This document discusses issues related to creating and processing digital humanities data. It notes that the author's background includes studies in cognitive science, communication, information science, and computer science. It also lists some of the author's sample projects, such as tracking jobs by discipline, visualizing social presence in museums, and analyzing communication patterns on a listserv. Finally, it outlines some common issues with humanities data, including that humanities data may not initially be in digital form, conversion can require difficult choices, preservation may be challenging, and tools are often limited and not designed for humanities questions.

1. Creating and Processing
Digital Humanities Data
Angela Zoss
Data Visualization Coordinator
Data & GIS Services, Research Computing

2. First, a confession…
• Studies: Cognitive Science, Communication,
Information Science, Computer Science
• Sample projects:
– tracking jobs by discipline
– visualizing social presence in museums
– analyzing communication patterns on a listserv

3. First, a confession…
• Studies: Cognitive Science, Communication,
Information Science, Computer Science
• Sample projects:
– tracking jobs by discipline
– visualizing social presence in museums
– analyzing communication patterns on a listserv

4. First, a confession…
• Studies: Cognitive Science, Communication, People
Information Science, Computer Science
Digital
• Sample projects:
Objects
– tracking jobs by discipline
– visualizing social presence in museums
– analyzing communication patterns on a listserv

5. Data… usually for visualization
http://guides.library.duke.edu/datavis/

6. JUST A FEW ISSUES

7. Humanities data may not be digital

8. Humanities data may not be digital
Conversion from phenomena to digital representation is perilous;
may need to make choices when not all possible options are known.

9. Preservation
may be an issue
Example: how do historical things
end up on the internet?
http://www.scottbot.net/HIAL/?p=80

10. Preservation
may be an issue
http://www.scottbot.net/HIAL/?p=80

11. Preservation
may be an issue
http://www.scottbot.net/HIAL/?p=80

12. Tools become obstacles
• Limited consistency across tools
• Cross-platform problems
• Not designed for humanities’ questions/data
– Do not support complexity/uncertainty
– Do not facilitate collaboration
– Prioritize different types of outputs