Stem and Leaf Plot

http://www.basic-mathematics.com/stem-and-leaf-plot.html

A stem and leaf plot is an organized plot of data using stems and leaves of a number. Basically, as the example shows, the last digit in a number is the leaf. In the example it shows the number 145, in that number, 5 is the leaf, and 14 is the stem. These plots could also get a little more complicated and can use two data sets, portraying two different branches of leaves.

Box Plot

http://www.physics.csbsju.edu/stats/box2.html

A box plot or a box and whisker plot is a plot that conveniently depicts groups of numerical data through their quartiles. The lines that extend out of the box (whiskers), portray variability outside the upper and lower quartiles. The points outside of the whiskers are called outliers which are skews in the data.

Histogram

http://www.mathsisfun.com/data/histograms.html

Histograms are very similar to bar graphs, but instead of categories on the x axis and spaces between the bars, there are numbers on the x axis and no spaces between the bars. Histograms graphically display number ranges of data using bars of different heights. This example shows the number of girls/women who bought a certain skirt from a clothing store, and basically it just shows that the girls in the 16-20 year old group, bought the most of the certain type of skirt and the girls in the 1-5 year old group bought the least amount.

Parallel Coordinate Graph

https://onlinecourses.science.psu.edu/stat857/node/33

Parallel coordinate graphs or parallel coordinate plots are graphs/plots that use a set of parallel axes. The values recorded from each object are plotted as a point on each corresponding coordinate axis, and then the points are connected by a line, therefore meaning each object is represented by a line. These are commonly used to visualize high dimensional geometry and analyzing data with multiple variables.

Triangular Plot

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flammability_diagram_methane.png

A triangular plot or ternary plot graphically depicts the ratios of the three variables as positions in an equilateral triangle. The proportions of these three variables must sum up to a constant for this to be able to be accurately represented. This example shows the flammability diagram for methane, when there is a certain amount of methane, nitrogen and oxygen in a certain area, the flammability of that mixture increases with different ratios of the three.

Windrose

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wind_rose_plot.jpg

A windrose is used to help meteorologists record and study how wind speed and direction are typically distributed at a specific location. Modern windroses show the frequency of winds blowing from certain directions over a 30 year period. This example is a windrose from LaGuardia airport in New York.  The longer the plot extends, the stronger the winds from that direction and the color changes as well. Blue means calm, and light green means really strong in this particular example.

Climograph

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CalcuttaMetric.png

A climograph presents the monthly temperature and precipitation measurement averages for a particular area. It is a very easy to read and understand graph that just shows the basic climatic events that occur in a certain area. This specific climograph shows the monthly temperature and precipitation averages for Calcutta. The precipitation is measured using the bars in green, and that is measured in millimeters and the temperature is portrayed using the red line, showing the averages in degrees celsius.

Population Profile

http://www.census.gov/2010census/

A population profile is a chart that shows a population of a certain area by age, and commonly they are divided up by sex, as you see in the chart above. These type of charts have the capability of measuring more than sex and age, some charts also show the percentages of people that have a certain disease, such as AIDS or some other type of numerical variable. This specific population profile represents the district of colombia, it shows its total population at the top and then shows the total amount of people within each block of ten years for women and men.

Scatterplot

http://www.gardenersown.co.uk/education/lectures/r/graphs2.htm

A scatterplot, also called a scatter graph, is a type of plot/graph that allows for the use of cartesian coordinates to display data from two variables for a recorded set of data. Each point of data has the value of one variable determining the horizontal, x-axis, position and another value of one variable determining the vertical, y-axis, position. This scatter plot shows distance vs speed, and it shows that as both distance, or speed, increase, the other also increases. This can be seen by the best fit line, which shows the general trend in points by taking averages in all the points.

Index Value Plot

http://www.skepticalscience.com/What-causes-short-term-changes-in-ocean-heat.html

Index value plots are helpful in seeing the discrepancies and inconsistencies in data along with seeing the general trend of the data. In this case, the index value is 0, index value plots show the positive and negative values according to that index value. As seen in this plot, la Nina conditions and el Nino conditions differ, on opposite sides of the 0 of the Southern Oscillation index.

Accumulative Line Graph/Lorenz Curve

http://www.personal.psu.edu/~dxl31/econ2/Spring_2006/lecture37.html

A Lorenz curve is a curve that shows a probability distribution of values that have been statistically derived. They are often associated with income distributions and show inequalities. The black line of income equality represents what the distribution would actually look like if everything was equally distributed. The Lorenz curve (purple line/curve) shows the actual distribution, and shows how, income actually is, unequal and the further the curve flows away from the income equality line, the more unequal the income equality becomes.

