Argumentation maps were proposed to facilitate participatory planning using Internet geographic information systems (GIS) technology. Argumentation mapping combines online discussion forums with online mapping to enable participants in discussions to provide explicit geographic references for their contributions. The concept draws on principles of geospatial data modeling and participatory GIS and poses new challenges for geographic information science. This entry describes the basic idea and conceptual model of argumentation maps, their multidisciplinary origin, and their potential applications.

The argumentation map concept combines elements from geographic data modeling and argumentation theory. Geographic data modeling defines various approaches for representing spatial phenomena, including the vector and the raster data models. Argumentation theory is concerned with formal modeling of human discourse. [Page 109]Combining these two foundations, argumentation maps describe relations ...