Maps, just like text, paintings, and other media, are open to interpretation. Map interpretation describes the process of extracting meaning from a map to make sense of the real world. To arrive at an interpretation of the real world, an individual must reconcile their mental model of the world with that of the cartographer’s through the map. Because everyone has a different mental model of the world, a single map can connote a variety of meanings, and therefore, be interpreted differently. Cartographers can prime individuals to interpret a map in a particular way through selection, classification, symbolization, and other cartographic tools in the map design process. However, individual differences like beliefs and knowledge ultimately dictate the meaning someone forms from a map. Equally important to the formation of meaning is questioning the meaning of the map. Questioning the meaning considers why patterns or relations are a certain way and whether they should be trusted. Information is more contested than ever, so understanding a map is one thing, trusting it is another. In seeking out explanations for what is shown on a map, one can better understand the world around them.
Map analysis is commonly listed as one of three aspects of user interaction with a map, along with map reading and map interpretation. Map reading is generally categorized as using the basic functions of the map – matching symbols to the legend, using the scale and directional indicator, and so forth (Buckley & Kimerling, 2021; Tyner, 2015). Map interpretation is typically considered to be a complex exploration of the data in the map, often with reference to other maps or data sources, to understand and explain patterns (Kimerling et al., 2016; Kraak & Ormeling, 2010; Tyner, 2015). Map analysis lies somewhere in the middle, defined variously by scholars (Field, 2018; Kimerling et al., 2016; Tyner, 2015), but essentially a description, whether general or precise, of what’s in the map. Analysis utilizes the basic tools of map reading to describe patterns or calculate characteristics, and questioning the assumptions and biases that may have influenced the map’s creation. Map analysis is sometimes conflated with map critique, but a full analysis moves beyond critique to a larger assessment of the map’s messaging.