Lesson 3: Mapping and Visualising Urban World with GIS

In this lesson, you will learn the basic principles and methods of GIS mapping and Geovisualisation. You will also gain hands-on exercise on using QGIS to prepare GIS maps.

Content

• Maps and Urban Environments
• Typology of Maps
  • Reference maps
  • Thematic maps
• Qualitative thematic mapping
• Quantitative thematic mapping
  • Number of classes
  • Data classification
  • Colour scheme

Lesson Slides and Hands-on Notes

• Lesson slide in html format.
• Hands-on Exercise in html format.

Readings

Core Reading (Highly recommended)

• What is a map?
• Visual Variables
• Using Colors on Maps
• Scale and Generalization
• Proportional Symbols
• Choropleth Maps
• The Basics of Data Classification

Additional Readings

• Choropleth Maps – A Guide to Data Classification
• Bivariate Choropleth
• Value-by-alpha maps
• What to consider when creating choropleth maps
• Choropleth Mapping with Exploratory Data Analysis
• Cartogram Maps: Data Visualization with Exaggeration
• Cartogram

References

• Slocum, T., McMaster R., Kessler, F. and Howard, H. (2005) Thematic Cartography and Geographic Visualization (2nd Edition), Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
• Kraak, M-J & Ormeling, F. (2003) (2nd Edition) Cartography: Visualization of Geospatial Data. Pearson Education Limited, Essex, England.
• Monmonier, M. (1996) How to Lie with Maps, The University of Chicago Press, USA.

QGIS methods

• 4. Module: Laying out the Maps of QGIS Training Manual.
• 9. Map Production of A Gentle Introduction to GIS.
• The following sub-sections of QGIS User Guide:
  • The Vector Properties Dialog: Symbology Properties
  • The Vector Properties Dialog: Labels Properties
  • The Vector Properties Dialog: Diagrams Properties
  • 14.1.6. Masks Properties
  • 14.1.7. 3D View Properties
  • 14.1.10. Joins Properties
  • 14.1.13. Display Properties
  • 14.1.14. Rendering Properties
  • 14.1.15. Variables Properties
  • 14.1.18. Legend Properties
  • 18. Laying out the maps