AMSCO Chapter 1: Maps and Geographic Data (Notes)

Flashcards cover map types (reference, political, physical, road, plat, thematic, choropleth, dot distribution, graduated symbol, isoline, cartogram), scale concepts (small vs large), location and distance concepts, projections (Mercator, Peters, Conic, Robinson), and basic geographic data/tools (observation, remote sensing, aerial photography, fieldwork, government documents, GPS, GIS, and apps.

What is the primary purpose of reference maps?

Reference maps refer to information about places.

What are political maps?

Man-made maps showing countries, counties, cities, and other political boundaries.

What are physical maps?

Maps that show and label natural features such as rivers, lakes, and deserts.

What do road maps depict?

Highways, streets, and alleys.

What are plat maps used for?

Property lines and details of land.

What is a thematic map?

A map that shows a theme or phenomenon.

What is a choropleth map?

Uses colors or shades of a single color to show the distribution of spatial data.

What is a dot distribution map?

Shows the specific location and distribution of something across a map.

What is a graduated symbol map?

Uses different symbol sizes to indicate different amounts; larger symbols mean more.

What is an isoline map?

A map using lines that connect points with equal value across space (also called isoline maps).

What is a cartogram?

A map that shows the size of states or countries (or other areas) to reflect a data variable.

What is the difference between small scale and large scale maps?

Small scale shows a large area with less detail; large scale shows a smaller area with more detail.

What is absolute location?

The precise spot where something is located according to a coordinate system.

What is relative location?

A description of where something is in relation to other things.

What does direction describe in geography?

Where things are in relation to each other.

What is distance in map terms?

A measurement of how far or near things are to another.

What is elevation in geographic terms?

The distance of features above sea level (measured in feet or meters).

What does pattern distribution refer to?

The arrangement of objects or phenomena across a geographical area.

Which map projections are listed and their general uses?

Mercator – navigation; Peters – areas (equal-area emphasis); Conic – general use in midlatitude countries; Robinson – general use.

What is observation and interpretation in geographic data?

An act or instance of noticing or perceiving.

What is field observation?

Learning how work is actually done in real circumstances.

What is remote sensing?

The acquiring of information from a distance.

What is aerial photography?

Any photograph taken from the air.

What is fieldwork?

The process of observing and collecting data about people, cultures, and natural environments.

What are government documents in geographic data?

Official records, reports, statistics, or laws published by a national government.

What is GPS used for?

An accurate worldwide navigation system.

What is GIS?

A computer system that can store, analyze, and display geographic information.

What are smartphone and computer applications in this context?

Apps that gather, store, and use locational data from computers.