Administrative Units Official political or organizational boundaries—such as countries, states, and counties—used to structure, analyze, and display spatial data.
Cleaning Messy Data Prepare and format tabular datasets according to GIS data structure requirements.
Data Coverage Does it cover the area, scale, time frame, or is it not detailed enough?
Do you have the data you need? Here are some questions to think through about your data before you get started mapping.
Finding GIS Data If you don’t have data yet, these resources and tips can help you get started
Geocoding Tips for formatting; Info about geocoding.
Geographic identifiers Select an appropriate geographic identifier and visualization method based on mapping needs.
Latitude and Longitude Data How to format, convert, and use coordinate data.
Metadata How can you understand the quality, source of your data.
Working with scanned images Explain how images such as scanned maps, aerial photos, and historical documents can be used in GIS through georeferencing.

Visualizing Data

Best practices for map-making How will your map be viewed?
Choose a platform for your map Explore your options for creating, analyzing, and sharing maps
Different ways to symbolize data Figuring out what kind of data you have, plus information about how to visualize the different types
How to make an interactive map Transforming Your Map into an Interactive Experience.
How to print or take a screenshot of a map A static map is a fixed, non-interactive image of a geographic area
Visualize your data in a GIS program Does your data show up in the map where you expect it to?
What map do you want to create? Choose the map that best tells your story

Continue Your Exploration