What makes a map "good" or "bad"?

• Relevant Title/Subtitles that are clear and concise
• Appropriate Symbology for all layers
• Legend that can be easily interpreted by a wide audience
• Colour scheme that is suitable and does not clash
• A suitable number of data classes with appropriate class boundaries

I believe the "Bears in Alberta Map" produced by Alberta Parks is an example of a good map. The symbology of colour scheme and pattern between layers is very easy to understand and is visually appealing. Furthermore, the relative simplicity of this map will result in a broader audience being able to understand what the map is representing. The data (Grizzly and Black Bear ranges) this map presents is a simple concept, so it is suitable that the map design is also simple. The clear and concise legend is a further positive of this map, as well as listing some of the main cities in Alberta for reference. I think this map could perhaps benefit from outlining the location of Alberta's National Parks, such as Banff and Jasper, for further reference and also by including a scale.

 ^{Government of Canada - The Atlas of Canada - Territorial Evolution from 1867 to 2017:  https://atlas.gc.ca/ette/en/index.html}  

I think the "Territorial Evolution from 1867 to 2017" map created by the Government of Canada is a really effective interactive map. The interactive map is very easy to navigate and engage with, meaning a wide variety of people could use it. Moreover, the fact you are able to speed it up, slow it down and also pause this interactive map is an extremely valuable feature. I also like that each animation has a different text box to provide contextual information for why the map has changed from one animation to the next. The colour scheme of this map is visually appealing and clear for the viewer to see the changes throughout the time period from 1867 to 2017.

Some of the mistakes that I have made when creating maps include:

• Map is not visually appealing. This has occurred when I have not adjusted the symbology to be appropriate for whatever the particular map is aiming to portray. This can include clashes in the colour scheme or inappropriate symbology styles.
• Using too many layers. This has resulted in my map being extremely cluttered and the purpose of the map is confused by data sets being shown that aren't relevant.
• Another critical mistake I have made is forgetting to include the legend in the map view. This essentially makes the reader unable to interpret or understand the information that the map is trying to present. Additionally, when the legend has a confusing or long subtitle for the layers it can add to the confusion.
• Creating too many data classes for a choropleth map layer. This has resulted in my map becoming unnecessarily confusing.
• The final map that is produced being displayed poorly. For example, this can include the map being either zoomed in or zoomed out too much, the legend not being present and a lack of outline around the area the data is mapping.