Mapping It Out: Expository Cartography for the Humanities and Social Sciences (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing) (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "MAPS HAVE AN IMPORTANT PLACE IN SCHOLARLY writing..." (more)
Key Phrases: graytone area symbols, retinal variables, detail inset map, New York, United States, Essex County (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Writers know only too well how long it can take--and how awkward it can be--to describe spatial relationships with words alone. And while a map might not always be worth a thousand words, a good one can help writers communicate an argument or explanation clearly, succinctly, and effectively. In his acclaimed How to Lie with Maps, Mark Monmonier showed how maps can distort facts. In Mapping it Out: Expository Cartography for the Humanities and Social Sciences, he shows authors and scholars how they can use expository cartography--the visual, two-dimensional organization of information--to heighten the impact of their books and articles.

This concise, practical book is an introduction to the fundamental principles of graphic logic and design, from the basics of scale to the complex mapping of movement or change. Monmonier helps writers and researchers decide when maps are most useful and what formats work best in a wide range of subject areas, from literary criticism to sociology. He demonstrates, for example, various techniques for representing changes and patterns; different typefaces and how they can either clarify or confuse information; and the effectiveness of less traditional map forms, such as visibility base maps, frame-rectangle symbols, and complementary scatterplot designs for conveying complex spatial relationships.

There is also a wealth of practical information on map compilation, cartobibliographies, copyright and permissions, facsimile reproduction, and the evaluation of source materials. Appendixes discuss the benefits and limitations of electronic graphics and pen-and-ink drafting, and how to work with a cartographic illustrator. Clearly written, and filled with real-world examples, Mapping it Out demystifies mapmaking for anyone writing in the humanities and social sciences. "A useful guide to a subject most people probably take too much for granted. It shows how map makers translate abstract data into eye-catching cartograms, as they are called. It combats cartographic illiteracy. It fights cartophobia. It may even teach you to find your way."--Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, The New York Times

Product Details

• Hardcover: 316 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press; 1 edition (June 1, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226534162
• ISBN-13: 978-0226534169
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,136,017 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Good stuff, April 15, 2009

By	phocas (Gladstone, MO, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mapping It Out: Expository Cartography for the Humanities and Social Sciences (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing) (Paperback)

I picked this up, having an interest in the topic, and it proved to be a rather valuable resource in a few cartogrphic examples assembled for humanities classes.