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Designing Digital Humanities 2

In my post for this week, I will discuss the concept of visualization and data design from Ch. 2 in Burdick’s book. In addition to this, I will analyze some of the digital humanities projects (DH) that the author has explored in this chapter. Last week I was looked to the most vital element to organize a DH project and to watch out for the qualification of the team behind the project.

Concerning this notion, Burdick has included subtitles in this vast area. The most essinssal one that I believe perfectly suits my research is visual interpretation. To observe the humanity data as a visual outcome is a technique, adopted from studies relevant to social sciences. (p.42).The principal argument in this chapter is, whatever we have as humanity data, (text, photos, films, etc.) can ensure the best results when creating the leading visual frame or tools. This assumption can be associated with Anderson’s theory concerning the map. In his perspective, he says, the map is the sample of the real world. In other words, he connected humanity to the maps with an intention to illustrate the history or to reserve the memory for the next generation. (Anderson,2006, p.175)

The first case study in this chapter “MAPPING DIFFERENTIAL GEOGRAPHIES IN THE NEW WORLD ENCOUNTER.” The project is mapping geographic data and GIS applications, which convey the idea of how the humanities’ tools can forge a new concept of mapping. After discovering European maps, they included text from numerous letters since 1530s such as Christopher Columbus’ letters to the king and queen of Spain.

In this project, the team used natural language processing (NLP) in order to comprehend the meaning of the vocabulary in the text.

For the VLP project, we can use the same method applied to one of the Seminole wars’ references, to investigate the prime differences in the languages of that period and how that changed in the modern language. Does that affect the culture? Alternatively, the culture’s norms are a part of the language?

Moreover, I like the instrumental evaluation that has been determined to use in this project. The virtual roundtables organized as classroom events. Is this the best choice for the scholarly in the field to give feedback on the content? The online conversations will provide the team with an increasing number of evaluators and a sheer variety of point-views from different places in the world.

The third case study “AUGMENTED OBJECTS & SPACES: JEWISH RITUAL OBJECTS IN DIASPORA” (p.66). In this study, the team explained; what they would address, and the Jewish ritual objects collection they will cover from the museum. The paper does not mention that the tools which help to create the application perhaps, what coding language basically will they consider? Is there any previous system that concerns their editing? However, I enjoyed the idea of helping a specific community, and this is one of the essential goals for DH projects. 

 

For all the studies, I noticed that they did not spend the time to give an idea about the stuff that will work on the project. Moreover, the funding resources were missed in this plan. I personally think they must spend more time explaining the visual tools that will have a prominent role in designing the projects. 

 

In terms of the inspection of papers concerning the writing style, I was skeptical of how will I start my article due to a new experience in my research journey. This project helps me to have the main points that I must cover in my writing and how I will execute my plan in the study time. While I am reading, I am asking some questions that can open up a discussion to help me frame my research approach.

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