Lab#7

        The first map is a representation of Black alone population in counties by percent. This data came from the 2000 census report. For this map, I chose shades of purple to show the distribution of black population throughout the United States. The legend showed a range of percent starting at 0 and topping at 86. The darker the shade the higher the population. For example,  counties with 0 to 3% Blacks are lighter in shade, which spreads over most Northern states. A darker shade would mean higher percent, so the darkest purple in the legend would represent 59 to 86% Black population. There is an overall a higher percent of Blacks in the Southern-east states, such as Alabama and Georgia.Then there is also a small cluster of high percentage of Blacks in California and states that border it.
         For the second map showing Asian alone population in counties by percent, I used shades of green. From the display, there isn't a significant pattern of Asian distribution by counties. The range of Asian along population starts at 0 and up to 46%. There is good percentage, ranging 9 to 46%, of Asian population residing near the Pacific Coast, mostly in the state of California. Other than that, there is scattering of low and high Asian population throughout the United States.
         The last map showed Other Race alone population distribution by counties in percent. The Other Race will be categorized with Hispanics because Black, Asian, White, Native American, etc had their own set of data. In this map, we can see a prevailing trend of high concentration of Hispanics along the Southern-west states, such as California, New Mexican, and Texas. This highly concentrated population can range from 11 to 39%.
          In this exercise, I enjoyed the free range of colors we can use to display our maps. The legend are especially helpful to inform the readers of where has the higher concentration of population. The coloration eases our visual understanding. The actual display of a map is much easier to comprehend the data than just by reading the tables. Thematic maps also allow us to make observation of areas that have the most or least of a certain population. We also can point out clusters and trends of population. Ultimately, colored maps are aesthetically pleasing unlike boring old numbers. To further elaborate on my maps, I include a legend, a scale bar, and a north arrow to help orient all my audience the same way.
         With the help ArcGIS, I can join shape files with tables thus making the maps appearing the way they are. In addition, the preset color ramp saved me time from choosing a color. The different way to sort data to make it look less messy and more presentable. For example, applying the same map projection to all layers to make the look reasonable. Throughout the weeks of doing labs, I gain a better understanding of how to combine data and join table to make maps meaningful. Each lab is mind refreshing and increase my efficiency in ArcGIS usage.