1. The Concept of “Scale” This can be confusing!
© 2014 Brian Weekley AP Human Geography Any use for educational purposes is granted.

2. What is “Scale”? There are several meanings when using this term
Map Scale
“World-view” Scale

3. Map Scale
Scale is the relationship between map units and the actual distance on the Earth.
The smaller the scale, the smaller everything is, and a larger area is shown/covered.

4. Map Scale
Ratio or fraction scale gives the relationship as a ratio, e.g. 1:100,000 is that 1 unit on the map equals 100,000 units on the ground.
In a written scale units are expressed in a convenient way, e.g. “1 centimeter equals 1 kilometer.”
A graphic scale is given by a scale bar showing the distance represented on the Earth's surface.

5. Think of “map scale” as a fraction
¼ > ⅛
“¼” is closer to the SAME as the WHOLE thing than is “⅛”. (Architects use ¼ “= 1’ scale mostly)
A map that is 1:54,000 scale has a LARGER scale than a map that is 1:1,000,000. Meaning you see more DETAIL
***Large scale = large detail*** and ZOOMED IN

6. World-view Scale
We also talk about “scale” in regards to our view of the world- our perspective and vantage point, and the area we are focused on.
It is all relative to some other scale.
While “map scale” is literal, “world-view scale” is more figurative in nature.

7. World-view Scale There can be:
Local Scale or level (e.g., things that happen around us close by, and locally)
Lake City would be an example, comparative to Florida
Regional Scale or level (e.g., things that happen at a regional level of which the local is a part)
Florida, the South, or the US, comparable to the world as a whole
Global Scale or level (e.g., things that can be said to be universal)
The World as a whole

8. World-view Scale
What is true at one scale might not hold true at a larger scale.
Look at the following maps of election results from 2012.

9. Red =Republican Romney; Blue = Democrat Obama
Support in large urban areas
Support from African Americans and immigrants OR urban centers
Support from immigrants

10. Q: Why not Pensacola or Jax?
Support in large urban areas, college towns, cities
Support in densely-populated African American communities, seats of government
A: Heavy military presence, historically conservative

11. Columbia County overall voted for Romney.

12. World-view Scale
What is true at the local level (Columbia County) was not true or Florida OR the US. Obama won in Florida and obviously the country.
Here is a baseball analogy:
One at-bat is the local level
One game is the regional level
162-game season is the global level
Things on a global level are usually very non-specific

13. Sum it all up: The smaller the scale, the smaller everything is
The larger the scale, the larger the detail
Local, regional and global views of things are all in relation to some other view and might all be different