Theory and methods for accuracy assessment of thematic maps using fuzzy sets

The use of fuzzy sets in map accuracy assessment expands the amount of information that can be provided regarding the nature, frequency, magnitude, and source of errors in a thematic map. The need for using fuzzy sets arises from the observation that all map locations do not fit unambiguously in a single map category. Fuzzy sets allow for varying levels of set membership for multiple map categories. A linguistic measurement scale allows the kinds of comments commonly made during map evaluations to be used to quantify map accuracy. Four tables result from the use of fuzzy functions, and when taken together they provide more information than traditional confusion matrices. The use of a hypothetical dataset helps illustrate the benefits of the new methods. It is hoped that the enhanced ability to evaluate maps resulting from the use of fuzzy sets will improve our understanding of uncertainty in maps and facilitate improved error modeling. 40 refs.

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