Elements of the Map
How to Lie with Maps Mark Monmonier
In chapter 2 of his book, How to Lie with Maps, Mark Monmonier describes the three basic elements of the map: map scales, map projections, and map symbols. He insists that if you do not understand these three elements, then you can not use a map safely or effectively. The chapter works as a crash course in map and spatial literacy. Of the three components, scale made the most sense to me. Of course, a map is smaller than reality and a good map will contain the scale on it and be consistent to that scale. If only... because of problems with projection-- trying to represent something that is spherical and three dimensional on a flat piece of paper. This skews up the sizes and distances of things. I think I understand that, but to be honest, I had a hard time getting my head around the full explanations and the descriptions of the different types of map projections that have been used, including their strengths and limitations. Plane, cone, cylinder, sinusoidal? Conformal? Loxodrome? Gnomonic? Oblique azimuthal equidistant projection? What? I am trying to make the transition from armchair map lover to having a more critical understanding of the map. I am straining for map literacy... I better read this chapter again.
