Cartography Week 1: Map Critique

 This week I learned a brief history of cartography, and reviewed the basic design principles of mapmaking. I was tasked with finding two maps, one that I believed to be well-designed, and one poorly designed, and evaluating what makes a good map.

    My example of a well-designed map is this map of South Carolina wildlife management area game zones, I believe intended for people interested in hunting in that state. The purpose of the map is immediately clear from the title, and the layout is well balanced. All the essential map elements are present and easy to read. The placement of the map elements feels natural and works around the shape of the state of South Carolina. The map also contains the data source and date that the information is relevant. The colors and symbols used are effective, and successfully emphasize the game zones, and which respective counties they contain. I also like how the colors used are easy on the eyes and don’t interfere with the map’s legibility. Overall, this is a very coherent map that is easy to understand and conveys its purpose well.

 

 

    My example of a poorly designed map is this map of American sitcoms. The title of the map is too vague, and the purpose isn’t immediately clear. Are these shows set in these states? Filmed there? Is the show creator from this state? I can only assume the map means to show what US state and city these TV shows take place in, and I would change the title to reflect that. The labels of this are also confusing to interpret. The symbology is inconsistent, and although they are all legible, the labels are very cluttered and not effective at communicating the information intended. It is hard to differentiate between titles of TV shows and other map elements. I would use colors more effectively to match the sitcom title with the respective state. The map is also missing most of the essential map elements. Overall, this is a very messy map that does not do a very good job at displaying its intended data.


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