you believe an instructor has become abusive, you may leave the room and talk with
the department chairperson. Debate and discussion can continue when all parties proceed with mutual
respect.
° If mutual respect cannot be restored, either you or the instructor may take the issue to the department
chairperson or the Campus Ombuds Office.
Policy on Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the act of using someone else's words, pictures, ideas, or procedures without proper
acknowledgement, or to present them as if they originated with you. In science and especially in
academics, plagiarism is unacceptable. In an exam, for example, copying from someone else's test
booklet and handing it in as if it were your own work is plagiarism. In some instances it is difficult to
document whether plagiarism has occurred. In other situations, particularly learning situations, it is
possible that students who do not know the protocols of academic expression can inadvertently
plagiarize. In some cultures, direct use of another person's words bring great honor to the quoted
person. In this university, plagiarism constitutes a form of cheating, and will not be tolerated. If you are
unsure whether to cite someone else's work as you work through an assignment, come talk with me about
it.
The Honor Code
THE PLEDGE
"On my honor, as a CU Boulder student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized assistance on this
work."
Students may be asked to include this pledge on their written assignments and tests. The full Honor Code
is available for your review on line, at http://www.colorado.edu/academics/honorcode/.
Updated 7/11/12