Mapping
Code: 101592 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2501002 Geography and Spatial Planning | FB | 1 | 1 |
Contact
- Name:
- Pau Alegre Nadal
- Email:
- Pau.Alegre@uab.cat
Use of Languages
- Principal working language:
- catalan (cat)
- Some groups entirely in English:
- No
- Some groups entirely in Catalan:
- Yes
- Some groups entirely in Spanish:
- No
Prerequisites
Without prerequisites
Objectives and Contextualisation
The subject goal of Cartography is to provide the keys that allow a correct temporal contextualization of the cartographic materials produced in the European cultural and social tradition as well as the assessment of its importance in the development of Earth sciences.
The fundamental activity that will be required of the student is the observation of the cartographic materials and their understanding in accordance with the following guidelines:
· as a material that facilitates the reconstruction of the current and past landscape,
· as an evidence of social organization and of human life,
· as an illustration of the knowledge of the Earth, and
· as a product of methods and techniques of representation of geographical distributions of all kinds
With these assumptions to cover, the program of an introductory course to the Cartography, in the frame of studies of geography and territorial planning in a more humanistic than technical key, must be articulated around the history of the maps, in particular, and of the scope of geographic documentation, in general. However, it is also essential to acquire basic knowledge about the practical characteristics of maps: reading, drawing, semiology, etc. Without these utilitarian blankets, little could be advanced in the study of their history. I insist, however, that the general orientation of the contents of the subject is decidedly dedicated to a more literary and humanistic vision than the technique of cartography. You will have the opportunity to know and practice this last aspect in other subjects of the Degree such as, for example, Techniques in Geography, Geographic Information Systems or Remote Sensing and Photointerpretation.
Competences
- Applying fieldwork methods and techniques in order to acquire a direct knowledge of the territory.
- Developing the specific abilities related to the knowledge of the working techniques, specially the ones related to the collection, analysis, treatment and cartographic expression of geographical information, as well as the techniques referring to the fieldwork.
- Mastering the necessary theoretical knowledge in order to pose geographical problems in an integrated way and combining a generalist approach with a specialised analysis.
- Respecting the diversity and plurality of ideas, people and situations.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
Learning Outcomes
- Analysing the main dynamics of today's world from a geographical point of view.
- Contrasting and comparing relevant geographical data.
- Developing the specific abilities of fieldwork, observing and preparing the corresponding reports.
- Engaging in geographical debates respecting the other participants' opinions.
- Interpreting and producing cartographic documents of geographical information.
- Obtaining, treating and analysing geographical data.
- Posing problems about physical, economic, social and cultural diversity of territories applying knowledge of regional geography.
- Summarising acquired knowledge about the origin and transformations experienced in its several fields of study.
- Understanding the physical and human relationships from the direct knowledge of the territory.
Content
Maps...
I. The geographical documentation
II. Control of dimensions and absolute location
III. The geographic value of the relative location
IV. The application of visual variables
V. The cartographic expression
... and his history
1. The medieval mappaemundi
2. The portulan charts
3. Ptolemy rediscovered
4. The cartographic record of discoveries
5. Gerard Mercator and nautical cartography
6. Abraham Ortelius and the strength of the Atlas
7. The regional and local dissemination
8. The issue of the location and progress of geodesy
9. Cartography, statistics and geography
10. The cartography of Catalonia of the 20th and 21st centuries
Methodology
The ordinary follow-up of the course will consist of the study of the topics proposed in the previous section at the rate of one per week. The study materials of each of the fifteen subjects will be published in digital format, in a web independent from the Moodle classroom. When I open each topic, I will send the general presentation, complementary orientations of the materials and a proposal for participation in the associated forum.
And the teacher, how will you appreciate your normal and gradual use? In three ways. In the first place, due to the ability to improve quality in carrying out the exercises proposed in each of the subjects. An exercise will be proposed in each session, which must be given at the end of the class. Some of these exercises will be the basis to complete outside of class, within ten or fifteen days.
