Good Map

I consider this map to be a good map for several reasons. Primarily,it has a scale that gives the viewer a clear picture of the size of the state, and another scale that relates California to the United States as well as its placement in the continent of North America. This map also address the highways, mountain ranges, lakes, urban areas, and other physical aspects of the state. Finally, this map includes a legend that shows what all the symbols, lines, and colors on the map represent and make it easy for the viewer to understand the map in its entirety. I beleive this map is a good map because it includes the key features of a scale, title, and legend; it also allows the viewer to become familiar with the state of California through its physical aspects.

Bad Map

I find this map to be an example of a bad map for a few reasons. First, the map has no scale,no scale in context of California's placement in the greater United States or World. An outsider wouldn't be able to decipher where in the world this country existed by simply looking at this map. Second, the map is only an outline of the state's boundary and does not touch upon the broader concepts within the states such as, large cities, freeways, national parks, lakes, and many other factors that would help to enhance the picture of the state. Finally, this map does not include a legend to translate to the viewer what the star and the other small dots on the map represent. All of these factors to me say that this map is a bad map, a minimal title, no scale, legend, or frame of reference for what the purpose of this map would be.