Week 4: How does text analysis change as we move away from the text?

I hope yesterday’s workshop on setting up a digital workflow gave you some ideas about things you can do to be a little more organized, secure, and productive in your digital work. If you want to talk more about these practical topics, let me know — we might be able to hold another workshop like this before the end of the semester.

Your first assignment is due next week, so you should be fully immersed in your chosen site and steadily working on your essay. If you are feeling unsure about your work on this project, please come see during office hours on Tuesday (1–4 p.m.) or email me to set up an appointment on Friday or Monday.

Here’s a quick overview of our plans for Week 4:

• On Monday, we’ll turn away from definitional issues about the digital humanities and toward methodological ones, with Ashley and Alexis serving as our discussion superheroes. Please read Dan Dixon’s chapter in Understanding Digital Humanities (pp. 190–209) and the first five chapters of Macroanalysis (pp. 1–62) and be ready to discuss them in class.
• On Wednesday, your analysis of a mature digital humanities project is due. Please make sure your essay is uploaded to your shared Google Drive folder and converted to Google Docs format before you come to class. During class, each of you will have 3–5 minutes to tell us about the project you analyzed and help us understand why we might (or might not) be interested in learning more. The format for your presentation is up to you, but if you plan to use a PowerPoint file, please upload it to your Google Drive folder, too.

I can’t wait to read your essays and see your presentations next week! If there’s anything I can do to help you finish up, don’t hesitate to ask.