A guide for evaluating and reporting map data quality: Affirming Shao et al. "Overselling overall map accuracy misinforms about research reliability".

CONTEXT

Landscape ecologists often use thematic map data in their research. Greater familiarity with thematic map accuracy assessment protocols will enhance appropriate use and interpretation of map quality data.

OBJECTIVES

Provide an overview of thematic map accuracy assessment protocols and simple, non-quantitative guidelines to assess the quality of the thematic map data that landscape ecologists use in their research.

METHODS

Synthesis and interpretation of salient literature on map accuracy assessment.

CONCLUSIONS

Landscape ecologists can adopt three simple rules to improve their use and interpretation of map data: 1) use the map quality data only if the accuracy assessment protocols adhere to rigorous, well-established standards for the sampling design, response design, and analysis; 2) focus on class-specific accuracy via user's and producer's accuracies (or the complementary measures commission and omission error rates); and 3) use the criterion that an accuracy assessment that reports class-specific accuracies accompanied by standard errors is a strong indicator of a rigorous assessment.