Bilateral Graph

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2010/10/china-and-international-rules-self-interested-or-malign/64747/

A bilateral graph is a graph with more than one variable and presented on two sides of a zero axis. This example of a bilateral graph actually presents 3 different variables. This example presents increasing imports and trade deficits with China in clean energy products from 2006-2010. This bilateral graph presents the exports to china in blue, the imports from china in green, and trade deficits in red. And although the general amount of exports to China is increasing, the imports from China are exponentially increasing, leading to a growing trade deficit. 

Nominal Area Choropleth

https://courseware.e-education.psu.edu/courses/geog482/policies.shtml

Nominal Area Choropleth maps are obviously a type of choropleth map. These types of maps have qualitative and categorical properties where things are classified into groups with no implicit ordering. This example of a nominal area choropleth map portrays the different types of minority groups with the highest percent of state population per state, the nominal data in this map are the types of minority groups.

Unstandardized Choropleth Map

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2004US_election_map.jpg

Unstandardized Choropleth maps are choropleth maps that are not areally averaged, meaning that they use the raw data collected and create a map based on that, with no standardization involved. The data is not portrayed in even amounts like a standardized map would be portrayed as. This example of a unstandardized choropleth map that shows the vote percentage difference in the U.S presidential election as related to voter turnout. As you can see, from the statistics, that there is no standardization here, also under the margin of victory for George Bush there are 5 different shades of red, compared to, only, 3 different shades of blue for John Kerry. These are not even, on a standardized map, there would be even shades and average numbers that are the same. Also, an addition to this map shows the voter turnout by state by a percentage, that part of this map, is standardized but that is just an additional representation on the map.

Standardized Choropleth Map

http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/92f0138m/2008003/figures/5200001-eng.htm

Standardized Choropleth maps are a type of choropleth map that possesses data that is areally averaged. The data presented on this type of map, is very easy to understand, and is simplified to a degree where there are not crazy numbers or decimals floating around, and obviously, like a choropleth map, it uses different kinds of shading for the different values. This example of a standardized choropleth map portrays standardized data representing the percentage of the canadian population at or under the age of 14 from the 2006 census.

Univariate Choropleth Maps

http://www.colocarto.com/custom-thematic-maps.html

Univariate Choropleth maps are a type of choropleth map that only displays data from one variable. This is a very simple choropleth map, but it still meets all the requirements to efficiently and confidently be considered a choropleth map. In this example of a univariate choropleth map, the one and only variable that is being portrayed is estiamted median household income in 2008 in the United States. The darker the shading, the higher the income and visa versa with the lighter shading.

Bivariate Choropleth Map

http://www.geo.unizh.ch/~annal/Choropleth%20maps.html

Bivariate Choropleth maps compare two variables on a single map. Different colors and different styles of shading help the reader further understand the two variables on the map. This map shows and combines, by county, the percentage of population under the age of 18 and the percentage of rural population. The upper two maps are the two maps that are combined in the larger one, and the chart in the bottom right helps one to further understand the variables on the map and the combination of colors.

Unclassed Choropleth Maps

http://go.owu.edu/~jbkrygie/krygier_html/geog_353/geog_353_lo/geog_353_lo07.html

Unclassed Choropleth maps portray the fact that the number of categories is equal to the number of data values. The use of shading is commonly used in this type of mapping. In this the shading type is all assigned a value instead of classifying the data. In these maps, it shows a classed choropleth map on the left and an unclassed choropleth map on the right. As you can see, there are no intervals like the classed map in the unclassed map, and each value is assigned its own individual symbol or style. They both represent population change in the United States per county.

Classed Choropleth Map

https://www.e-education.psu.edu/natureofgeoinfo/book/export/html/1553

Classed choropleth maps use intervals to portray a smaller number of groups from states, counties and cities. It uses different colors to help the reader distinguish a pattern and understand what exactly is happening. In this example of a Classed Choropleth Map, it uses a graduated color scheme to show that the lighter color has a smaller interval of Hispanic population density per square kilometer and the darker color has a higher interval of Hispanic population density per square kilometer.

Range Graded Proportional Circle Map

http://personal.frostburg.edu/mtmaier0/maps.htm

A Range Graded Proportional Circle Map portrays a single variable in a comparison of ratios/proportions with the other locations. Each circle portrays one location and then the size of the circle depends on the number of what is being taken into effect, the higher the number, the larger the circle. This map portrays Traffic fatalities in the United States  in 2009, each circle represents each state and the size of the circle represents the amount of traffic fatalities in the state in 2009.

