Lab 1- Computer Cartography

Campus Map

Your assignment is to produce a thematic map of campus. The theme for this lab is to provide a map depicting the location of a local (campus or nearby) site you find particularly interesting and how a map user could reach it from Lind Hall. Do not make the map overly simplistic (eg - one building to the next)

This lab will be done using Corel Draw. Feel free to use color. Have Sarah print it out for you. However, and this applies all quarter, be sure to give Sarah at least 4 hours prior to the due date/time. Her job is not to be around at your last minute. Do things in advance, and all will be good. Pull them together at the last minute, and printing is your problem, not her's.

Sarah will be able to print the corel files - however, if you want a more portable file, export your corel file to jpg. When doing this, I suggest you 1) do a 'select all' so that you have selected every graphic element, then on the export, check the 'selected only' box, 2) set the resolution to 300 dpi, and 3) set the compression and smoothing to ~20%. Do this and you will end up with a good resolution, relatively small file that does not include a bunch of white space around the outside.

Remember to think about the things discussed in class and your readings to date while making this map.

Some questions to think about when designing your map

• How much detail do I need to show? Particularly which elements are required and what can be ignored.
• How should I symbolize things?
• How much does my audience know about the area? (assume they know very little about campus, if anything at all)
• what aspects about the area might the audience be interested in? Or things that are exceptionally noticeable as someone travels between points A and B.

Be sure to include the following map elements: title, scale, neatlines, legend (if necessary), north arrow, your name, the class name, and the date the map was created.

This lab is due on Tuesday, 15 January. 4 points.

(note, the basis for this lab swiped from a lab by Andrew Klein at Texas A&M)

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