Communicating Science with Story Maps

1. What is a Story Map?

Story Maps are web applications that allow you to combine the functionality of interactive maps with multimedia content (photos, videos, audio, timelines) into one unique app. Let's start with looking at two examples of story maps:

Example 1: Getting Around Campus Example 2: The San Diego Transportation Innovations

2. Envisioning Your Story Map Context and Vision

There are a number of things to consider when communicating your research to make it powerful, impacting, and memorable.

    • Tell a captivating story that is engaging and relevant to the audience

    • Make it personal and articulate why people should care about the science

    • Engaging the public, whenever possible, helps scientists make informed decisions

To successfully achieve the above mentioned, you should go through the following:

Define your context! Have a sketch of the outline of what you intend to convey in your story map. Here are some key items you to which you should pay attention:

2.1. Define the origin of curiosity (WHY)

Personal intrigue: 'I wonder what..."

Stakeholder intrigue: 'S/he needs to know..."

Audience intrigue: 'They need to know..."

Anticipated intrigue: 'They might be interested in knowing..."

Potential intrigue: 'There should be something interesting..."

3. Creating a Story Map about Transit Access in Clemson

We are going to create a story map using the web map you created during the last session.

3. 1. Go to Content, click on the web map you created titled Clemson Transit Accessibility by YourInitials, then click on the inverted arrow to Open in map viewer.

3. 2. Click on the Share button in the top menu. Always make sure you map is shared with the public,

and all the sharing properties for the layers are updated.

3. 3. Click on the Create a Web App button.

3. 4. At the bottom, click on Page 4 and Choose Story Map Journal. Click on Create Web App .

3. 5. Enter the Title, Tags, Summary for your Story Map and click Done.

Title: Clemson Area Transit by *Your Name*

Tags: Transportation Planning, Transit, Clemson

Summary: Story map showing Clemson Transit Accessibility by *Your Name.*

3. 6. Click Done.

4. Configure Your Story Map

The Map Journal Builder Welcome Screen will open which allows you to set up your story map. Follow these steps to configure your story map.

1. Click Start.

2. When prompted What do you want to call your Map Journal? enter the title for your story journal - "Clemson Area Transit ". Then click the forward arrow.

5. You can also add an image or a video to the content by clicking on the camera icon in the menu. For example, try adding a YouTube video:

  • Go to YouTube and search for a video about Clemson Area Transportation. Right-click on the video and copy the video URL.

  • In the Story Map side panel, click the camera icon. Click Video and then choose YouTube. Paste the link in the box, then click Check and Select this video. Click Apply.

  • Click Save to save the changes and then view the story map page.

Once you're finished, the landing page of your story map will be created. The first thing a user will see is your main stage and side panel information.

6. SECTION 2: To add a new Section - Click on the ADD SECTION button at the bottom.

  • You should be asked to enter the content for your Main Stage. You can select a map, image, video, or a website.

    • Enter the main section title: Clemson Transit Accessibility

    • In this section we will add a map we created, so click on the drop-down menu after Map and choose the Map you created.

    • Leave the default settings. Click Next.

  • Then, you should be asked to fill the content for Side Panel. Let's insert the map legend in our panel.

    • From your start menu, open your Snipping Tool and snip to the are in your web map that has the legend for Clemson Bus Stops and Transit Access layers. Save the picture on your computer as Legend.jpg.

    • Click on the camera icon in the menu and select the Legend.jpg image.

    • Click Apply.

7. Repeat the process to build a series of journal stops. Try adding different text, images and/or videos for each section.

5. Changing the settings for the layout of your story map

4. Enter text which gives an overview of your story map and project. If you include information from other sources, make sure you always give credits to the source.

Then, you should be asked to fill the content for Side Panel

After this, you should be able to see two different sections of your story map: Main Stage and Side Panel. You will be prompted to enter the content for your Main Stage, with the options of adding a map, image, video, or webpage.

3. In this case, we will add an image ( Always start your story map with a picture to attract the audience)

    • Option 1. Click on Upload and then drag and drop a picture from your computer or browse to its location on the computer.

  • Option 2: Choose Link and then choose URL:

    • Go to google.com and search for images relevant to your project. Find good quality, high-resolution image and open it. Right click on that image and Copy image address

    • Paste the URL copied to your main stage content image window and click on next.

To change the layout of your story map, Click on the Settings in the Top Menu of your Map journal builder. A new window will open and you will able to see the tabs for changing the Layout, Layout Options, Theme, Fonts, and Header.

  • Layout - Under this tab, you have two options for the panel: Side Panel or Floating. Choose the one you think will work for your story.

  • Layout Options - Under this tab, you can change the position of your side panel from left to right and you can change size of your panel and mainstage ( Small, Medium or Large). This is totally on you whichever you think will work best.

  • Theme - Under this tab, you can change the color theme for your story.

  • Fonts - Under this tab, you can choose the type of font you want to have for your Section title and Section Content.

  • Header - This tab allows you to change the header for your story. You can change the logo, customize the link or share your story on facebook/twitter or create bit.ly link.

1. Experiment with the theme color palette and fonts. Once you have everything configured the way you would like, click Apply.

2. On the top right corner of your story map, click Save, then click Share and click to make it Public.

From this menu, you will have a URL link to your story map. For example : http://arcg.is/0nn9Gy

6. Sharing your story map and its content

All of the maps that you saved in your Content section (as well as any datasets you upload and story maps you create) have different levels of access privileges. When you first create an item such as a map, it is only visible to you by default. You can make the item visible to various levels, which include:

    • Private - the item is only visible to your account. You must be logged in to ArcGIS Online to view the item.

    • Group - a group is a way of sharing items with specific users on ArcGIS Online. They are very useful for working on group projects!

    • Organization - anyone with an organizational account, such as Clemson University login, can see your item.

    • Public - anyone can see your items, even if they do not have an ArcGIS Online account.

You can utilize the Private and Group sharing settings while constructing maps and story maps before they are ready to present. All of your content should be set to Public when you are finished to ensure it can be accessed!

7. Best Practices

8. Additional Resources

    • Online recommended recorded webinars:

Sharing Cached Imagery in ArcGIS

Create Enhanced Information Products with ESRI Maps for Office

Gain Geographic Insight with ArcGIS Online Analysis Tools

Workflows to manage and share imagery in ArcGIS