path metadata elements as far as level of importance is concerned. Items to consider including about each dataset are as follows:
•Data dates
•Agency names
•Website
•A short description of how the data was used
•Potential limitations
Data Citations
Data that is contained on the map may require citations by the source agencies and authors of the data. Many times this is stated in a Creative Commons licensing agreement that goes something like, “you may use the data for any purpose as long as the source of the data is cited as follows: …” Therefore, your publication of the map, whether for in-house use or external use, needs to contain the citation in the manner specified. Sometimes, the exact string of text to be used is specified in the licensing agreement. Because this string of text may not be in a format that matches the surrounding text or is not appealing to the layout designer, the designer may have reason to be somewhat redundant in this case by citing the data source in the data sources element as well as citing it in a data citations element. An alternative is to ask the source author if your alternate wording is acceptable, and to get the permission in writing. Because the data citation is the originating author’s way of receiving due credit for work that is being made freely available, it is important from an ethical as well as a legal standpoint to include it.
Best practices: If data with a citation clause is one of the major elements of your map or analysis, then you might consider making the data citation less of a fine-print metadata element and instead move it up in the element hierarchy of your layout. In other words, you will want to duly acknowledge the source of any data, without which you would not have been able to complete your work.
Logos
A logo is a graphical way of signifying a company name or brand and is used to enable rapid identification of what it is representing. Logos proclaiming
The ability to throw the kitchen sink at one’s output tempts many of us to clutter our maps. At the same time, we need not be constrained from employing capabilities not available to traditional cartographers.
Walker Willingham
GIS Analyst, Earth Walker GIS