Cartographic Skills Map Critique

       Good whatever time it happens to be for you dear reader. Today's post is in regard to the my first weeks assignment in my Cartography skills class. The overview of the assignment is this: learn the basic principles behind what makes an effect map and apply them to some maps of your choosing. Let me break down the key components that I reviewed. Numerically there are 6 commandments to a map, and 20 Tufteisims (the guy who so aptly put words to successful design elements of map), and 5 key British Cartographic Society inputs. For a better look at these as outlined by my Cartographic professors products, please see below (after the Good/Bad comparison).

       So, being deployed while starting this class I find it only appropriate to include a map of where I happen to be staying. Usually, for those who have never been here, there is a lot of mystery behind this place and its people. And the general populace of this class may or may not know how diverse the makeup of this country really is. The below map is an excellent portrayal of the diversity of Afghanistan.

The above is an example of a well-designed map. I have come to this conclusion based on the following observations. First, even without a prominent title you still see the substantial information that the creator is intending to portray; Ethnolinguistic groups in Afghanistan. This is noticed as Afghanistan is prominently displayed with other details of surrounding countries fading away from the center. The color scheme highlights the complexity of how the varying groups are dispersed while not being overshadowed by the labeling scheme of the sub-data, such as the major cities in Afghanistan. The map has an efficient layout, accenting the countries natural contours, evidenced by the legend being effectively placed in the bottom right of the picture. Further “Chart Junk” is minimized to key components such as the distance scale, also aptly placed below the legend. Lastly the information is straight forward showing where majority groups are, there is little left to interpret about the data. There is no room to lie with this map, assuming the data used in its compilation was accurate.

  

The above is an example of a well-designed map. I have come to this conclusion based on the following observations. First, even without a prominent title you still see the substantial information that the creator is intending to portray; Ethnolinguistic groups in Afghanistan. This is noticed as Afghanistan is prominently displayed with other details of surrounding countries fading away from the center. The color scheme highlights the complexity of how the varying groups are dispersed while not being overshadowed by the labeling scheme of the sub-data, such as the major cities in Afghanistan. The map has an efficient layout, accenting the countries natural contours, evidenced by the legend being effectively placed in the bottom right of the picture. Further “Chart Junk” is minimized to key components such as the distance scale, also aptly placed below the legend. Lastly the information is straight forward showing where majority groups are, there is little left to interpret about the data. There is no room to lie with this map, assuming the data used in its compilation was accurate.

       Thank you for taking the time to go over 

       this with me, I appreciate it. And once

       again, per the first paragraph, if youre 

       curious about the rules of maps then 

       please see the document to the right.

       Thank you, come again.




       v/r




       Brandon