There will be one written and hand-drawn exercise (Lab 1, Design a Personal Map) before we begin drawing maps, and then four map drawing lab assignments in this course. Every drawing assignment is designed to be done over two weeks, mainly during our scheduled lab time but using extra time outside the scheduled lab if necessary. Labs will be due in to the TA at the end of the second week's lab class unless otherwise stated on the schedule.
You have to complete all five labs to pass the course. If you miss one, you can make it up at any time. But be careful! - many labs build on the one before, so you can't do some of them out of sequence.
Labs are graded out of 8 marks each, for a total of 40 for the five assignments.
At the end of term you collect your four drawn map labs, including any improvements you wish to make. Improvements will be especially important for the first map, as will be discussed in class. You also draw the Personal Map designed in Lab 1. You can work on that throughout the term if you like. They are all put together and submitted in a "portfolio" - just stapled together, no folder, binder or cover sheet. The Instructor will rank them according to principles described in the course outline. Marking is ranking in this course, so average labs will always get average marks, about a B grade (about 75%). The best labs will get marks around 80% or more and the less satisfactory labs will get marks around 70% or even lower if necessary. Low marks will happen if you do a poor job on the assignment - failing to meet our map specifications (size or contents, etc.), or sloppy drawing, or very poor map design, or minimal effort. The highest marks are for people who go beyond the basic expectations.
A. Every map produced for this course must be drawn in a rectangle
16.5 cm by 23 cm (6.5 by 9 inches, allowing margins 1 inch wide on a
standard 8.5 by 11 inch sheet of paper), neither smaller nor larger
and centred on the page. The rectangle may be in landscape or
portrait orientation. A box of this size, the 'neatline', using the thinnest
line available, must surround everything on the map
including your name. Other boxes may be used to contain data within
the map. All should use the smallest line thickness available, and none
should touch or overlap.
B. No text anywhere on the map should be underlined or in any
decorative font (outline, shadowed, etc.), or have a size smaller
than 8 point.
C. Identify yourself only by name, not by your student number or
computer user name. Do not include the date you completed or handed
in the map. Only the date of the information portrayed on the map or
its source (if applicable) should appear on the map.
Map Design:
Design is necessarily a subjective issue, and maps will be assessed
with this in mind. Nevertheless, certain concepts of good functional
design should be followed. Keep in mind the following points:
a) All text must be legible, complete, unambiguous and spelled
correctly.
b) Avoid large blank areas and aim for approximate symmetry if
feasible. Large blank areas mean you need to redesign your map.
c) Devise a logical relationship between text, line or pattern and
the things they represent (e.g. larger text, heavier lines, darker
patterns for more significant items on the map, similar symbols or
patterns for similar items and different ones for different items).
d) Nothing is fixed in our software: if your map is crowded, shrink
something to fit better. If there are large empty spaces, enlarge
something to fill the space available. Try different fonts, sizes or
wording to make text fit. Rotate or move objects until the results
are most pleasing.
e) Seek a second opinion. Ask a friend if your design looks
balanced, or if anything is missing or difficult to understand.
Advice is not plagiarism!
Design lab: Design a Personal Map
Drawing Lab 1: Computer lab orientation, simple map drawing
Drawing Lab 3: Proportional symbol map
Drawing Lab 4: Contour map (part 1)
Drawing Lab 4: Contour map (part 2)
Lab assignments: