7 Good practices in mapping

It is not only important to master the tools technically, it is also important to understand and follow some basic rules to produce “good” maps. In this section, you will find the “essentials” of a map, the golden rules for producing an effective map, and the semiological mistakes to avoid.

This document aims to present the good practices to apply in cartography. It focuses primarily on cartographic and layout choices to ensure that effective maps are produced without cartographic errors.

• 7.1 Map composition
• 7.2 The 8 golden rules
• 7.3 The 4 Semiological Errors
• 7.4 Other resources

In this seventh section of the GIS toolbox, you can also refer to :

• A tutorial for making simple, visually consistent, and informative maps in times of pandemic
• More in-depth material on semiotics at Zeste de savoir.