Design and Analysis for Thematic Map Accuracy Assessment

Published Date

June 1998, Vol.64(3):331–344, doi:10.1016/S0034-4257(98)00010-8

Title 

Design and Analysis for Thematic Map Accuracy Assessment

Fundamental Principles

• Author 

• Stephen V. Stehman ^*,,
• Raymond L. Czaplewski ^†

• *SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York USA
• †USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fort Collins, Colorado USA

Received 5 August 1997. Revised 26 January 1998. Available online 4 December 1998.

Abstract

Before being used in scientific investigations and policy decisions, thematic maps constructed from remotely sensed data should be subjected to a statistically rigorous accuracy assessment. The three basic components of an accuracy assessment are: 1) the sampling design used to select the reference sample; 2) the response design used to obtain the reference land-cover classification for each sampling unit; and 3) the estimation and analysis procedures. We discuss options available for each of these components. A statistically rigorous assessment requires both a probability sampling design and statistically consistent estimators of accuracy parameters, along with a response design determined in accordance with features of the mapping and classification process such as the land-cover classification scheme, minimum mapping unit, and spatial scale of the mapping.

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• *
  Address correspondence to Stephen Stehman, SUNY ESF, 320 Bray Hall, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY 13210.
  
  

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