Mapping is a broad term that describes adding marks, layers, images, etc. to maps. While GIS is part of mapping, not all mapping is GIS. Adding a pin to a Google Earth map, for example, is not GIS. Adding a data layer and using that data layer to perform an analysis is.
GIS
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is the combination of geospatial software (e.g., ArcGIS), tools (e.g., a GPS receiver), and geospatial data. While GIS is a form of data visualization, it also falls under the category of mapping. In the examples below, you can see how GIS can be used for visualizing all kinds of data including statistics and geographic areas. GIS is used for creating both static maps, such as the kind one sees in presentations and books, and interactive maps that can be shared online.
Traditional GIS Maps
This presentation poster created for the 2019 BC Libraries GIS contest has maps created in ArcGIS (see more information about the project in BC's eScholarship).
Interactive GIS Maps
This interactive map was created in using curated spatial data of Gabii, an archaeological site outside of Rome.
The map's interactive nature allows users to click on individual features to find out more about them as well as perform actions such as take measurements, search by feature number, and turn on and off different years of aerial imagery to see how the excavation evolved.
GIS Analysis
Mapping Islamophobia is an example of how GIS visualizes geospatial along with statistical data.
Maps as Interface
In digital scholarship, maps are often one component of a larger project and, in some cases, function as an interface to other aspects of a project.
Witches, a University of Edinburgh digital project that visualizes the locations of witch trials from 1550-1750, links a map marked with witch trial locations to The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft database.
Story Maps
Story mapping platforms are applications that use a variety of maps, text, and multimedia elements to present interactive narratives that engage users and provide instantly-accessible geographic context to any project.
Spatial Stories
This story map, created using Knightlab's StoryMaps, combines text, video, and images to highlight how Chicago's dialogue with classical antiquity has shaped the city's look, reputation, and identity.
Spatial Stories & Analysis
This story map, which explores the current healthcare system and soaring cancer drug prices,was created using ArcGIS Online Story Maps. A more flexible and complex platform than Knighlab's version, it combines text, various media elements, and a variety of maps and data visualizations.
