HUM 112: Introduction to Digital Humanities

• Understand the history, theory, and interdisciplinary nature of Digital Humanities
• Gain proficiency in key digital tools used in humanities research, such as text analysis, data visualization, GIS, and digital archiving
• Critically assess the ethical and social implications of digital tools in humanities research
• Apply digital humanities methods to independent research projects
• Communicate research findings effectively using digital tools and platforms

1. Introduction to Digital Humanities
   1. What is Digital Humanities?: Learn about the field of Digital Humanities, which combines traditional humanities subjects (e.g., art, music, literature, philosophy, and history) with digital tools and technology. 
   2. How Digital Tools Transform Research: Understand how tools like computers, software, and online databases are changing the way we conduct research in the humanities.
2. Digital Humanities Tools and Methods
   1. Exploring Tools for Text and Data: Get familiar with different tools that help analyze text, create visualizations, and work with maps and archives.
   2. Comparing Data Tools: Learn about platforms like Voyant (for text analysis),Tableau (for data visualizations), and StoryMap JS (for creating interactive maps); understand the strengths of each tool.
3. Textual Analysis and Data Processing
   1. Understanding Text Analysis: Learn how to break down and study large amounts of text using methods such as frequency analysis (counting word appearances) and topic modeling (identifying themes).
   2. Preparing Data for Analysis: Understanding how to clean and organize raw data for analysis, including techniques like web scraping (extracting data from websites) and downloading files for use in research.
4. Data Visualization
   1. Creating Interactive Displays: Learn how to create interactive visualizations where users can explore data on their own, such as clickable maps or dynamic charts.
   2. Creating Interactive Displays: Learn how to create interactive visualizations where users can explore data on their own, such as clicable maps or dynamic charts.
5. Ethics in Digital Humanities
   1. Understanding Ethical Issues: Discuss important topics in Digitaltal Humanities like privacy (protecting people's information), access (who can see and use data), and ownership (who controls digital content). 
6. Command Line and Text Processing
   1. Getting started with the Command Line: Learn how to use basic commands in a computer's terminal to manage files and folders. 
   2. Using Regular Expressions: Discover how regular expressions (a tool for finding and manipulating text patterns) can help you clean up and analyze text data.
7. Advanced Techniques
   1. Using Machine Learning and Spatial Analysis: Explore more advanced techniques like machine learning (using computers to recognize patterns in data) and spatial analysis (working with geographical or map data) to analyze humanities data.
8. Final Project
   1. Developing One's Own Research Project: Create and present one's own research project, using digital tools to showcase one's findings in a digital format, such as a website, interactive chart, or map.

Key Projects and Demonstrations with Outcomes

1. Project: Analyzing Texts with Digital Tools
   • Demonstration: Annotating Texts and Collaborative Analysis
   • Objective: Use digital tools to analyze humanities texts, applying techniques like text mining, frequency analysis, and topic modeling.
   • Outcome: Gain hands-on experience in analyzing large text datasets and collaborate with peers to interpret results. Develop a deeper understanding of how digital methods can enrich traditional textual analysis and improve interdisciplinary discussions.
2. Project: Creating a Digital Humanities Exhibit
   • Demonstration: Using Digital Presentation Tools
   • Objective: Curate an interactive digital exhibit that combines multimedia elements (images, videos, maps) with data visualizations to present research findings.
   • Outcome: Develop skills in creating engaging and informative digital exhibits. Learn how to effectively use digital tools to communicate complex research to a broader audience, demonstrating the value of digital tools in humanities scholarship.
3. Project: Independent Research and Presentation
   • Demonstration: Using Academic Databases and Citation Tools
   • Objective: Conduct independent research using digital archives, web scraping, and academic databases. Organize your findings into a research paper and present them to an audience.
   • Outcome: Strengthen one's ability to conduct digital research and synthesize findings into a structured academic paper. Enhance your presentation skills by showcasing how digital methods complement traditional research and gain experience in academic writing and public speaking.