Communicating Practice

Mapping

A map is an illustration which is used to help us navigate and also find our way around places, towns, cities and countries. Also it could be used to identify and locate specific places for instance the media uses to show crisis areas. A map is explained to be a representation usually on plane surface, of all or some part of the earth or body showing group of features in term of relative size and position by Norman Thrower an authority on the history of cartography.
Hence mapping is the process of making a representation of a place, town, city or country and even the world depicting features and important points of relative size and position.

This task requires students to make a map of Mantin town from the way they remember it. It should show places they know in Mantin.
I made my map from memory of how I remember Mantin to be like. I also used symbols and colors to depict places on my map instead of using typography.
The reason why I used symbols and colors is because its a creative approach and something different from our everyday maps. I also believe symbols and signage are more interactive and eye catching than typography.

                                                  fig.1 an image of my mapping idea

From the above image one can comprehend the approach and technique being employed here. For instance the is a symbol of a chicken drumstick which represents KFC also there is a symbol of a fire extinguisher to represent the Fire Service
However it was after researching and analyzing a couple of maps did I reach my conclusion to decide to use this more interesting technique of mapping to make my own maps. The reason why I prefered using symbols is that with symbols it is easier to identify where you are heading and it is easier to use by both literates and illiterates. They are simple, attractive and more comprehensive.

                                                   fig.2 image of map where i got my idea

                                                         fig.3 is an image of another map

From the above images it is clear to see that one map is simpler than the other and it is easier to identify places on the the first map than the other. However I am not implying that the second map is bad but rather all I am saying is that in relation to my idea the first map is my best preference.


Reference

http://www.google.de/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mawar.com.my%2Fdialysis%2Fimages%2Fadmin%2FBranch%2FNew%2525202013%2FMantin%252520Map%252520change.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mawar.com.my%2Fdialysis%2Findex.php%2Fphm-branches%2Fmantin&h=663&w=1186&tbnid=-lr1ZtjmM3XlrM%3A&docid=Gaufn5FruC2ucM&ei=0ubVVerdF4-3uAT7u454&tbm=isch&iact=rc&uact=3&dur=949&page=1&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=0CFQQrQMwEWoVChMI6o6_ivK3xwIVjxuOCh37nQMP


http://historymatters.gmu.edu/mse/maps/what.html