Data & Digitization
Chapters two and three explain data modeling and digitization, which are both crucial to working on DH projects.
Data is the basic unit of digital work and projects. There are two types, structured and unstructured. Structured is explicit and unambiguous, while unstructured is ambiguous and indefinite. Structuring data allows the creation of a model of content that can be analyzed and interpreted. Data can also be quantitative or qualitative, which changes the way it is analyzed and organized. Data models rely on parameterization and tokenization, which allows them to be counted and be defined as a discrete unit. How and what kind of data is collected depends on the project and purpose, as well as ethical issues. The kind of data humanists work with are often ambiguous or incomplete, which means more work must be done to structure and utilize them.
The standard for publishing documents on the Web is HTML format. Web-based materials need to consider accessibility and sustainability when being designed for equal use. It is difficult to predict the lifespan of digital files because they have not been around for very long. Data can be degraded or lost as updates and changes occur, and they may fail to be compatible with current platforms. When choosing file formats, it is important to think about its short- and long-term success, and to name them in an organized and sensical way.
The project I have chosen to analyze, the Women Writers Project, provides examples of these concepts. Its goal is to make texts by early Victorian women more accessible. The website states that it is a “long-term research project”, meaning that when creating the site, they had to choose a format that would be supported over a long period of time. They also must keep up with changes in platforms to preserve these electronic texts and images. In terms of data modeling, the researchers had to collect and structure data to organize the various texts they have compiled.
I like how your post highlights the important role that data plays in all digital humanities projects. I also liked how you distinguished between structured and unstructured data and emphasized how structuring is necessary to allow for analysis and interpretation. The discussion about the types of data adds a deeper understanding of how data is handled in digital humanities projects as well. "Web-based materials need to consider accessibility and sustainability when being designed for equal use." I like how you touched on the design of web-based materials because when we looked at different sites in class, some were quite confusing and hard to use which made understanding the concepts and information provided by the site difficult. I think the project that you chose is a great one to demonstrate the concepts you spoke about concerning how they make sure their site is accessible and working properly to make it the most effective for others to learn from.
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ReplyDeleteI like how you directly correlate your project to the chapter 2 and 3 readings. Our posts are simular I also talked about the differences of structured and unstructured data. The way you describe HTML gave me a better idea of how some of these files will last longer than others. Chapter 3 admittedly confused me a little bit. It was also very good when you noted that the way we gather data will vary case to case.Overall this post clarified a lot of questions I had thought the reading.
ReplyDeleteYour explanation of chapters two and three nicely explains what data modeling is and digitization in DH projects. You helped me understand the differences between structured and unstructured data, and the differences between quantitative and qualitative data. I also like how you touched on parameterization and tokenization, adding depth to your explanation.
ReplyDeleteYour example of the Woman's Writer project was really helpful, you talked about how important it was for them to choose a format that would hold up long term, technology is constantly changing so it makes for a good example of a pretty big challenge in the field of digital humanities. Overall, your comment is both easy to follow and effectively applies the concepts to a meaningful example.