ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of all the possible assessment methods that could be used and then guides the analyst through planning the most effective accuracy assessment possible. It presents a discussion of the qualitative assessment methods first, then follows with some methods that bridge the gap between qualitative and quantitative approaches, and concludes with an overview of the quantitative methods. Qualitative accuracy assessment ultimately comes down to whether or not the map “looks good” to the map producers and users. Qualitative accuracy assessment can be a valuable beginning to evaluating a map. Positional accuracy evaluates whether objects on the map are in the correct location, while thematic accuracy determines whether the objects have been correctly labeled. No classification scheme was used, and samples were taken throughout the map. It has been recognized that the positional accuracy of a sample depends on the land cover type.