Second, for their participation in the forums, one for each topic. The contributions to the forums will consist of presentations of materials found on Internet sites, duly documented and commented. It is not, in any way, "doing a job" for each topic. It would be humanly impossible for lack of time and sufficient prior knowledge. Rather, this activity will involve the use, very timely, of the resources available on the Internet about maps and their history, and make their findings available to fellow students of the subject.
Finally, in the third place, both the study of the materials and the bibliography and their participation in the forums can motivate to ask for advice, comments or clarifications to me. The intensity and fluidity of these private communications will be another index of their use.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Exercises | 50 | 2 | 5, 6 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Forums | 25 | 1 | 1, 2 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Study | 75 | 3 | 7 |
Assessment
The follow-up of the course gives rise to the continuous evaluation. The positive use in the three aspects mentioned in the section of course development (exercises carried out in class, exercises carried out outside class and forums) will result in a final grade. Each one of the three slopes will have equal weight in the qualification.
How will normal use be valued? As I have advanced above, for the ability to improve quality in carrying out the exercises proposed in each of the topics. As for the participation in the forums, I will retain the interest, conciseness and originality of the contribution. Obviously, great as the contributions are, they can not be sporadic. To overcome this criterion, it will be necessary to intervene in a minimum of eight forums. I think it is advisable to warn that an excess of participations will not necessarily compensate the quality shown. It's about ensuring a rhythm, even with gaps, avoiding last-minute haste.
The teacher will inform you about the evolution of the learning before the Christmas holidays, through the commentary of the exercises delivered and the participations in the forums carried out, and will advance a provisional grade (0-10), as if the subject were to stop half a semester. With this, students will be aware of the progress of their continuous assessment, their strengths and their shortcomings.
As it can be supposed, the assessment of the normal follow-up of the course will be based on the degree of continuity of communication between student and teacher. Eclipses, disappearances, concealments or ghosts are very negative phenomena, rather than lapses and errors, for the evaluation of a course. This is what we must try to avoid above all. An insufficient number of participations in the forums and of deliveries of exercises will cause the evaluation of the student as not evaluable. In this situation, the student will not be able to take the recovery exam, precisely because he / she could not be evaluated.
Studentswho wish to improve the grade obtained during the continuous assessment may take an optional exam on the day and time set by the Faculty.
The copy or plagiarism of material, both in the case of work and in the case of examinations, constitute a crime that will be sanctioned with a zero to the activity. In case of recidivism the entire subject will be suspended. Remember that a job that reproduces all or a large part of the work of one or the other partner is considered a "copy". "Plagiarism" is the fact of presenting all or part of a text by an author as his own, without citing the sources, whether on paper or in digital format.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forums | 33,3% | 0 | 0 | 5, 4, 8 |
| In class exercises | 33,3% | 0 | 0 | 2, 5, 6 |
| Outside class exercises | 33,3% | 0 | 0 | 1, 2, 9, 3, 5, 6, 7 |
Bibliography
We must insist that the bibliographic readings are not of primary interest in this subject. Therefore, the list of books that follows is only a reminder of the works, and in this case the most general, in which the contents presented in the web of the materials of the subject can be reinforced.
Bertin, J (1973): La sémilogie graphique: les cartes, les diagrammes, les reseaux. Paris: Gautier-Villars, 2éme ed.
Bertin, J (1988): La gráfica y el tratamiento gráfico de la información. Madrid: Taurus.
Bonin, S (1975): Initiation a la graphique. Paris: EPI.
Dent, JB (1996): Cartography: thematic map design. Dubuque IA: Wm C Brown Publishers, 4a ed.
McDonnell, PW (1979): Introduction to Map Projections. New York: Marcel Dekker.
Monkhouse, FJ; Wilkinson, HR (1966): Mapas y diagramas: técnicas de elaboración y trazado. Vilassar de Mar - Barcelona : Oikos-Tau.
Robinson, AH et al (1987): Elementos de cartografía. Omega. Barcelona.
Strahler, A (1975): Geografía física. Barcelona: Omega, 2a ed.
Vázquez Maure, F; Martín López, J (1989): Lectura de mapas. Madrid: Instituto Geográfico Nacional.