Make a Reference Map

A simple reference map can add useful context to your academic article, poster, or presentation. In order to make a reference map with a GIS — whether it be QGIS, ArcGIS, or another GIS — it’s recommended you have a basic familiarity with the application. If you’ve never used QGIS, review the Research Commons’ workshop on map production with QGISbefore getting started.

1. What are you mapping? If point, area, etc - need to assemble data layers.
   • create a point, create or extract an area, shading etc.
2. Basemap - weather sattelite imagery or vector data
   • natural earth shapefiles (can always select and export single country)
3. Clip/process
4. symbology
5. Make layout - add scalebar, title, label, north arrow, legend
6. export

Resources for Making Maps with QGIS

• Making your first map video
• Map Production with QGIS
• Tools & Workflows in QGIS
• Make a Static Map with QGIS
• Creating a Map Layout video tutorial
• Creating a Shapefile & Preparing a Study Area Map video tutorial
• Creating an Inset Map video tutorial