Context: Landscape ecologists often use thematic map data in their research. Greater familiarity with thematic map accuracy assessment protocols will enhance appropriate use and interpretation of map quality data.
Objectives: Provide an overview of thematic map accuracy assessment protocols and simple, non-quantitative guidelines to assess the quality of the thematic map data that landscape ecologists use in their research.
Methods: Synthesis and interpretation of salient literature on map accuracy assessment.
Conclusions: Landscape ecologists can adopt three simple rules to improve their use and interpretation of map data: 1) use the map quality data only if the accuracy assessment protocols adhere to rigorous, well-established standards for the sampling design, response design, and analysis; 2) focus on class-specific accuracy via user's and producer's accuracies (or the complementary measures commission and omission error rates); and 3) use the criterion that an accuracy assessment that reports class-specific accuracies accompanied by standard errors is a strong indicator of a rigorous assessment.