Research Guides: Cartographic Resources, Maps, and Spatial Data: Map Basics

Simple Tools

Tools for creating and using spatial data.

ArcGIS Explorer
ArcGIS Explorer is a mobile app for Android, iOS, and Windows that delivers 24/7 access to your organization's digital maps. It works everywhere you go, even in environments without internet access.
GIS at UD - The University of Delaware GIS Community
GEBCO undersea feature names
Compiled by General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO).
Free Map Tools
An online resource that enables visitors to easily and quickly use maps in order to measure, search and overlay mark-up elements on maps for a wide range of useful applications. Includes postcode tools for Australia, Canada, and the UK. Its "Map Tunneling Tool" identifies coordinates on the opposite side of the Earth.

Map & Spatial Information Groups

AGU Blogosphere
This is a community of Earth and space science blogs, hosted by the American Geophysical Union.
Map Societies Around the World
List of organizations which are active in the field of history of cartography (i.e., concerned, in some way, with non-current maps).
North American Cartographic Information Society (NACIS)
OpenGeoportal.org
OpenGeoportal.org is a new group of geospatial professionals, developers, and librarians working together on a collaboratively developed, open source, federated web application to discover, preview, and retrieve geospatial data.
Spatial Humanities
A project of the Institute for Enabling Geospatial Scholarship, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Scholars’ Lab at the University of Virginia Library.

What you need to know about maps

Do you know how different map projections distort the image when our round world is displayed on a flat map? Do you know the difference between large and small scale maps or how to convert from one scale to another? How would you cite a map when you use one in your paper or presentation? All this and more is available by following the links listed below.

Maps and Atlases (Citation Guide)
North Carolina State University offers examples of map citations.
Compass Rose from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Free education resources for teachers
Geography resources for teachers by the UK's Ordnance Survey.
Geodesy for the Layman
Presents basic principles of geodesy, introduces the formation of geodetic datums, and discusses the necessity of connecting or joining datums.
What is a geographic information system (GIS)?
U.S. Geological Survey page that defines GIS and includes an image showing the 8 data layers of the National Map.
Map Scale guide | University of Arizona
"This guide has been prepared to help the users of the Map Collection in understanding the concept of scale in cartography. Scale is defined as the ratio of the distance on a map to the corresponding distance on the surface the map represents."
How Old is Your Globe? History, Geography and International Politics / Replogle Globes
Country name changes since 1939 which may help to date a globe or world map.
Map History/History of Cartography
This site not only provides information on the history of maps and cartography but also provides links to a wide variety of map sources both in print and online.
Map Projection Transitions
Another transition animation illustrating different map projections.
Map Curators’ Toolbox
An online source of information and help for map curators, librarians and archivists, sponsored by the Map Curators' Group of the British Cartographic Society.
Projection Transitions
Animation showing various projections, made available in the geo.projection plugin.
Topo 101 - Topographic Maps, The Basics
Prepared by Centre for Topographic Information of Natural Resources Canada.
Topographic Map Symbols
A key to symbols used in USGS maps.
Tutorials on Data Visualization | Berkeley Advanced Media Institute
Use the Data Visualization filter to find tutorials which include mapping. Berkeley Advanced Media Institute specializes in digital media training., and while the focus of some tutorials is on technology and journalism, most are general enough to be of use to anyone.
U.S. Chart No. 1 (Chart Symbols)
U.S. Chart No. 1 describes the symbols, abbreviations, and terms used on nautical charts. It is produced by NOAA and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.