報紙上的地圖，不只使單純的文章一躍而為雙維的圖文報導，加強故事的解釋性，更可以提高新聞的易讀性。但由於受到主題、編排與時間，還有編輯的地圖素養之影響，報紙地圖的品質與設計就不一而足。戰爭一直是報紙上最常配合地圖出現的議題。本研究收集了聯合報、中國時報、The China Post等報社從1966-2003年以來的重大戰役地圖，探討戰爭地圖之特色及時代變遷造成地圖表達的異同。結論發現，比例尺、投影、指北一直以來都被報紙地圖忽略了，流線、飛 機、炸彈則為被運用得最多的符號。現代的色彩幾乎完全取代早期的圖案功能，而利用DTM功能來表示地形，則是最新的趨勢。但製圖者的專業設計能力，尤其貼字能力明顯退步。可見得隨著硬體設備的發展，報紙地圖也作了不少更新。
In newspapers, maps not only convey some additional or supplementary data to the text, but also to accelerate explain news story, promote newspapers readability. Owing to some constraints such as main theme, column widths, deadline, editor's cartographic knowledge and so forth, map quality and design are versatile. According to investigation, the thematic focus of newspaper maps has been dominated in military conflict. In this paper, war maps are collected from United Daily News, China Times and The China Post which were published during 1966-2003. The aim is to discuss the design characteristics of war maps and the cartographic expression change between these periods. The results reveal that lack of scale, lack of projections and lack of orientation are the chief deficiency. Nevertheless, flow lines, airplanes and bombs are the symbols most often employed in newspapers. Besides, color almost replaces pattern function, and DTM is the newest trend to display the landform. But editor's cartographic design ability especially lettering ability is regress significantly. With the advent of printing press and of better instruments, war maps in newspapers make some innovation.
