GEOG 413: Winter, 2008

Objectives

• An introduction to cartography, 
• An understanding of the concepts and issues underlying cartography including color use, map layouts, contour maps, choropleth maps, 3D maps, bivariate maps, and point symbol mapping, and
• Use of cartographic software (corel draw, photopaint, and ArcGIS).

Syllabus

Computerized mapmaking basics of contour, choropleth, 3-D, and other thematic maps from digitizing to final color product. Lab time expected outside class. Prerequisite: computer literacy and permission of instructor.

Professor:

Dr. Robert Hickey
119A Lind Hall
Phone: 963-2178
Fax: 963-1047
e-mail: rhickey@cwu.edu
Home Page: http://www.yogibob.com

Lecture/Lab Program

        Time: Monday/Wednesday, 8:00 - 9:50. 113 and 221 Lind Hall.

Office Hours:

Monday and Wednesday, 10:00 - 11:00AM and Tuesday, 8:00 - 10:00

Text

1. Designing better Maps: A guide for GIS users. by C. Brewer
2. How to Lie With Maps by Mark Monmonier (2nd edition)

Requirements

The following requirements are compulsory.  Failure to comply with these instructions will result in the student failing the class.

Assignments, practicals, and reading writeups must be submitted by the DUE DATE to qualify for full marks unless PRIOR arrangements have been made with the professor.  Late assignments will be penalised by reducing the marks achieved by 25 percent (or .5 point, whichever is larger) for each day or part of day that the work is late. 

To pass the class, students must:

• Complete all practical work assigned;
• Submit all assignments;
• Sit the Midterm exam;
• Achieve an overall grade of at least 60% .

Assessment

Note: While students are not marked on attendance, students are responsible for ALL material covered in lecture (or tutorials), unless otherwise stated. Also, The final exam is comprehensive.

Makeup exams will ONLY be given during the hour immediately following the final exam.

Misc. Rules:

The following requirements are compulsory. Failure to comply with these instructions will result in the student failing the class.

READ THIS CAREFULLY -- IT IS VERY IMPORTANT!

Copying another student's work with or without his/her knowledge, or giving/receiving aid during any test or examination is cheating. Any student caught cheating will receive a final mark of "F" regardless of marks earned on other assessed work.

Copying an author's work without proper citation is plagiarism. Ensure that you provide proper citation in ALL WRITTEN WORK submitted in this unit.

The submission for assessment of identical or nearly identical work by two or more students is collusion.

Students who engage in plagiarism or collusion will be required to re-submit the work. If the new work is submitted by the specified deadline, is the student's own work, and is judged to be worth at least 60% marks (passing), the mark for that single piece of assessed work shall be recorded as zero. If the work is not re-submitted, is not on time, does not pass, or is the result of further collusion or plagiarism, the final mark for the class will be a "F".

At the instructor's discretion: points will be deducted for classroom interruptions. This includes (but is not limited to) cell phones - a maximum of 1 point will be deducted for every time the phone rings (not per call). Answering the phone is included as a separate distraction. For example, Johnny's phone rings three times before he answers it (not turns it off) - he could lose 4 points (same as 4% of his final grade).

Rough outline of topics to be covered. Note: this may change.

• Map Design: layout, hierarchy, elements, empty space
• types of maps: choropleth, topographic, dot, etc.
• Fonts/type
• colors and color use
• projections and scale
• symbology
• Cartographic ethics
• A discussion regarding how maps lie, and in contrast how to make maps that lie as little as possible.
• Multimedia cartography
• online cartography, including file formats

Website design and maintenance by
Dr. Robert Hickey