Geog 3532 Syllabus

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Map Design and Graphic Methods
Geography 3532
Instructor: Scott M. Freundschuh

Course Objectives

Mapping is crucial to understanding spatial distributions, and in this course, you will learn how to draw
maps. There are two components to creating an effective thematic map: appropriate treatment of the
data to be mapped, and appropriate graphic emphasis within the map. Thus, you will learn about
mapping techniques and about map design. You will gain hands-on experience producing maps.
Principles you learn in class will be applied in the labs to deepen your understanding of the course
material and build technical expertise. You will also be coached in the gentle art of constructive
criticism—you will be critiquing your classmates' maps as part of your grade.

Your maps will be drawn using Macromedia FreeHand illustration software. In addition, for the
choropleth, proportional symbol and isarithm map exercises, you will be using Microsoft Excel for data
handling and analysis. Finally, you will be using Macromedia Dreamweaver to create a personal web page
where you will publish your maps. By the end of the semester, you will know more about this software
than I do!

Text
Dent, B. D., 1999, Cartography: Thematic Map Design (5th ed.), Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown. It is on
the expensive side, but it is an excellent book—not one to be sold back to the bookstore!

Office
My office is in 328 Cina Hall. My email address is sfreunds. In case of an emergency, you can call my
office at 726-6226 (e.g., emergency = you will miss an exam).

Grading
Grades are (typically) assigned as follows: A (85% and above), B (75 to 85%), C (65 to 75%), D (55 to
65%), F (below 55%). This grading scale may be adjusted depending on overall class grades. Course
grades will be based on exams (35%), map critiques (5%) and labs (60%) as follows:

Midterm 20%
Final Exam 15 %
Map Critiques 5%
Labs ex1 5%
ex 2 10%
ex 3 5%
ex 4 10%
ex 5 10%
ex 6 10%
ex 7 10%
total 100%

NOTE1: I do not give make-up exams nor do I accept late assignments. This is a departmental policy.

NOTE2: You are responsible for all information given in lecture AND lab (lectures, announcements,
etc.). If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to find out from your classmates what you missed.

Preliminary Course Outline

Lecture Topic Lab
Week 1 introduction to course (Chs. 1, 2, 3, 4) No lab today
generalization (Ch. 1) Mac & FreeHand Tutorials

Week 2 map design (Ch. 13) begin ex 1: balance, layout & design
map organization (Ch. 13) work on ex 1

Week 3 visual hierarchy example work on ex 1
typography (Ch. 14) ex 1 due; begin ex 2: typography

Week 4 critique ex 1 work on ex 2
typography (cont.) compilation worksheets ex 2 due for OK

Week 5 symbolization & color (Ch. 4 & Ch. 15) work on ex 2
web pages ex 2 due; begin ex 3: making your web page

Week 6 critique ex 2 (critiques due) work on ex 3
web pages (cont.) ex 3 due (basic page layout);

Week 7 Proportional Symbols (Ch. 9) begin ex 4: proportional symbols
proportional symbols (cont.) work on ex 4

Week 8 Midterm work on ex 4
critique ex 3 (critiques due) ex 4 due;

Week 9 review exam 1; choropleth maps (Ch. 7) begin ex 5: choropleth maps
in-class exercise, data classing (Ch. 5) work on ex 5

Week 10 critique ex 4 (critiques due) work on ex 5
dot maps (Ch. 8) work on ex 5

Week 11 isarithm maps (Ch. 10) ex 5 due; begin ex 6: isarithm maps
no class (NACIS Board Meeting) work on ex 6

Week 12 dynamic maps (Ch. 12) ideas for ex 7 final project due
critique ex 5 (critiques due) work on ex 6 and/or ex 7

Week 13 map animation ex 6 due; work on ex 7
cartograms (Ch. 11) work on ex 7

Week 14 critique ex 6 (critiques due) work on ex 7
digital data (Ch. 17) work on ex 7

Week 15 digital data ex 7 due
course summary no lab