Continuously Variable Proportional Circle Map

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/italy.html

Continuously variable proportional circle maps is a type of proportional circle map that can express multiple variables and show how exactly they relate to one another with proportions. They are good for relating scales to specific data and utilizes circles to create some specific point data. This specific example delves into the industries of Italy in cities. The larger the circle, means the larger the industry in general and each circle is divided, like a pie chart, to show which type of industries are common and are most practiced within these areas.

DOQQ

http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/gis/doqq.html#cir

DOQQ stands for Digital Orthographic Quarter Quadrangle and they combine the characteristics of an aerial photograph with the geometric qualities of a map. They are aerial photographs that have been georeferenced and has gone through orthorectification, which removes distortion out of aerial photos like a DOQQ. This specific DOQQ is a satellite image of a quadrangle in the state of North Carolina.

DEM

http://pubs.usgs.gov/dds/dds-81/Intro/TopographicData/DEM/DEM.html

DEM stands for Digital Elevation Model, and these types of maps consist of a raster grid of elevation values. This is a DEM of the continental United States. In this map, you can see the higher elevations and see where there are mountains, and mountain chains, or just areas of higher elevation. You can see the fading Appalachian mountains in the eastern region of the united states and then you can see the much greater land area is of higher elevation in the western region.

DLG

http://tahoe.usgs.gov/DLG.html

DLG stands for Digital Line Graph and they are cartographic maps that can be used to represent a large variety of information, but it is all represented in digital vector form. This example of a DLG map shows the Lake Tahoe area, showing the lakes, rivers, and vegetation surrounding it.

DRG

http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb/pubs/factsheets/fs08801.html

DRG stands for Digital Raster Graphic and it is a scanned image of a USGS map. This specific DRG is a DRG of the Potomac River from the U.S. Geological Survey. The purpose of this kind of map is to serve as a backdrop where other, supplemental, digital information and data can be overlaid. This map even includes some contour lines to help show the elevation and topography

Isopleth

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=132504

An isopleth map possesses isolines which are lines connected by points with the same numerical value or ratio of something, whether its geographical or meteorological phenomena. This isopleth map shows the density of H1N1 deaths in California in 2009. As you can see the more deaths are portrayed by the darker colors, and as the lines branch out from the areas of more deaths, it gets lighter, representing less deaths. This just shows that the more populated areas had more deaths than the less populated area, but that is pretty self explanatory because more people come in contact with one another when there is a larger population density, so there is a higher density of deaths.

Isopach

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Isopach_Sheet7d_33.jpg

Isopach maps are commonly used in geology. They connect equal points of thickness in the geology of the earth. This specific map is a detailed map of sediments from the Holocene of the coast of California. It shows the true stratigraphic thickness of these Holocene sediments that were deposited a long time ago.

Isohyets

http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/pastwx/mws201206.htm

Isohyets, like isotachs and isobars, show lines with equal value, but unlike isotachs and isobars, isohyets connect equal values of rainfall in a given period. In this isohyet map, you can easily see where the different cutoffs in the amounts of precipitations, this map also uses color, with the darker reds, yellows and oranges being higher rainfall and with green and blue being less rainfall.

Isotachs

http://www.intellicast.com/National/Wind/WINDcast.aspx?location=USFL0479

Isotachs display lines of equal wind speed. They look very similar to isobar and contour maps but this is strictly for windspeed. This is a map of the southeast untied states and showing isotachs across the region, in Alabama, Florida and Georgia.

Isobars

http://education.gsfc.nasa.gov/ess/units/unit2/u2l8a.html

Isobars are lines of equal value in pressure and can be represented on a graph, map, or plot. This is very similar to contour lines where the closer the lines are together, the smaller the gap between them, meaning a steeper rise in pressure and also like contour lines, they are not just random numbers, normally they are presented in intervals, and this specific isobar map, they are separated by intervals of 4. This is a isobar map of the united states portraying the pressure across the whole country and it even shows where a low and a high pressure system is located. One can see, that a low pressure system has, obviously, a lower pressure than the normal and the high pressure system has a higher pressure than the normal, or rest of the pressures.

LIDAR

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories/s798.htm

LIDAR is a newer technology that develops highly detailed images of the surface of the earth with the use of lasers. These images are mostly created and formed through the use of planes with LIDAR equipment attached to them, they fly over areas recording the phenomena on the surface of the Earth. This specific image shows the lower manhattan area, showing the larger buildings relative to the smaller buildings and areas that are just flat.

