Research Sources: Sonora Residence Hall

The proposed topic given is to draw a map of a part of the ASU campus. The part of campus that I am deciding to draw a map of is the Sonora Residency Halls. The reason I chose Sonora was because number one it is where I am currently living, it is also different than the rest of the residency halls, and lastly it is a unique place on the ASU campus. The second part of the assignment is to annotate the map with descriptions of each place that we are describing or the different aspects of this residence hall. Annotating a map is one of the best things that someone can possibly do because maps sometimes can be a little confusing and especially a map that can be of the size of the ASU campus alone with no annotations could mess some people up if they were trying to find out where to go.

                A reason I would want to explore this topic is because maps to me are actually fun to look at. A map is something that can always have a personal touch on it and is something that gives people direction and also keeps things organized…sometimes. As an in class assignment drawing a map is great because one can always get input from other people in the class.

                How I plan on tackling this topic is basically by walking around all of Sonora and annotating every little thing I feel is important. Then I am going to sit on top of the Housing Residence and just draw it. That is a pretty simple description but it seems like the easiest way to approach this situation.

                The article that I used was an article on the New York Times that is about the deep roots of maps. It is about a specific map but it is only one page long and is by Theo Emery and it is called “Maps Hidden Marks Illuminate and Deepen Mystery of Lost Colony.” This article is basically about a map that brings about the hidden details of a map which could help me with this assignment a lot because the small things that some people don’t notice and seeing it on another map and imputing it into mine project.

                The book that I am using is The Game by Neil Strauss. It isn’t about maps but it maps on how to talk to people girls and guys. It is just a map on how to talk to people and this is good source for me to have because mapping how to do something can help me annotate my map. Giving clear, short, precise details about small things could be ultimately a difference maker on a map. The other book I chose to use as my third choice it is called Maps of the Imagination: The Writer as a Cartographer this book is about mapping of the imagination which is almost actually quite impossible but it is still a helpful tool for me because the book is creative in how it attempt to map the mind.