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This summer, my journey into the world of GIS begins with GEOG7 at UCLA. This blog will serve as the repository for class assignments and other GIS information.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Lab 1, Map #2

This map was found by doing a Google search for "Map of College Football Teams." I chose this map from http://southerncollegesports.com/football_location_map2.html because I like college football and this map depicts all Division 1 programs, and this happens to be a map I had not seen before. This map's strength is showing not only where each college exists, but also what conference each team represents through the use of color-coded labeling.

But I also chose this map because of its numerous shortcomings. Obviously, it was created without the use of proper mapping tools/software (looks like an MS Paint product) and without any regard for accuracy. Being familiar with Texas geography, I can find clear faults with the placement of several of the teams in that state. Clearly, it is designed by a College Football fan, for College Football fans, and it's an assumption on the part of the creator that his viewers will come with a knowledge of each team's abbreviation. Even so, the author of this map does a poor job of ensuring that his labels can clearly be read. This is particularly a problem in the Mid-West, where the Big Ten and MAC teams are clustered. Finally, it's notable that this map shows a bias in its coloring. The map was presumably authored by a Southerner, and as such, the author saw it fit to depict the PAC-10 teams in the color pink - which may seem innocuous to a casual viewer, but I believe it was more than likely a direct jab at the West Coast style of football.

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