Before you start digitizing a new feature, you must set the current editing task to Create New Feature. To create a new feature, you also need a target layer. The target layer determines the type of feature you will create and what layer it will be stored in. Since there is only one shapefile in the folder that you started to edit, the target layer is set to the study area shapefile by default.

To create a new feature using the Create New Feature task, you must first create an edit sketch. An edit sketch is a shape that you draw by digitizing vertices using the sketch construction tools located on the tool palette. Several tools can add vertices to the sketch. You will use the Sketch tool to add the study area polygon.

The new feature you created does not contain any attribute information. Because other polygon features are present in this shapefile, distinguish your new polygon from the others by adding descriptive information about it. You can add descriptive information for a selected feature using the Attributes dialog box. After you have created the new study area polygon, you can choose to save or discard your edits.