Information Mapping

This document summarizes Edward Tufte's ideas about information mapping from his book Beautiful Evidence. Tufte argues that scientific images should include scales, diagrams, numbers, words or other contextual information to provide credible quantitative evidence rather than just amazing photographs. Well-mapped images combine representational graphics with explanatory elements. Examples discussed include star maps, diagrams tracing the perspectives in Cezanne's paintings, and a map locating a flower arranging school in Kyoto with sketches of buildings. The summary concludes that well-designed mapped pictures combine the direct evidence of images with the explanatory power of diagrams to provide context.