Mod1 Well-designed map vs Poorly-designed map

 

Module 1 

Well-designed maps vs Poorly-designed maps

    In this assignment I was asked to choose two different maps to evaluate based on certain criteria. That criteria was discussed earlier in previous classes for me as well as in this first module. 

Starting with the well-designed map that I chose from Module 1 folder, I wanted to make an evaluation on this map because I could relate to this map more than the others. 

This map was created to help anyone that was going to be hunting in South Carolina determine which hunting zone they would be taking game in. 

    This information is similar to the information I've had to research when hunting in Florida. In my local area we have the NWF Wildlife Management zone as well as the Black Water State forest and even the Federal Airforce base Reservation.

    There have been times in the past that I have searched for similar information to this map and was stuck even more confused than when I started. This map is exactly the kind of map every state should have for their wild life management zones. It's clear, concise, all of the information is relevant to the overall theme and purpose. 

    I had no problem determining what information the map maker was trying to show me. The legend is situated in an appropriate place with no legend border which I prefer when creating my layouts. 

    There is supplemental information including the government website for the viewer to visit to find other information concerning hunting in the state of SC. 

    Over all of the map elements are there and none of them are drawing too much attention from me.

Below  I will be evaluating the second map I chose as the Poorly-designed map. Even though it looks like it was just unfinished, I also felt a connection to this map because I've not only enjoyed the history of hurricanes that have hit east coast of the United states and Gulf, I've also written a research paper on the subject. 

    As you can see, compared to the map that I commented on above,  there is little to no information for anyone to go off of. 

    The data is messy, there is no title, legend, scale bar, etc.. The map elements are just non-existent. 

Although this map has a lot of potential it looks incomplete and bare. 

    I will list a few things that I think could have been improved for this map to be a useful tool. 

    Condense the Data.

        There have been numerous hurricanes since the year 1851 often multiple per year, so we are 

        working with potentially thousands of lines of data for hurricane paths. They would need to                     condensed or the timeline would need to be shortened. 

    Map Elements

        There are no elements added to this map that would help me or anyone else determine what I am 

        looking at. Adding a legend, title, symbols, scale bar would take this map far. 

    Help the viwer

        Although this map may have been created for those that are in the field of climatology, there really 

        supplemental information to put anything into context.