CH 4-
Chapter four of the book goes over density in relation to GIS mapping; its uses, formats, and when it’s a good choice to utilize. Density mapping can be a great tool when graphing visuals on populations of various things (i.e., people, businesses, animals, plants, etc.). It can be done by a defined area or by loose markings, which can in turn be symbolized by shading or pinpoint markers. The style chosen is based on the information you are trying to represent. If you are mapping population by county of a certain state, defined barriers would work well. However, if you are attempting to establish a coffee shop in a town, pinpoint markers would be best.
CH 5-
Chapter five goes over “mapping what’s inside”, where information is mapped within a certain defined area, either for data on that region or for comparing regions to one another. This form of mapping focused on one area, but on many things within that area. Chapter five also goes over the type of information and analysis needed, depending on the goal of mapping. For example, do you want everything outside of your desires mapping area to be shown with only the desired area highlighted, or do you want only information to be shown within the desired region? This is once again dependent on the intention of the map. It also goes into how to decide what features to show on your map; are roads important features? rivers?
CH 6-
Chapter six talks about distance and how far out to map from your desired location. It also speaks on what specific features outside of your zone to focus on, depending on the map’s intent. The unit of “distance” you use is also an important factor to weigh in. For something within the natural sciences, this distance can be “meters from a water source”, but for something more anthropocentric, distance might be better measured as “walking time from campus”.