Lab #5: Map Projections

This exercise was somewhat difficult at first. Although I read through the Wikipedia page about map projections, it was hard to figure out which options to choose in the ArcMap to make a map that represented the various map projections. Therefore, it took a little more research in order to figure it all out. However, overall, this exercise was fun, because it was interesting to see how one can manipulate a single map into various shapes that would preserve different aspects of it.

Significance: It is important to know the different types of map projections, because each changes the map so that different elements are changed or stay the same. For example, equidistant map projections, like the Equidistant Conic World Map that I created, distance was preserved from some standard point or line. This is different from an equal-area map projection, like the Sinusoidal World Map that I created, because equal-area projections preserve area. Furthermore, the maps are significant because it is important to know why one type would be used over another. While researching map projections, I found out that Mercator projections are most popular because it preserves angles and because of it is a rectangular map.

Perils: Obviously one of the biggest perils of map projections is the fact that each type preserves certain elements while distorting others. For example, the Stereographic World Map that I created preserves angels but does not preserve distance or the area of figures. Sometimes these kinds of distortions are acceptable, but other times they are not. Therefore, because there are various map projection types, one must be careful as to which one they choose.

Potential: Working with map projections was somewhat fun. As mentioned, it was interesting to see how a single map can be manipulated to represent the same thing (in this case, the world) in several different ways. Therefore, one of the major potentials of map projections is that they allow us to represent the Earth or parts of its surface in a wide variety of scales.

Lab #7: A look at the U.S. population by Race

In this map, it shows the Asian population across the US ranked by percentage. From the legend, you can see where there are higher concentrations of Asian populations. The map is not as clear as I wanted it to be, because I forgot to change one of the headings, so it is not very clear that the legend is referring to the Asian population only. If I had more time, I would have gone back to fix this minor yet significant problem.

Lab #4: Proposed Airport Expansion

Write a four paragraph review of your ArcMap experience that discusses the potential and pitfalls of GIS.

Working through the ArcMap tutorial was quite an experience. It was very time consuming and meticulous work; however, I do feel as though it was helpful and somewhat fun.

At first, working with ArcMap was very frustrating. There were so many small steps to work through. It seemed almost pointless. However, as I continued to work through the tutorial, it was obvious to see that in order to create more advanced maps or scales I had to know how navigate my way through the simple toolbars. I knew that no matter what I was being asked to do, I could figure out how to do it especially as I continued through the tutorial.

I know that we were asked to go through the tutorial at least three times, but I felt as though I went through it many more times! This was one of the pitfalls, because after I had been working on one of the maps for a while, I would make one simple mistake such as clicking the wrong icon on the toolbar and I couldn't undo my mistake. This was frustrating. After a few trial and errors I realized how to undo my mistakes or how to go back and fix them. So this is definitely a program that requires a lot of practice.

I think that one of the good things about GIS is that it really allows you to do a lot in terms of creating maps, legends, and so forth. It goes beyond a simple map creation and allows you to really create something that focuses on what you're interested in. For example, in this tutorial we were looking at the noise affecting schools and houses near the airport and increased traffic along major roads. By looking at this data and analyzing it using ArcMap, we were able to create land use maps and create a poster that illustrates proposed airport expansion.

Working through this tutorial and creating the poster also helped me to appreciate other ArcMap creations that I have seen. I would have never known how much work goes into creating such a simple looking illustration!