Topographic Maps, the Dummies Rationale

Topographic map example

Among its other weaknesses, primarily the use of ignorant freelancers to "answer" questions on-line, eHow.com also demanded that the site's posts comprise 300 to 500 words of text. Given a writer who knows little or nothing about the topic, this requirement was often a recipe for factual disaster as writers padded their prose with half-understood factoids and out-and-out bogosity. Take, for instance Catherine Steinbauer, who attempted to address the question, "What Is the Importance of Topographic Maps?" for Sciencing.com.

Steinbauer, who followed up her BS in Environmental Science with an MA in Journalism, opened with the cogent (although wordy) information that,

"Topographic maps are an important tool because they can represent the three-dimensional landscape in two dimensions."

Ummm, yeah: maps are 2D objects. We get that. Of course, we also know that there is more to topographic maps than,

"A person who can read a topo map can find out the location of peaks, valleys, ridges and saddles, among other land features. Topo maps can also show you whether you will be traveling uphill or downhill on a particular road or trail."

Well, sure... but there's more. Catherine barfed up another 300-plus words including such semi-truths as,

"Contour lines are typically separated by 40 vertical feet..."

...and went into excruciating detail about how "The shape of the contour lines can tell you the shape of the landforms" and how to orient a map (though she says squat about declination). She also made brief reference to how,

"USGS topo maps also show features that you would see on regular road maps..."

What Steinbauer never did, however, was discuss why these maps are important. For that, you need to talk to someone who's used a few. Our staff geologist points out that,

• Topo maps are generally large-scale, meaning that they can show much more detail than most other maps
• USGS topo maps are the gold standard of accuracy
• Topographic maps, properly drawn, allow users to locate themselves with high accuracy
• Topo maps allow a user to place man-made objects in a three-dimensional framework
• Savvy users can easily find their location with a topographic map and a compass

Steinbauer didn't mention any of those features of topographic maps, instead expending all her mental energy on the idea that only hikers and other outdoors enthusiasts ever need topos. Such is the ignorance of which a Dumbass of the Day is born.

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