**Class is cancelled today (Thursday, Oct 18th)**
Sorry about this but sickness has struck my house again. Please help spread the word to your classmates (don't want them to miss this notice).
Please use today to work on Lab 6 (Proportional Symbols). One note: if you are using a dataset that has no data for a few counties, you need to find a subtle way to inform the map reader. One technique is to make a note in the legend (if it is just a county or two, you can specify by name the counties without data). Another approach is to give those counties a slightly different fill (again...keep it subtle). This doesn't work well with choropleth maps, but can be used with a Proportional Symbol maps. Baltimore City may be an issue with some datasets....you can choose either of the above methods if needed.
Exam and Lab 5 scores will be posted on Blackboard when ready. I will send out an email as a head's up.
If you have any questions, please ask! I am happy to give you feedback on your map (just be a bit patient...).
The first sentence of the writeup states that you will create a *color* map -- but I still want this to be a grayscale map. Sorry to tease you...but color is just around the corner.
Neat graduated circle map projecting US pop in 2050 with graduated circles emphasizing major urban centers: http://www.rpa.org/america2050/images/2050_Map_Megaregions_Influence_150.png
Very nice interactive map from NYTimes of Immigration data from 1880. Has both choropleth and graduated circle variations: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/03/10/us/20090310-immigration-explore...
I want you to track down an interesting proportional symbol (or graduated symbol map). It is a map that uses one symbol of varying size to illustrate magnitude differences. The most common variety uses circles, but squares, triangles, coffee cups, beers....just about anything can be made to fit.
Find one, post it on your blog, and tell us why you found it interesting!
Here is a nice example from the Washington Post:
Just a friendly reminder that the first exam for GGS310 is on Thursday the 11th. A review sheet can be found on Blackboard along with copies of the lecture files we've covered. Bring pencils, eraser, calculator, and yourself. I'll supply the exam and answer sheet.
The exam starts at 10:30 but you can work all the way until 1:15 (there is no new lab being introduced). If you want to work on your Lab 5 after the exam, that is fine...just keep it quiet until all the exams are turned in. Lab 5 is due *next Tuesday* Oct 16th.
Good luck studying!
Tomorrow is the second half of the Fall Career Fair on campus. If you are hoping to attend, I have no problem with you skipping out on the lab section tomorrow. I have material to cover during the lecture section, but when we shift to Lab 5 time, you can head out. I do recommend you attend the fair -- any exposure to employers is good experience.
U.S. Population Density when the 300 million mark was met (an unclassed map): http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=7052
The United States of Mind (go to the Interactive Map): http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122211987961064719.html?mod=yhoofront#project
Gas Price Map: http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_gastemperaturemap.aspx
Electoral Shifts from 2004: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/11/05/us/politics/20081104_ELECTION_R...
Life Expectancy Across the US: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/nation/life-expectancy-map/
US Population and Growth Trends: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RBw-psMN_Ew/S-2DPSCCzoI/AAAAAAAAHjI/TeRzMDtrFrA/s16...
Increasing Girth Rate: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/graphic/2010/09/20/GR20100920068...
Greendex: http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/greendex/
Census Data in US since 1990: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/nation/census/2010/
There are loads and loads of examples out there. Find one that you feel is particuarly interesting and well done (any topic). Keep it static. (note: if you search for "choropleth map" you may find mostly student maps -- no one names their map by the style unless assigned for a class). :)
Throughout the semester I am going to refer to a set of maps made by the Census Bureau (with the help of Cindy Brewer at Penn State) based on 2000 census data. It is a well constructed composition of maps that display a wide range of thematic data using several different symbologies.
Here is the link: http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/atlas/index.html
The pages take a bit to load (as pdfs) but the quality is excellent. You can use them as a reliable source. Look at them closely. How do they deal with noncontiguous entities? How do they classify the data? Look at layout, figure/ground, legend design, basemap, etc.