Lab 6

You can access my map here: Campus Map. You can also access my CSV File here: CSV File.

I chose these buildings for my map because I have spent a considerable amount of time in them this term. Two of my classes this term are in Weitz, and I have also frequently met with my comps group in Olin and Willis. I have also spent some time in Laird and LDC this term.

For my map, I decided to make my map layout night-themed, as I find this theme easy to navigate through. I also chose to make my points large-diamond shapes. I made the color red so it is easy to recognize upon initial glance. For my polygons, I chose to make them dark blue, as it is easy to differentiate the buildings from the rest.    

I think web mapping is a useful tool for DH projects. The ability to tell a story with a map can be used in a large variety of research, including but not limited to, agriculture, architecture history, and historical context. Furthermore, web mapping can also be used to give more context to specific locations. For instance, we were able to use the Squirrels CSV file to create a map of NYC to display the high load of squirrels in that specific area. ArcGIS is a very flexible and useful tool and it can be used to accomplish a lot. I believe that this tool can be used in an efficient manner for DH projects, specifically creating overlays and storytelling. The only issue I see with this software is it does have a learning curve, and without going through a tutorial, it can be hard to navigate through it. Therefore, if there is an easier tool that can be used for those who don’t have a large technical background, I would recommend that instead of ArcGIS. I look forward to exploring more tools in the future for web mapping.