A lot of this lab was me figuring out how to do everything we covered in class in the updated version of ArcGIS. Once I got over that learning curve, everything went pretty smoothly and I was able to create a map design that I was happy with. I choose to keep my map fairly simple and legible although there is certainly much more that you can do with ArcGIS, I don’t think I have those skills yet. There is a lot I need to learn about how all the interfaces are organized before I try anything crazy with this resource. That being said, there is a lot of potential for web mapping in DH, especially concerning more anthropological research. Web mapping can be used to create interactive maps showing the movement of people and highlighting important locations on their journeys to disseminate cultural knowledge. Digital Humanities is the study of the humanities using digital tools, and with all the options available in ArcGIS it is such a powerful tool. Not only can you make the maps, but you can create blogs to go along with them, which I would argue covers many of the weaknesses of using GIS in the field. We can tell so much more of a story with this combination of the interactive maps and words explaining in more detail without taking away from the comprehensibility of the maps! I had fun making this map once I got rolling, but there’s still a lot I don’t understand about ArcGIS, so I hope we get more practice in the future.
2 thoughts on “LAB ASSIGNMENT: CREATE YOUR OWN CAMPUS MAP”
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Hi Simon! I really like your point about combining maps with blogs to tell a more complete story. That’s something I hadn’t thought about much, but it makes a lot of sense, especially for DH research. I totally agree with your decision to keep the map simple and clear because I believe the true purpose of a map is to be as informative as possible. Making it too fancy could actually have the opposite effect—making it less informative and less straightforward.
Hi Simon! Your map turned out great! I completely agree that there was quite a bit of a learning curve that I had to overcome when I was using ArcGIS. After more practice and experience with the mapping tool, I am sure it will become easier to use. I did not realize there was a blogging aspect to ArcGIS, so that is quite interesting! I totally agree with your point that you can provide more detailed information if you combine the interactive map with a blog that explains certain aspects of the map.