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Women in GIS members! Show off your cartography skills in the inaugural WiGIS Map Contest. This is a great way to show off your hard work to a large audience - and, if you win, you get to add "Award Winning Cartographer" to your resume!
Not a member? Find out how easy it is to become one - anyone can join!
Categories:
All maps are beautiful! However, we recognize that some maps are more creative and artistic than a traditional cartographic map and should be judged differently. For this reason you have a choice as to which category your submission best fits. There will be one winner for each category.
Emerging Professional or Student (less than 5 years in GIS)
- Traditional Map - thematic, topographic, reference, etc.
- Creative map- creative, artistic, infographic style
Career Professional (5 or more years in GIS)
- Traditional Map - thematic, topographic, reference, etc.
- Creative map- creative, artistic, infographic style
Rules:
- Submission deadline: January 31, 2025
- Must be an active (dues paying) WiGIS member
- Maps must be, at a minimum, 11" x 17" and no larger than 34" x 44" (E size) - either portrait or landscape orientation is acceptable.
- Maps must be submitted in PDF format, (print ready)
- Only one entry per person
- Only one prize packet will be awarded per winning entry
- You may use any software to create your map, however Esri software must be used to have winning map displayed at the Esri UC Map Gallery.
Important Dates:
- Contest Opens: October 30, 2024
- Submission deadline: January 31, 2025 11:59pm Pacific Time (US)
- Winner announced: March 15, 2025
Prizes:
Each winner will receive*:
- 1 copy of Mapping the Deep, by Dawn Wright
- 1 copy of Women and GIS (winner's choice of vol 1, 2, or 3)
- WiGIS membership dues waived for upcoming renewal period
- Map hung at the 2025 Esri User Conference Map Gallery*
- WiGIS Swag
- Digital Certificate
- Winners and their maps will be featured on the WiGIS website and social media
Additional Benefits:
Need another reason to become a member and participate in the contest? As a WiGIS member you get GISP Points for Contributions to the Profession:
- 1 GISP point for being a WiGIS Member
- 1 point for participating in the WiGIS Map Contest
- 1 point if your map wins and it's hung at the Esri UC Map Gallery*
Judging Criteria:
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Content
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Accuracy (grammar, punctuation, spelling) – Is there appropriate use of grammar and spelling?
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Effective communication – Is the map’s message clear? Does the content support the map’s intended purpose?
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Effective use of geographic information – Appropriate use and portrayal of spatial data. If relevant, does the author include sufficient geographic features or other essential elements for orientation?
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Sources – Is the work informative with reliable sources? Are sources appropriately credited/cited?
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Presentation
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Legibility (font, font size, figures, tables, graphics) – Are fonts, text size, and labels configured in a way that is legible?
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Design/Layout – Do the graphical elements follow a logical arrangement?
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Visual appeal (color coordination, geometry, accents, highlights, use of symbology) – Is there an effective use of symbology, geometry, labels, and color?
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Originality
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Is the work innovative, either in its subject matter or its application of visual graphics? Is the presentation unique?
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This criteria are weighted differently depending on the category your map was submitted to:
- Traditional maps weight: Content: 45%; Presentation: 45%; Originality: 10%
- Creative maps weight: Content: 35%; Presentation: 35%; Originality: 30%
Stay tuned to learn about our talented guest judges!
For questions contact outreach@womeningis.org.
*WiGIS reserves the right to substitute gift cards in lieu of prizes if necessary. Entries must use Esri software in order to have map displayed at the Esri UC.