3305 Create the Layout

You created the first map in ArcGIS Pro, but remember, it didn't have any map elements yet. In order to add map elements in ArcPro, you need to insert a layout. Go to Insert - New Layout. You will choose the page size and orientation. I will choose Letter Size and Landscape for my layout. ArcGIS Pro will open a white page, an empty layout.

1) You will need to specify which map to display on this layout. Go to Insert - Map Frame - Default Extent. Then you will draw a rectangle on the layout page to specify where the map will be placed and how much area it will take up.

Once the map is visible on the layout page, then you will start adding map elements and moving them around.

Which map elements do you need to include? Please review the two links below about required map elements and map design requirements.

 Required Map Elements .

Also  Map Design Requirements  and how to  create a layout .

I will go over this process fairly quickly in these instructions. I would recommend you review the How to Create a Layout link above for more detailed instructions. You will see an example of a finished layout at the bottom of these instructions.

2) The first map element I will add is the map title. Go to Insert - Rectangle Text, then specify on the page where you will place it. I am placing it above the map. The title of my map is "Educational Attainment by Census Tracts, Colorado." I am centering it, increasing the font size and setting it to bold.

3) Then I will insert the north arrow. Go to Insert - North Arrow. Again, you will specify the area and location where you want to place each element.

4) Next I will insert the scale bar. Go to Insert - Scale Bar. Add it to the map where you want it.

5) Next is the legend. Go to Insert - Legend. Add it to the map where you want it.

6-9) Next is other map text. This includes: the author (that's your name), date created (the date you created the map), data sources (that's the website you downloaded the data from), and the coordinate system (in my case WGS 1984 for this feature class). Go to Insert - Rectangle Text and then add those 4 pieces of information.

10) An outer neatline. This is simply a rectangle with a border and no fill that is placed around the page edge, enclosing the map and all the map elements. It's a border.

Oftentimes, in my map creation process, I will add all the map elements and then clean up and move them around. I also need to clean up the layer names in all my maps. See the example of my finished map below:

List of Map Elements: 1) The map itself; 2) Map title; 3) Legend; 4) North Arrow; 5) Scale Bar; 6) Author; 7) Date you created the map; 8) Data sources - link to website where you downloaded the data; 9) Coordinate system of your data; 10) Neatline - a rectangle around the page edge, enclosing the map and all map elements

For any maps created for KSU cartography and GIS courses, you are expected to include the required map elements and follow the map design requirements. You will soon be able to differentiate good maps from not so good maps based on these expectations.

You will submit a draft of your first map. I will give you feedback and improvement suggestions about your map. I would recommend you revise your map after my feedback. The draft map is worth 20 points. You will also submit a draft for your second poster map. It is also worth 20 points.

Now that you created the first map and layout for your poster, what's next? You need to create a second map. Remember the second map can either be a reference map, or a qualitative thematic map, or a second quantitative thematic map. The example map was a choropleth map, symbolizing polygons with graduated symbols. It's up to you which type of map you create for the poster: choropleth, graduated or proportional symbols, dot density, etc. Be sure to work through all the labs in this course since they cover the different map types in detail.