Census CD and Maps: How to Prepare a Map
CENSUS CD + MAPS How to Produce A Map
This software can provide statistical reports generated from the 1990 US Census and to map report findings. There are a number of steps in the process, though, and the program requires users to follow instructions methodically. Once a you have worked through the program a couple of times, the steps in the process and the arrangement or order of those steps seem very natural. It is important to remain very patient the first few times through.
HOW TO PRODUCE A MAP
There are six steps to developing Maps from the Census CD: 1. Selecting the Area to be mapped 2. Targeting SubArea 3. Determining the information to be Counted 4. Selecting Options 5. Running the Map program 6. Reading a Map
STEP 1: Selecting the Area
The first step is to move the cursor to the pull down menu at the top of the page and select "Area." Different data sets result in different maps; you must, first, determine the type of "view" you need/desire.
* geographic area (nation, region, state, county, tract or block group, place (e.g., towns), zipcode, congressional district, etc.), * neighborhood NOTE: maps cannot be developed at this level * radius (latitude/longitude, zip centroid, place centroid, address geocode). Instructions are given to users from this point.
A number of locations can be selected for a single report and findings for those locations will be compared in reports and on maps.
As an example of mapping with this software, let's say you decided to create a census data map for the New Hampshire towns directly surrounding Durham and you want to illustrate how many people in the surrounding area are native French speakers.
Select "geographic area -- place," and then, from options on the screen, 1. select a state (frame at the left) -- "NH" 2. places -- "Durham, Dover, Portsmouth, Newmarket" can all be selected from the "places" menu. However, some smaller places are wanted for this study. Adding these smaller communities requires that the "Search" key (at menu bar on right) is used, and place names, "Newington, Barrington, Lee, Madbury and Rollinsford " may, then, be added. These locations will be added to the place list. 3. Once all the places/locations desired for the study are listed, these nine communities must be highlighted (selected). Then you must click the "Done" key (at the far right) after place selections are made. NOTE: the "Search" key is located to the right of the "Place" frame. After typing in the place name, it is to be highlighted (by clicking on it to select that "place").
STEP 2: Targeting the SubArea
Selecting a SubArea is imperative if one wishes to create a map. A SubArea is a smaller area at which the report will focus. Users must click on the option made available when "Smaller Area" is highlighted. At that time two more icons will become visible at the top of the screen. These will be used later. In our example, because of the small towns included in our study, our smaller area option would be "MCD." Once this selection is made, the new icons appear on the menu bar at the top of the page.
STEP 3: Selecting the Items to be Counted/Described
"Counts" is the pull-down menu option two spaces to the right of the "Area" button. It allows the user to select what is to be covered in the report, and, subsequently, what can be mapped. Users must choose between "Standard" and "Tailored" Counts. NOTE: A "Standard" report is quite comprehensive. Sometimes less information is desired (for example, a researcher may wish to collect only data on number of years of schooling completed versus the entire education statistical report). You must determine your purpose and select the type of map which portrays it. Just as before, you must click to highlight the variable/s to be covered in the map. For our example, we will use a "tailored count" for a smaller, but more specific report. Under "tailored" report, we selected " language" and then chose the following table:
* household languge of age 5+
The "counts" highlighted for this table is a measurement of
* French of French Creole speakers
STEP 4: Setting up the Map -- Selecting Options
"Options" is the next consideration. In order for a map to run, users need to select the desired report format. In our example, you will need to select:
* "descriptive" in the "Counts Short Name," box, * "area name," "area key," and "latitude/longitude" in the "Include" box, and * "counts description report" in the "Produce" box NOTE: These options are those needed, minimally, to run almost any map.
STEP 5: Running the Map program
This next step involves, simply, pulling down the "Run" menu and selecting "Map" (NOTE: Some maps cannot be generated for a small geographic area. For example data were not collected by the 1990 Census to address certain population dynamics or specific (usually smaller) places/locations). Type of map available is dependent on type of report run. For a standard report, "Snapshot" is the most general. A "List" report works well for a tailored report which compares variables among different locations. Because maps illustrate numerical data graphically, different data sets are represented on separate maps. Colors (or shades for black and white printers) indicated different data sets, such as places/locations for which variables are being compared.
STEP 6: Reading Maps
Users can prepare a number of different maps, comparing different data sets (for example, age, gender, income for Seacoast Area Towns would comprise different maps). NOTE: Maps generated through this software are of a two-dimensional nature, only. Cross-comparisons do not appear possible with this version of the software. However, users can view maps from a number of different perspectives, due to zoom (in and out), center, pan, and enlarge features. Moving the cursor to specific places in a map provides record information for that specific location. Look to the information bar just above the map.
In order to print a map, one must move the page to the right and print each portion as needed. Printers seem to capture what is on the screen.
Canadace McKinnis University of New Hampshire 1999