Lab 6

Link to the google sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EgEst2DShPSuexOFqFCZp4LkUcYErf5F-cNKCJI4snU/edit?usp=sharing

I would like to briefly introduce some of my thoughts and technical decisions when creating this map:

First, I experimented with various symbology options and finally chose to use a heat dot style to show how often I visit a building. The main reason is that my map has a small amount of data, so many symbology styles for quantitative variables did not show the differences well. I also tried a style that uses dot size to represent frequency, but after I completed the polygon feature layer, I found that some dots were larger than the buildings themselves, which affected the visual appearance. Therefore, I decided to use the heat dot style.

Next, I did not change the labels because I thought that showing the building names was the best approach. When we look at a map, these points are seen as landmarks, so it is natural to display the names of the places. I believe that using building names as labels is the most appropriate choice. In addition, I had some ideas for styling the building outlines. First, I changed the color of the buildings so that they would not interfere with the dots. Also, I added a shading style to make the buildings appear slightly raised, which helps to better show their outlines.

During this process, I discovered the unlimited potential of web mapping for DH work. We can freely modify, organize, overlay, and edit different maps, which allows us to think about DH issues from various perspectives. For example, in the study of ancient Chinese history, managing the Yellow River was an important task for every dynasty. Therefore, we could combine maps of the Yellow River from ancient dynasties, modern Yellow River maps, and maps inferred from geological research. By using different layers, we can show the changes of the Yellow River in different eras, how ancient researchers explored the river, and mark water conservancy projects from different periods using symbology. Web mapping can display a changing process by adjusting transparency and visually integrate different sources of information, which traditional mapping cannot do.

ArcGIS is a very powerful platform. Its advantages can be summed up in a few points: First, it is user-friendly. As a front-end developer, I really like how the platform categorizes and labels different functions. This helped me, even though I had no previous web mapping experience, to quickly find the features I needed. Second, it offers a complete set of features. All the web mapping functions I can think of are available on the website, and it provides flexible options to add new content. Finally, it is highly shareable. We can easily share maps, even different layers of the same map, which is very beneficial for DH research, as the humanities are built on continuous discussion and mutual learning.