Although most maps today are made with the use of a computer, it is still useful to be able to make a map by hand with a protractor. Here are instructions on how to do it.
To make a map by hand, you will need several essential tools. Gather together a protractor, a compass, a tape measure, a ruler, a pencil, and some graph paper. Then select a starting point for your map, one point that will be the reference for all other points on the map. If you are making a map of a room or a building, this could be something like an entrance door or a central courtyard in the building. If you are making a map of an outdoor site, this could be a landmark of some sort, such as a large rock or a building. Since you will be making a map of a limited area that will probably be used in the context of a larger map of an area, the starting point, called the datum, is quite important. In the field it is usually marked by a long spike with a colored flag or ribbon attached to it.
Next use the compass to record the bearings of everything at the map site from the datum. The bearings will be expressed in degrees. For example, if you are mapping your backyard, and using the northwest corner of your house as the starting point, the location of your back gate might be 270 degrees from the datum. You will also need to measure the distance of each item from the datum using the tape measure.
Once you have recorded the bearing and distance of each item from the starting point, you may start to make your map. Decide at which scale you plan to make the map. For example, you may want to draw the map to the scale of one inch equals one foot. Usually the larger the area of the map, the smaller the scale would be - you might have a scale of 1 inch equals 100 feet if you were mapping a very large area. Mark the datum with a small triangle in the center of the map. Now put the protractor over the triangle. Align the 0 degrees mark so that it points straight up. It should be parallel to the sides of the paper. Make a mark at the bearing number of each item on the map. Now use the ruler to help draw a faint line from the datum through each bearing mark.
Once you have drawn all the lines, place each item to be mapped on the appropriate line in accordance with the scale of the map. For example, if you are mapping your back yard, you wish to map a tree 10 feet from the house at a bearing of 120 degrees, and your scale is 1 inch equals 2 feet, you would mark the tree on the map 5 inches from the datum point on the 120 degrees bearing line.
Once you have marked each object, erase the faint bearing lines. If your map is very crowded with items so that you do not have room to label each one, you might wish to use a legend to depict to which category each item belongs. Mark the map with directions - north, south, east, and west. Usually north will be at the top of the map. Make a note of the larger context into which the map fits, whether it is a town or city street or park, with longitude and latitude if possible.
