MAPPING GIS DATA

   

Instructions:
Choosing from a given list of metropolitan regions, select one and build a map depicting the percentage of White, Black, Asian, and Hispanic (based on 2000 population) persons at the tract level.

Methods:
Using ArcGIS, I narrowed in on the metropolitan region of Boston. After narrowing down the map size to the metropolitan region of Boston, I copied three additional maps onto the ArcGIS screen. Next, by opening the Insert dropdown menu,

 I built four legends (one for each of the 4 U.S. Census classifications I had been asken to map) by opening tracts in the Layers menu. On the Layer Properties main screen, I selected my four data classifications (one at a time) in the Value drop-down menu. I normalized this data by the 2000 U.S. Census data. I sized these legends proportionally to my maps.

I also placed a north arrow and bar scale on my map from the Insert drop-down menu.

Challenges:
The first challenge for me was locating a way to provide more aesthetically pleasing typed material in ArcGIS. I opened the Customize drop down menu and selected toolbars. From there I clicked on draw and a toolbar with more type options dropped down.

Next, we were asked to make the map easier to follow by providing the same percentage class-breaks for each map. If I had normalized using the predominant White population numbers, the data for less-represented populations would have meant very little. In order to make sure that each population was represented as well as possible, I normalized using the Asian population data as they were the smallest population. This did not detract at all from the predominance of the White population data as can be seen on the map.

In order to change all of the legends, I had to select each one and manually change the range AND label of each one. I tried only changing the labels, but after further investigation, I realized that the ranges were indicating they had been changed without actually changing the mapped data.

The legend titles provided in ArcGIS were very unhelpful but unavoidable. I had to cover them with a box from the draw toolbar I had brought down. Next, I typed my own legend headings over the boxes I had built.

I felt that the percentages were a little ambiguous without some additional information. I did not want to redundantly state these specifications on four maps, so I chose to include additional information in red on the bottom-right of my map.

I did not like the empty space to the right of each of my legends but found them unavoidable. I could not change the width of the legends without changing the height as well. I did not have the room to do so based on the size of my maps.

I wanted to provide a backdrop color but realized when I tried to do this in ArcGIS the backdrop color was visible in the lighter colors of my proportional map. I had to export my map as an Ai file to Adobe Illustrator in order to provide a backdrop color to my map.

Lastly, the term 'race' is used in the U.S. census. In order to represent it properly, I had to include the term against my personal feelings. This term is far too broadly applied and I hope to avoid it as much as possible.