Cartographic Design
GEOG 118, Fall 07, 4 credits

Instructor: Dr. Martin Raubal, raubal@geog.ucsb.edu
Office (hours): Wednesday 2-4pm, EH 5713
Phone: 893-4839
Teaching Assistant:
Edward Pultar, edward@edwardpultar.com, Thursday 12:45-1:45pm, Star lab;
Class meets:
Lectures – T, Th 11am – 12:15pm, 3515 Phelps Hall
Lab 1 – M 2pm – 3:50pm, 2610 Ellison Hall, aka the Star lab
Lab 2 – T 9am – 10:50am, 2610 Ellison Hall, aka the Star lab

Course description:
This course gives a technical introduction to graphic representation of spatial information. The lectures cover principles of graphic design, coordinate systems and map projections, thematic mapping, and geographic visualization for the GISciences. The lab sessions provide hands-on experience in designing different kinds of thematic maps with current software (ArcGIS).

Recommended preparation:
GEOG12 Maps and Mapping, GEOG176A Intro GIS

Required Textbook: Thematic Cartography and Geographic Visualization, 2nd Edition, by Terry A. Slocum, Robert B. McMaster, Fritz C. Kessler, and Hugh H. Howard.
It is required that students buy their own copy of this book. Weekly readings are listed below. Please come to class prepared to discuss the readings, which are listed for that day.

Course Website: http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/~raubal/Courses/geog118/index.htm

Required Media: You must have a USB flash drive for the lab. You will be working between several different workstations. Flash drives enable you to easily transfer your work between workstations and to back up your work.

Evaluation:

Mid-term

25%

 

 

Final

30%

 

 

Lab Assignments

30%

 

 

Project

15%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Course Policies: Attendance is required for both the lecture and the labs. It is crucial for students to attend the full lab period to get the necessary exposure with the topic, the technology, and to stay on target on the lab work and project. Your TA will provide theoretical and technical help that will aid you in completing the lab and project work.
Typically, labs are always due exactly one week after they are assigned. Lateness will cost you 20% each day, starting at the exact beginning of your lab session. This rule is not flexible. Please inform us in advance if you will miss a lab meeting or will have a personal situation that will affect your attendance or performance.

Academic conduct: http://hep.ucsb.edu/people/hnn/conduct/acad_cond.html

 

Date

 

Lecture topic

Reading

Labs

 

 

 

 

 

Week 1

Sep 27

Introduction & Course overview, Human subjects test (Meri Marsh)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 2

Oct 2

Map functions & communication

Chapter 1

Lab 1: Setting up web site

 

Oct 4

History of cartography

Chapter 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 3

Oct 9

Map symbolization & visual variables (Edward Pultar)

Chapter 4

Lab 2: ArcMap Intro & base map

 

Oct 11

Data classification (Edward Pultar)

Chapter 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 4

Oct 16

Generalization

Chapter 6

Lab 3: ArcEditor Intro, Unique value maps

 

Oct 18

Coordinate systems

Chapter 7

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 5

Oct 23

Map projections

Chapters 8, 9

Lab 4: Dot density map

 

Oct 25

Color

Chapter 10

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 6

Oct 30

Map elements & design

Chapter 11

Lab 5: Proportional symbol maps

 

Nov 1

Mid-term

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 7

Nov 6

Choropleth maps

Chapter 13

Lab 6: Multi-variate maps

 

Nov 8

Dot & dasymetric maps

Chapter 17

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 8

Nov 13

Proportional symbol maps

Chapter 16

No Lab

 

Nov 15

Multivariate maps

Chapter 18

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 9

Nov 20

Isarithmic maps

Chapter 14

Final project

 

Nov 22

Thanksgiving – no class

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 10

Nov 27

Cartograms & 3D mapping

Chapter 19

 

 

Nov 29

Spatial cognition

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 11

Dec 4

Geographic visualization (web cartography), Test (Meri Marsh)

 

 

 

Dec 6

Final

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week 12

Dec 13 (Thu, 12-3pm)

Project presentations

 

 

Bibliography: