These maps are created by placing a dot or some other symbol on a geographic site where the event occurred or the condition exists.

Spot maps do not show the risk of the event occurring in a particular place (i.e., risk of a resident getting a particular disease).

Even when a spot map may show a large number of dots in one area, it is not necessarily plotting the risk of acquiring the disease, especially if that area is densely populated.

Using coded symbols to indicate the occurrence of more than one event is helpful when many events cluster at one location.