GEO 490x Communication & Geography Valparaiso University

Due Thursday October 28

10 points (one of the team web site projects—the assignment has been simplified so that we are not actually building a web site, just coming up with ideas that could potentially be executed and it is not team-based)

The goal of this exercise is to think about how to non-geographical information might be represented using techniques of spatialization.

For this exercise you will produce a sketch map of the information on either the GEO/MET or the Communication Department web sites. To start, you need to figure out a strategy to represent the sites using a geographical metaphor. This might be as a 2D map (of any of a number of different kinds) or as a 3D as a map or landscape. We are not interested here in the conventional diagram with pages linked by lines indicating a hyperlink. Rather we are interested in ways to represent the information contained in the web sites. Imagine that you are a web surfer looking for information on a particular topic. What kind of map would help you find that information? Your Mapping Cyberspace text provides numerous examples and divides these information space maps into three categories. While the third category is difficult to do with pencil and paper, the first two should be manageable. It might even be possible to come up with your own method of spatialization. If you do not finish in class today you should spend some time out of class finishing your map.

Flat spatialization: Your map would look something like the maps on pp. 114-121. You will need to count the number of pages or estimate the relative amount of information on different topics and then spatialize this quantity by some method of representation. How you do this is up to you.

Landscape of information: Create 3D representation that resembles a city or a landscape with buildings or other features to represent parts of the web site (as discussed pp. 121-124). You might replicate the geographical or architectural structure of the building that the programs are housed in. You could use other metaphors to create the information space—geography on the ground, meteorology in the sky. TV and radio major information represented by a TV and radio in a room, etc.

Information space: You might try representing the website as an information space not arranged on a planar construct (as discussed pp. 124-128). This may be difficult to do with pen and paper, but you could give it a try.

Grading criteria

(2 points) Completeness: How much of the website does the map cover. Good maps will cover the entire site, not so good maps will have significant holes in coverage.

(5 points) Creativity: How creative is your approach to spatializing the websites. A creative map will use an innovative idea to spatialize the web sites. A bad map would be one that simply represents web pages as documents linked together with lines.

(3 points) Cartographic execution/useability: Good maps will be neat and in final draft form and will easily communicate the structure of the information space. An Ok map will be mostly neat and communicate OK. A bad map will look like it was sketched on the back of a napkin and will be confusing.

Bonus points

(1 point) If your map is judged to have potential as a real map to help people navigate the sites.

(1 point) If your map is done using computer drawing programs and looks especially professional.

(up to 5 points depending upon quality) If in addition to the sketch map you produce a working map posted on the Internet that allows the user to navigate the departmental web space using the map. Simply posting your sketch map on the Internet does not count here. It must work.

	Department of Geography and Meteorology, Valparaiso University Communication and Geography, GEO/COM 490X Mapping a Web Site
Due Thursday October 28 10 points (one of the team web site projects—the assignment has been simplified so that we are not actually building a web site, just coming up with ideas that could potentially be executed and it is not team-based) The goal of this exercise is to think about how to non-geographical information might be represented using techniques of spatialization. For this exercise you will produce a sketch map of the information on either the GEO/MET or the Communication Department web sites. To start, you need to figure out a strategy to represent the sites using a geographical metaphor. This might be as a 2D map (of any of a number of different kinds) or as a 3D as a map or landscape. We are not interested here in the conventional diagram with pages linked by lines indicating a hyperlink. Rather we are interested in ways to represent the information contained in the web sites. Imagine that you are a web surfer looking for information on a particular topic. What kind of map would help you find that information? Your Mapping Cyberspace text provides numerous examples and divides these information space maps into three categories. While the third category is difficult to do with pencil and paper, the first two should be manageable. It might even be possible to come up with your own method of spatialization. If you do not finish in class today you should spend some time out of class finishing your map. Flat spatialization: Your map would look something like the maps on pp. 114-121. You will need to count the number of pages or estimate the relative amount of information on different topics and then spatialize this quantity by some method of representation. How you do this is up to you. Landscape of information: Create 3D representation that resembles a city or a landscape with buildings or other features to represent parts of the web site (as discussed pp. 121-124). You might replicate the geographical or architectural structure of the building that the programs are housed in. You could use other metaphors to create the information space—geography on the ground, meteorology in the sky. TV and radio major information represented by a TV and radio in a room, etc. Information space: You might try representing the website as an information space not arranged on a planar construct (as discussed pp. 124-128). This may be difficult to do with pen and paper, but you could give it a try. Grading criteria (2 points) Completeness: How much of the website does the map cover. Good maps will cover the entire site, not so good maps will have significant holes in coverage. (5 points) Creativity: How creative is your approach to spatializing the websites. A creative map will use an innovative idea to spatialize the web sites. A bad map would be one that simply represents web pages as documents linked together with lines. (3 points) Cartographic execution/useability: Good maps will be neat and in final draft form and will easily communicate the structure of the information space. An Ok map will be mostly neat and communicate OK. A bad map will look like it was sketched on the back of a napkin and will be confusing. Bonus points (1 point) If your map is judged to have potential as a real map to help people navigate the sites. (1 point) If your map is done using computer drawing programs and looks especially professional. (up to 5 points depending upon quality) If in addition to the sketch map you produce a working map posted on the Internet that allows the user to navigate the departmental web space using the map. Simply posting your sketch map on the Internet does not count here. It must work.
Copyright 2004 Michael W. Longan