Developing Map Literacy

Become a smarter map reader with these habits:

• Check the projection — every map should say which one it uses
• Remember that all maps distort — ask what is being sacrificed: area, shape, distance, or direction
• Compare projections — view the same region on different maps to see how it changes
• Question the center — who decided what goes in the middle, and why?
• Use a globe for size comparisons — it is the only distortion-free view of Earth