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Social Work and Human Services

Creating Maps & Generating Reports

 How do I get to PolicyMap?

Use the library link listed below or from the CSUDH Library's Article Databases list to access the subscription version of PolicyMap.

 How do I create a map and find data in PolicyMap? 

1. Add a location by address, city, county, state, zip code, or coordinates.

2. Select a data layer from the menu at the top (i.e. Demographics, Incomes & Spending, Health, etc.). 

3. In the data layer, you can also adjust settings for features like years and range. 

4. Hover over an area on the map to see the value for a specific area. 

Note: The most specific geographic information you can find for some data is by U.S. Census Tract, but some data is only available by county, city, or state.

Animated gif of creating a map in PolicyMap

 How can I make reports in PolicyMap? 

1. Go to the Reports tab at the top right of the screen, or select an area and choose the Reports option.

2. Choose a report, either a Community Profile, Community Health Report, Rental Housing Report, or Home Mortgage Report.

3. Enter the location, such as a state, county, city, or zip code.

4. Click on the Generate the report button to view, download, or print the report.

PolicyMap with Reports in the top right highlighted and Reports when selecting an area.

Downloading Images

How do I save and download an image of my map for a paper/presentation?

Select the Print button in the top right corner:

PolicyMap with Print button highlighted in the bottom right corner.

1. Click on the pencil icon next to the map title to edit. 

2. Change the orientation of the image to Landscape or Portrait.

3. Change the file type to PNG (recommended). 

4. Select Export.

Your image may take a moment to download to your device. 

Export your work as an image in PolicyMap.

Citing PolicyMap

How do I cite data or images from PolicyMap in APA?

General APA Format:

Data source(s). (Date Last Updated in PolicyMap). Title of map layer or table [Map of location]. List any additional data sources here. PolicyMap. https://csudh.policymap.com/ 

Example: 

U.S. Census American Community Survey & PolicyMap. (2018). Predominant racial or ethnic group between 2013-2017 [Map of Long Beach, CA]. PolicyMap. https://csudh.policymap.com/ 

Where can I find the data source in PolicyMap? 

1. Look for the source at the top of the data layer: 

Data layer in PolicyMap with Source: Census highlighted.

2. Select the source to find the full list of data sources and date last updated in PolicyMap's data directory.