Doppler Radar

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2004/s2311.htm

Doppler radar maps are some of the most common types of map that I see on a regular day basis whether online or on television. It is used everyday to view current weather along with predictions of the future. Doppler radar detects weather in motion, and helps meteorologists form a much more accurate prediction, mostly for short term weather, but they can also see where the high and low pressure systems are. This image shows a hurricane striking the eastern coast of florida. Doppler radar uses colors to represent the strength and severity of the storm/rain, red being the worst and green/blue being the lightest, and of course where there is no color, it means it is clear.

Black and White Aerial Photo

http://www.math.toronto.edu/drorbn/Gallery/KnottedObjects/Interchange/index.html

Similar to infrared aerial photos, Black and white aerial photos are also photos taken from a plane, spacecraft or automated rocket and are only taken within a certain range of the color spectrum, that being black, white and grey (only visible spectrum). In this image, you can see where exactly the roads are, along with the vegetation and buildings. This type of photography gives you an aerial view and really emphasizes where vegetation is present and where it is not.

Infrared Aerial Photo

http://cae2k.com/photos-of-roma-0/infrared-aerial-photo.html

Infrared aerial photos use infrared film which is sensitive to a certain portion of the spectrum of light. This is a very helpful tool that can be used to benefit research in many fields. These images are taken from an aircraft, spacecraft or automated rocket. This specific image shows a river and the surrounding vegetation and land usage around it. This type of photography is great for ecologists because they can really study and try to understand what is going on in each ecosystem.

Cartographic Animation

http://i37.tinypic.com/fnd7bc.gif

A Cartographic animation is basically an animated or moving image that instead of being presented on a series of maps or on a map with a track of the movement, it shows a moving image to portray the movement being shown. In this image, it shows the path, shape and strength of a hurricane moving northwest across the southern portion of Florida. This image is just a basic cartographic animation and they could be used with several other things such as the spreading of tsunamis, other types of weather, and many other occurrences that have motion involved.

Statistical Map

http://www.improving-visualisation.org/vis/id=99

A statistical map shows just what it says it shows, statistics of a certain item, quantity or item in question. These types of maps convey distance between real world locations that are geographically known based upon previously calcualated values. This map shows the areas in the United States that are more densely populated per square mile by using the spikes to show the proportion of the amount of people and population density per square mile in certain areas. The larger the spike, the more dense an area is, and visa versa if it is smaller.

Cartograms

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cartlinearlarge.png

A cartogram map is a map that uses a different standard (such as time travel, population or Gross National Product) of measurement instead of distance or area. This specific map is an area cartogram of the United States where the states are skewed and re sized/rescaled in proportion to its population. This map even includes colors which represent the results of the 2004 presidential election, red being republican and blue being democrat.

Flow Map

http://ideas.arcgis.com/ideaView?id=087E00000004VaD&returnUrl=%2Fapex%2FideaList%3Fc%3D09a300000004xET%26category%3D%26sort%3Drecent

Flow maps are maps that show linear movement between places and the quantity that is being portrayed is based on the width of the flow line, the larger and wider the line, the higher quantity that is being portrayed and represented. This map shows the immigration flow of people from other countries and regions into the United States. The larger the width of the line, the more people have immigrated to the united states from that particular country or region. The highest number of immigrants looks to be immigrating from the southern asia and india region.

Isoline Maps

http://www.middleschoolscience.com/isotherms.htm

Isoline maps portray continuous distributions of numerical values by joining lines and points of equal value. Isoline maps could be used may be used to indicate areas of equal altitude, temperature, barometric pressure, wind speed, direction and sheer. This specific isoline map is a map that shows temperature in the united states, it connects the areas with the same temperature and alos it uses color to show the warmer and cooler areas, warmer being more red and cooler being more green.

Proportional Circle Map

http://personal.frostburg.edu/sbriggs0/maps.htm

Proportional circle maps are basically what they say they are, they use circles and use different sizes to represent the information they are trying to portray. The larger, lets say the population is, the larger the circle and the smaller the population, the smaller the circle. Usually each size circle is given a number as seen in the legend of this map. This current map portrays the number of walmarts per state in the united states in 2009. The larger the circle, means the more walmarts there are in the state, as expected , the more populated states have more walmarts than the less populated states.

Choropleth Map

http://my.ilstu.edu/~jrcarter/Geo204/Choro/Tom/

Choropleth maps are a type of thematic map that uses different colors or different shades of the same color to show the different densities in certain areas of particular topics in question. This choropleth map shows the densities of the percent of hispanic people per county in Florida. This particular map, uses different shades of green to portray different densities of hispanic people with the darker green showing the higher densities of hispanics. As seen in this map, south florida obviously has a greater density of hispanics than the northern portion of the state.

