Introduction to Cartography and GIS Technology

Introduction to Cartography and GIS Technology
Study guide – key concepts, terminology, and workflow

1. What Is Cartography?

2. Fundamentals of Map Design

1. Purpose & Audience

   • Identify the map’s primary question (e.g., “Where are the flood‑prone zones?”).
   • Tailor symbology, language, and level of detail to the intended users.

2. Data Selection

   • Choose appropriate layers (e.g., topography, land use, transportation).
   • Ensure data are current, accurate, and legally usable.

3. Projection & Coordinate System

   • Projection: mathematical method to flatten the globe (e.g., Mercator, Albers Equal‑Area).
   • Coordinate System: defines units and origin (e.g., WGS 84 lat/long, NAD 83 UTM zone 15N).
   • Consistency across layers prevents misalignment.

4. Scale & Extent

   • Scale = Map distance ÷ Ground distance (e.g., 1:50,000).
   • Determines level of detail, symbol size, and generalization needed.

5. Symbolization & Visual Hierarchy

   • Use color, line weight, pattern, and opacity to differentiate features.
   • Follow cartographic conventions (blue = water, green = vegetation) unless a specific legend is provided.

6. Typography & Layout

   • Choose legible fonts (sans‑serif for labels, serif for titles).
   • Maintain margins, north arrow, scale bar, and legend in a balanced composition.

7. Map Production Formats

   • Print (PDF, TIFF, high‑resolution raster).
   • Interactive/web (HTML/JavaScript, Web‑Map Service – WMS, Tile Service).

3. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) – Overview

3.1 GIS Data Types