Working with map symbols and labels

When you add a layer to a map, ArcMap assigns a default symbol to represent the layer's features. Because the default symbol may not be the one you want, you need to know how to change it.

Effective symbols take advantage of common associations that people make, such as blue for water and green for vegetation. People also make associations based on symbol size—a street drawn with a thick line is easily understood to be busier or more important than one drawn with a thinner line.

Symbols can convey a lot of information about geographic features, but displaying only features on a map—even with symbols that effectively convey their meaning—isn't always enough. In fact, most maps will not be useful without at least some textual information. Text may be used to provide a feature's name or other attribute, or to draw attention to a feature or an area of interest.

On a map, symbols are used to show feature locations. Using pictoral symbols can provide more information; for example, a car symbol indicates a parking lot. Adding text such as a feature's name or function provides even more information.