Dot Distribution Map

http://hosting.soonet.ca/eliris/remotesensing/bl130lec7.html

A Dot distribution map displays and uses dots to portray information of a certain phenomena and how it is distributed across a certain area. In this map, each dot represents 100,000 people. This map portrays population density in the United States, so it shows the phenomena of population across the area of the United States.

Propaganda Map

http://kuoest.wordpress.com/

A Propaganda map is a map used to portray information in a particular way the artist or creator wants to portray it to possibly sway an opinion of the reader or just to show an enhanced map of information to show proportions. These maps are used to help further prove a certain belief, idea or cause and to help damage an opposing belief, idea or cause. These kind of maps help to promote a certain idea the creator wants to promote, sort of skewing the look and shape of the items on the map. This map shows both the United States and the USSR during the cold war and what is associated with both countries. This is a propaganda map that helps promote the united states showing Taiwan, our ally as the same size as China, their ally, when in reality they are not the same size and so on.

Hypsometric Map

http://www.cec.org/Page.asp?PageID=924&ContentID=2841&SiteNodeID=497&BL_ExpandID

Hypsometric maps are surface maps that possess relief and present three dimensional information (this can be represented by color, shape, contour lines, and raised relief). Hypsometric maps represent elevation and topography of a certain terrain. This map shows the topography of the North American continent. The more green the color is, the lower the elevation of the terrain, and as it goes to yellow and brown, that represents a higher elevation and topography. As seen on this map, the eastern portion of the North America is significantly flatter than the western portion, which possesses a mountain range that basically flows from almost completely north to almost completely south.

PLSS Map

http://nationalatlas.gov/articles/boundaries/a_plss.html

A PLSS (Public Land Survey System) map is used to subdivide land in the United States, except for most of the eastern seaboard. It is a rectangular system of surveys that is used to divide public lands, owned by the federal government, for the benefit of the public. A PLSS map is a systematic land partitioning system that divides land into 6 square mile townships where a permanent marker is placed at each corner. This map is an example of a PLSS, it shows the United States and the colored portions are the portions that it covers using many different collectively used surveys.

Cadastral Map

http://www.bruceharris.com/services/cadastral-mapping/

A cadastral map is used to help facilitate land ownership by showing the parcels of land that are have been subdivided. The information usually is controlled by a governmental agency where they can use these type of maps to keep track of who owns what portion of land, how large each portion is and the exact location of each parcel of land. Cadastral maps define the boundaries, clearly, between different parcels of land and also portray an accurate depiction of the shape and size of each parcel of land. This map clearly portrays each parcel of land and shows the streets that they are on, this map helps to portray the ownership of land on a map.

Thematic Map

http://www.icsm.gov.au/mapping/maps_thematic.html

A thematic map is a map that presents, highlights and depicts a certain specific theme or topic. Thematic maps may be used to depict many different kinds of information and detail. The most common thematic maps include weather, population density and geological maps. This thematic map represents the Maritime Boundaries of Australia, it includes the and shows the different maritime zones by showing different colors and lines in the process.

Topographic Map

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Topographic_map_example.png

A topographic map represents relief, usually using contour lines to do so. They use large-scale detail to show an accurate graphic representation of human and natural features. They represent 3-dimensional aspect of the ground on a two-dimensional surface, such as a piece of paper. Contours are used to portray land surfaces with the same elevation on the surface and they show the specific shape and elevation of the terrain. This map is a topographic map using contour lines to show the vertical component to the terrain on top of showing the horizontal component. This shows the elevation and also some cities and roads.

Planimetric Map

http://www.emapstore.com/maps/tmfl3072.html

A Planimetric map is a surface map with no relief features, an example of this would be a street map. Planimetric maps indicate only the horizontal postions of features without the inclusion of elevation, meaning it has no indication of vertical position. This is a map of a portion of western Florida showing the roads and no elevation or relief features. It only shows the horizontal positioning of features such as cities and different roads.

Mental Map

http://www.fedstats.gov/kids/mapstats/concepts_mentalmaps.html

A mental map is a mental representation of one's perception on a specific area. It is a map that can easily be conveyed with a piece of paper, a pencil and what one remembers in his or her head. Since everyone has a different perception of their surroundings, not one map is like another, even if they portray the same location. Different people use different points as landmarks, and will portray different specific points on the map due to their own perception. This allows for there to be no boundaries on what one sees, remembers, and portrays on the page. So as seen above, this appears to be some representation of one's neighborhood or small town. Mental maps are usually kept within one's own mind, but as seen above, they can be drawn on paper, and physically displayed.