Tutorials

Step-by-step tutorials for working on mapping projects using GIS methods and software.

View the Project on GitHub HarvardMapCollection/tutorials

5 underrated techniques for map making

When you’re first getting started learning map making, most of the materials you will find are about how to run powerful analyses, or create stunning visualizations. This guide is all about our favorite need-to-know GIS techniques.

The HMC-published guides have been written for the free GIS software QGIS, which you can learn how to download here. The techniques are also applicable in ArcGIS Pro, and official ArcGIS Pro documentation has been included for each tecnhnique. Happy mapping!

GIF of zooming in on a basemap in QGIS

5 helpful techniques

  1. Add a vector dataset to a map
  2. Add a basemap to a map
  3. Zoom to layer
  4. Create subsets of the data
  5. Change the reference system