Abstract: Challenge and response in cartographic design geography and cartographic design reconstructing the relevancy of design in postmodernism automated cartography and the human paradigm a pilot study into empirical knowledge about cartographic design cartographic complementary objectives, strategies and examples tactile mapping design and the visually impaired user designing maps for the young elementary school child gender differences in map reading abilities design issues to be considered when mapping time re-examining the cartographic depiction of topography cartographic symbolization requirements by microcomputer-based geographic information systems an experiment with choropleth maps on a monochrome LCD panel an evaluation of multivariate quantitative point symbols for maps feature matching and the similarity of maps examination of effects of task type and map complexity on sequenced and static choropleth maps closing address.

Abstract: Choropleth maps are frequently used to analyse spatial variations in the risk of a disease In such maps the relative risk is typically quantified by dividing some measure of the number of cases of the disease by some measure of the population at risk The resulting rates may be regarded as maximum likelihood estimates of individual risk These estimates may be unstable if the areas are very small or if the disease is rare In such situations, the highest and lowest values on the map will display a tendency to be concentrated in the areas with the smallest populations The traditional solution to this problem is to supplement maps based on ratios with probability maps However, probability maps display an opposite bias — ie, they tend to highlight the areas with the largest populations Several statisticians have suggested a compromise between these two extremes using empirical Bayes techniques This paper outlines the rationale underlying empirical Bayes techniques, and assesses their usefulness using case studies of neo-natal mortality and cancer mortality

Abstract: Thematic cartographers have used numerous techniques to portray the spatial and quantitative aspects of human migrations: choropleth maps, graduated symbol maps, and, most commonly, flow maps. Unfortunately, these methods all have serious shortcomings, particularly when used to map complex movement patterns. This paper proposes and demonstrates a new technique: automatically generated migration mapping. This technique automatically produces animated visualizations directly from a data base of net migration counts without the need for any other drawing or animation software. The method animates vector field maps according to the model set forth in 1885 by Ernst Ravenstein in his ground-breaking work on migration. Automatically generated migration animations are intended as tools for the exploration of migration data, allowing the viewer to perceive geographic patterns of flow through the combined motion of many small symbols moving independently across a background map. Symbol size and colour present infor...

Abstract: Background: The potential of maps in the study of regional variation and similarlity in health and in understanding the underlying processes is being increasingly realized. It has thus become important that more care is exercised in drawing health maps and the subjective elements are minimized. Conventional choropleth maps based on quantitative data are mostly arbitrary with regard to the number of categories and the cutoff points. This can lead to substantially different pictures based on the same data set. Methods: We suggest use of cluster methods to discover 'natural' groups of data points which to a large extent are suggested by the data themselves. These methods can determine not only the cutoff points but also the number of categories required to depict the variability In the data. The methods have natural extension to the multivatlate set-up and thus can provide the strategy to construct integrated maps based on the simultaneous consideration of several variables. Since different cluster methods can yield different groupings we propose a simple method to identify cutoffs common to a majority of the methods. Results: The details of the methods are explained on two real data sets. One is the indicators of mortality before one year of age in India and the other is years of life lost due to premature mortality in different countries. The maps obtained are compared with the conventional maps. Conclusion: The cutoff points obtained by a majority of cluster methods deserve attention for obtaining natural groups for choroplethic depiction. Maps based on such cutoffs seems to have promise for increasing the accuracy in perception and cognition of regional variation.

Abstract: Choropleth maps are a common type of thematic map that is easy to make once students learn a few basic definitions and procedures. After making practice maps with data provided by the teacher, students can make a map with data they have gathered. This activity provides an opportunity to use a range of geographic skills and to review the locations of the 50 states. It is suitable for grades 9–12. If students have access to computers, it is possible for them to create maps that are remarkably professional.

Abstract: This paper discusses the creation of a database drawing primarily on the parish evidence contained in the 1524/15251aysubsidyrollsforDevon.Thisislinkedto ARC/INFO in order to generate choropleth maps which depict patterns ofpopulation and prosperity in early sixteenth-century Devon. The methods are capable of replication in other counties, and the database can be extended to include further variables.

Abstract: A study was designed to compare the performance of six spatial interpolation methods to estimate soil properties at unvisited points. These methods were global mean, moving average, nearest neighbour, inverse squared distance, Laplacian smoothing splines and ordinary point kriging. These methods were also applied in combination with a choropleth map (soil map) by stratifying the area. The soil properties estimated were thickness of A1 horizon, maximum areic mass of phosphate adsorbed by soil, mean highest water table and mean lowest water table. The performance of the methods was measured by estimating the spatial means of the squared and absolute error (quality criteria not conditional on the sample of test points) by a stratified simple random sample of test points. The mean squared error was very large in proportion to the spatial variation over the total area for all methods and properties. Differences between methods were small. In general, no statistically significant stratification or weighting effects were found. The effect of weighting plus stratification was usually not significant either. Overall, weighting with inverse squared distance was as satisfactory as weighting by ordinary point kriging. However, the latter was superior near data points. Also, when combined with soil map stratification, kriging was more reliable in the sense that it estimated all properties well. Estimates obtained using the means of six soil map units were better, although not significantly, than those obtained from unstratified kriging and as good as kriging within three map units.