M1 Map Critique Evaluation

 

Map Evaluation

The following questions are for the well-designed map: Easter Island

General

What is the purpose (substantive objective) of the map?

The purpose of the Easter Island map is to highlight the route with ceremonial platforms around the island. The map displays roads, elevation intervals, and historical sites.

What is the “look and feel” (affective objective) of the map?

I believe this is an appealingly good map; it is easy to look at and easy to read. The colors seem typical of a national park map known in the United States. It gives the reader information about where the historical sites are located while also emphasizing the elevation of the island in a “friendly” way.

Who is the intended audience for the map (include expected educational level)?

The intended audience is mostly the general public, probable tourists with an above-average education level that are to make it out to such a remote place. Also, scientists may be in need of a quick reference map of a specific location of one or more of the sacred sites. 

Cartographic Design

Is there an appropriate visual emphasis on important themes?

Easter Island is known for its statues. The visual emphasis is appropriate given the number of statues scattered around the island. The emphasis stays true to the theme even with other features such as the limited roads and populated area. 

Is the symbology for qualitative and quantitative data effectively applied?

The symbology adequately shows the data in quality and quantity with the representation of each location having a symbol representative of the statues on the island. Even with the number of locations represented the map symbology is effective with the data display.

Do the colors and symbols support the substantive and affective objectives?

Colors and symbols are balanced and support both objectives.

Are the symbols and labels legible?

The symbols and labels are not overpowering, helping the reader visually thus making them both legible. 

Are the symbols intuitive and easy to decipher or do they have a  good explanation?

The symbols offer a complete explanation of what the map is about. They represent intent and intuitiveness to the reader making it easier to decipher.

Is there appropriate use of graphics, images, text blocks, or other supporting information?

The information within the map is adequately located and balanced in size. The legend and the inset map are similar in size, shown side-by-side, with the title above them which also designates the location simultaneously.

Map Elements & Page layout

Does the page look balanced—are the map and map elements aligned to the page and to each other? 

Given the shape of Easter Island, the only likely place left for the title, legend, and inset map is at the lower right of the page. It lends an automatic balance to the page.

Do all the map elements support the substantive and affective objectives?

The elements of the map support both objectives in offering enough information without overwhelming the reader with too much visual “sharpness”. 

Are the map elements placed logically on the page?

The elements are placed so that the title, in the lower right, carries the reader through clockwise to the inset map and the legend. The reader then moves to the focus of the map; the main map complete with an elevation scale at the top left.

Does the map have appropriate borders?

The map does have borders, however appropriate, but they are not even. It may have been the intent of the creator but it is narrower in the upper left and down the sides, compared to the lower right corner and up the sides.

• Scale

Is the scale (map extent) appropriate to the map?

The scale is appropriate to the map represented in kilometers.

Is the scale bar appropriately designed, positioned, and, sized?

The scale is located at the bottom of the map in a central position but seems lengthy given the size of the island. The creator could have shortened it and moved it up a little to ensure no space was allowed in making the scale smaller.

Are the scale units logical?

The units are in kilometers which is logical given that Easter Island is part of Chile in South America which uses the metric system. Any unit could have been used but since no author is denoted on the map one can assume the home country's usage of metric units.

• Legend

Have all the necessary symbols and details been included in the legend as they appear on the map (size, color, etc)? 

The symbols and details of the map are included as they appear with the roads in red on top being the color that draws the reader’s eye first. The layer minor track is listed next as a subtype of roads with off-terrain roads and trails. Next on the legend is the ceremonial platform with historical types of ruins making up the next categories. 

             Is there a logical structure related to the function of the legend?

There is a logical structure in that roads is listed first; being that you have to know how to get there if you already know what you want to see. 

Are the legend labels logical?

The labels are straightforward in that they represent what they are universally on a map.

• Titles and Subtitles

Are the titles and/or subtitles present and suitably descriptive (area mapped, subject, date, etc)?

The title represents both the title and the location. The subtitle is present below the title in parentheses in the local language meaning the same as the title.

Are the titles and/or subtitles suitably positioned and sized?

The location of both is ideally located on the map. The map is small but with the orientation of the island in reference to the legend and inset map it fits in the space on the map where it is.

The following questions are for the poorly-designed map: London Bus Routes

General

What is the purpose (substantive objective) of the map?

The purpose of this map is to show the bus routes in London.

What is the “look and feel” (affective objective) of the map?

This is a terrible map simply based on color. It does show the routes and stops among other items relevant to bus travel; i.e. rail lines, places of interest, and buildings.

Who is the intended audience for the map (include expected educational level)?

The intended audience is probably the local population needing to know bus information to get around London. It would take above average education level to read the map because of the colors and level of detail.

Cartographic Design

Is there appropriate visual emphasis on important themes?

Appropriate no but there is a great visual emphasis on London’s bus routes and they all must be the Red Line.

Is the symbology for qualitative and quantitative data effectively applied?

It is difficult to get past the red lines of the bus routes but in looking past them the fare line boundaries lines stand out. There are many lines and squares on the map that only after close inspection can make sense, even with the legend. 

Do the colors and symbols support the substantive and affective objectives?

No, they do not support these objectives. The blue and green lines of the fare boundaries offer a variation from the red lines while the park greens are not a symbol but offer a fresh respite.

Are the symbols and labels legible?

The symbols and labels are mostly legible but only under close scrutiny, perhaps with a magnifying glass. Each of the bus routes has a street name on them but is difficult to make out. The numbers of the route stops are noted but stacked on top of each other making it difficult to pick out a specific stop.

Are the symbols intuitive and easy to decipher or do they have good explanation?

They are decipherable to someone that has read a bus route map before but they do not offer a good explanation. There is information piled on top of information making it too much for the reader. 

Is there appropriate use of graphics, images, text blocks, or other supporting information?

There is no appropriate use of any of these because there is no room.

Map Elements & Page layout

Does the page look balanced—are the map and map elements aligned to the page and to each other? 

There is some balance to the page because it is a square with all the elements fitted neatly inside with no excess space. The park greens and blue water features offer a difference in color and location reference. The main point of the map is the bus routes and with the roads colored red, it is an overwhelming amount of lines that seem to have no difference between each other in reference to the bus route. My experience with maps and bus routes is that the bus routes are offered in different colors to designate different routes.

Do all the map elements support the substantive and affective objectives?

These objectives are not fully supported. The bus routes and stops are visible but not as obvious as they should be since that is the intent of the map.

Are the map elements placed logically on the page?

In general, they are placed logically in that they are relevant to each other and the theme of the map; roads, routes, stops, places of interest, and buildings.

Does the map have appropriate borders?

The map does have borders that offer a frame of the map.

• Scale

Is the scale (map extent) appropriate to the map?

Is the scale bar appropriately designed, positioned and sized?

Are the scale units logical?

There is no scale for this map. In this map extent, it would have been very helpful to the reader in determining the distance between bus stops and/or the distance between rail terminals or landmarks. The scale bar could have possibly been positioned close to the north arrow or legend because of space constraints.

• Legend

Have all the necessary symbols and details been included in the legend as they appear on the map (size, color, etc)? 

The legend has more symbols and details than is necessary, a few are easily identified on the map (i.e. bus station). The place of interest and public building have the same symbol. The fare zones have green and blue line colors, the same as the underground rail line. Two distinguishable symbols that offer contrast are the red bus routes and the black rail lines.

Is there a logical structure related to the function of the legend?

There is a logical structure to the legend in that the roads are on top. The items afterward are related to bus stops and bus terminals which lead to the fare zones related to the outer rings of the bus routes. 

Are the legend labels logical?

They are not logical in that some layers have the same color and shape.

• Titles and Subtitles

Are the titles and/or subtitles present and suitably descriptive (area mapped, subject, date, etc)?

Are the titles and/or subtitles suitably positioned and sized?

There is no title located on this map but given that it is a map of London bus routes it could be a folded brochure with a title on one of the sides. It could also be a map posted at a bus or rail terminal having a designated title introducing the map.