1. Today’s schedule Cartographic Communication Paradigm
Overview of Ben’s Fry’s Data Visualization Pipeline

2. History of Research in Cartography Cartographic Communication Paradigm

4. Lecture Objectives
Provide background to cartographic research from 50s to present day
Fully develop theory of cartography as a communications science (Robinson and Petchenik reading)
Discuss problems with the paradigm (MacEachren reading)

5. 1. Trends in Cartographic Teaching and Research from Hermansen, Cartographia,
Thematic Mapping
Empirical Cognitive Research:
Cartographic ‘Rules’
Communication
Vision, Cognition, Perception
Eye Movement Studies
Map Use and Map Design
Volume teaching research
Peak
Community Mapping
Web mapping
Geo Visualization
Human/machine interaction
VGI
Rise
Decline
Comeback
Government:
WWII topo maps, reference maps
National mapping agencies
Mostly reference, some thematic
Empirical research:
Least practical differences
flannery proportional symbols
Cuff colour ramps,
Petchenik type sizes
Jenks classification
Castner and Eastman dot density
= rules
Stimulus / response psychological testing
1965 Imhof
Maps should contain nothing that a normally gifted user cannot easily see.
Laws of vision and experience of map readers are to be followed and observed
Cartographer must understand his role in the larger system of communication of which he is but a part
GIS
data input
analysis
Social theory
Government production
60s
70s
80s
90s
00s
10s
year

6. 2. Map as a Communication System 1975, A Robinson and BB Petchenik
Evaluating map production and map reading as a communication process
Refining models of cartographic communication
Outlining problems with measuring information content on maps and information retrieved by percipient

7. 2. Map as a Communication System
Define:
map user/viewer/reader versus
map receiver: one who by viewing a map augments his/her understanding of the geographic milieu that is his previous conception of the real world.
= map percipient – have the power to perceive

8. 2. Cartographic Communication System
real world
360.here.com
map user
GIS analyst/
cartographer’s
conception of
the real world
map
map
DECODING
472
ENCODING
270/372
visual noise

9. Source: speaker, channel = air sound waves, listener is recipient

10. Encoder = voice mechanism
decoder = hearing mechanism
noise = static, studder
Signal = sound waves
Encoder – thoughts to sound waves, decoder – sound waves to thoughts

11. Source = RW = cartographer
Encoding = symbolization
Signal = graphic patter
Destination = percipient
What the percipient see and interprets is not equal to what the cartographer sees and interprets
RW - map - coded message (filters generalization process) patterns - eyes and brain - perceptual abilities of map reader to understand symbols = message to reader

12. Transform data from RW to Map (T1 and T2) – retrieved through interpretative map reading process. (T3)
Cartographers task, devise better and better approximations to a transformation, T2 so T2=T3.

15. M2 and U: added to cognition M Map
A Cartographer
B Map User
Subject Matter Correct
Erroneous

16. https://censusmapper.ca/maps/693#12/49.2512/-123.1255

21. 3. Discuss problems with the paradigm Cartography Communication Science (MacEachren reading 1995)
Viewing cartography as a communication science omits many ways people use maps
Scientific empirical research for improving maps ignores contributions of art
Philosophical perspective/social theory: does not accept maps as objective representations of reality therefore rejects that any objective research is possible

22. Cartography as ART and SCIENCE
Deconstruction