THE ANNUAL TRENT MAP-MAKING COMPETITION
The Geography Department at Trent University has organized a province-wide map-making contest since 1969. The competition is designed to encourage and reward cartographic skills at both intermediate and senior school grades. Competitive categories are Grade 8 and below, Grade 9 and 10, and Grades 11, 12 and 13. Maps are judged individually and each student receives a comment sheet. Each map is judged on a variety of criteria, including the title, legend (content and location), orientation, north arrow, scale, border, symbolization, cartographic skills, map communication, and originality. The creators of the best maps from each category are presented with prizes generously donated by publishers and equipment suppliers. These donations include atlases, books, drafting sets, and orienteering compasses. Apart from the prize winners in the first, second, and third positions, a number of entrants are given “Honourable Mention” certificates. In the processes of judging entries, we have compiled a list of commonly occurring bad habits, or mistakes, which are described below as a possible guide for future entrants. 1) The inclusion of excessive detail, such as all the streets in a city or every river and tributary in a watershed. 2) An excessive number of symbols, such as small pictures (e.g.houses, trees, people) preventing easy interpretation of the map. As a rule of thumb, eight classes is the maximum and five the ideal for any symbolized topic. 3) When choosing colours for representation, a system using different shades of one, or two, colours works best. Five different shades are an ideal number. The effect to strive for is an impression of increasing size, or value, of map variable and change in colour. 4) Colour shading is rendered best by use of translucent paper (e.g.tracing paper or drafting vellum) and colouring the back. This permits usual line work and lettering on the front and gives the colours a muted tint which is aesthetically pleasing. 5) The maximum size restriction of 50cm by 50cm was often ignored and penalized accordingly. 6) The border on a map should encompass the title, legend, and scale, as well as the actual map. A separate “box” or “frame” for the title, and legend, is appropriate. Do not underline the title. It is better to frame it. 7) The source of information must be stated and could range from published censuses, directories, statistics, local records obtained from the city, police, or fire departments to personal field observation. 8) Although most maps have an orientation arrow, usually indicating true North, it is not appropriate in cases where very large areas are mapped with a projection, such as a conical or azimuthal projection, in which meridians of longitude converge towards the pole. In this case, a single orientation arrow is incorrect and should be left out. The way to show orientation with large areas (e.g.Canada) is by margin marks of latitude and longitude at, say 10-degree intervals. The confusion over orientation arrows is particularly frequent with maps of Canada, or certain large provinces (e.g. Ontario, Québec) where the meridians of longitude often converge. The variations in orientation of North on such maps are evident in provincial boundaries which follow longitude lines. The convergence, within Canada, is particularly obvious if the Ontario-Québec boundary south from James Bay (79 1/2° W longitude) is compared to the Alaska-Yukon boundary (141° W longitude). 9) Maps should ideally be individual student creations. However, team efforts are judged and may receive “Honourable Mention”. Cartographic skills are a very practical aspect of geographic training and teachers are encouraged to inform their students about the Trent contest. The grading of the judges of the judges provides a valuable “external” comment on the work, apart from the possibility of prize winning. Information regarding the general rules for the competition may be obtained from: Secretary, Department of Geography, Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, K9J 7B8; Phone: (705) 748-1011 ext. 1440.