Metadata & Databases

-

For this week, we learned more about two specific kinds of data used in digital humanities: metadata in chapter 4 and databases in chapter 5. 

According to the textbook, metadata “suggests specialized expertise and a world of professional knowledge” (Drucker 52). It is information that can describe a digital resource, record, data, or an object. Metadata tells you the data, size and format of every file possible. Different kinds include descriptive, administrative, and operational. After reading about metadata, I see it as a more detailed version of the term “data,” which is what we talked about for the last blog. I added this photo below because it best describes my thoughts about this concept. 

The role of metadata in a data-driven strategy | Zeenea

With databases, the textbook does not give an exact definition of the word itself. However, it says that data “does not exist in the world” (Drucker 70). There are definitions for more specific databases, such as a relational database. This is one that is “composed of multiple tables that separate different types of information to make it more efficient to manage and easier to control” (Drucker 70). Looking at this information about databases, I would define it as an organized collection of information or data that is digitally kept in a computer system.


Metadata and databases bring us back to our ever-evolving understanding of DH. Based on our prior knowledge about digital humanities, metadata relates to it by using data about our objects of study. 

In order to answer research questions that are constantly being proposed by researchers, the data within databases is exactly what we need. Even if an exact answer is not found, newer theories are created or can be built off of them. 


I would say metadata is definitely relevant to my project, which is The Culture that Connects Us. The people who created this website used humanities metadata to prove a point about putting together related materials into themes such as heritages, museums, and art.

The databases used in my project are the materials that help bring together a bigger picture of what the culture in Europe is like. This includes images of the philosophy itself, videos of a city, and a google map of Europe. 


Metadata and databases are also relevant to our future projects in this course, especially with UNH Library. It is self explanatory, they have an array of databases you can choose from based on what your needs are for a certain topic.


Comments

  1. Stephen BentzlinFebruary 11, 2024 at 8:48 PM

    I really enjoyed your interoperation of metadata and databases because the picture you inputed is exactly how I thought about metadata when I read the chapters too. Metadata and databases I think are a big feature for the future of digital humanities and the advancement of technology that we can use because it will allow us to find, store data, transfer, and compact data quicker and efficiently. Just like digital humanities, I'd agree that metadata and databases has a broad definition that can be reformed constantly, and I like how you said, "Even if an exact answer is not found, newer theories are created or can be built off of them." Your points are also very distinct from each other and I like how each paragraph has its own distinction from each other.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dr. MFebruary 12, 2024 at 3:23 PM

    Love the iceberg photo! It is a deeper set of information that describes the data and/or how it or other materials are being presented.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Blog 4: Information Visualizations and Distant Reading

-
    “What is Distant Reading” by Kathryn Shultz sheds light on the evolving landscape of literary analysis and visualization projects like Six Degrees of Francis Bacon, as well as Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, which is advocated through the perspective of Franco Moretti. Moretti proposes a pretty big change from traditional close reading, advocating that when analyzing massive amounts of literary data, we should analyze it using digital methods. His approach challenges the conventional methods of analyzing and reading literature, suggesting that a broader, data-driven perspective is necessary to fully understand and grasp the true complexity of something. In projects such as Six Degrees by Francis Bacon, using distant reading techniques could revolutionize our understanding of historical data by uncovering new information and patterns in literary works. By analyzing large amounts of textual data, researchers are able to gain insights into the historical contexts on how the...
Read more

Blog Post 6: Maps & Virtual Spaces (Pat Pasong)

-
Image
  After reading both chapters 8 and 9, I’ve gained insight into geographic information systems (GIS) and mapping technologies. These tools offer powerful means to organize, analyze, and visualize spatial data related to heritage sites, artifacts, and landscapes. GIS allows for the integration of diverse datasets, including historical maps, archeological surveys, and satellite imagery, enabling researchers to study spatial relationships, monitor changes over time, and make informed decisions about conservation and management strategies. Three-dimensional models are also valuable tools for studying the built environment.  Virtual tourism and heritage can offer opportunities for people to access and explore cultural sites and artifacts from anywhere in the world. They are useful for people who cannot visit these sites in person which makes them more accessible to a wider audience. However, there’s also the question about the authenticity and integrity of the virtual experience. V...
Read more