MAPS

Maps situate data stories in places. Maps bring evidence home. By providing a sense of context, scope and proximity, they make data personal. 

In tobacco prevention work, various types of maps can be helpful. In the background section of Final Evaluation Reports, it can be helpful to include an area map of the county to provide an overview of the region. Location maps inlaid with photos put a “human” face to an issue or a place. Density maps that show the number or proximity of tobacco retailers or smoking areas to youth-frequented areas are effective. These can be overlaid with jurisdictional boundaries of city council or board of supervisor voting districts to fact sheets specific to each elected official. Choropleth maps can be used to show the intensity of a problem, support, or policy coverage with the saturation of color overlaid on an area map. This makes it easy to tell where more work needs to be done.