Oxford University Computing Services Research Information Management Tools for the Humanities.
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Transcript of Oxford University Computing Services Research Information Management Tools for the Humanities.
Oxford University Computing Services
Research Information Management
Tools for the Humanities
Oxford University Computing Services
You should have...
▪ A copy of the course handbook▫ Includes more information about the topics
covered in this presentation ▫ Plus step-by-step instructions for the
exercises
▪ Access to the exercise files
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Information management
▪ How you organise all the source material, notes, and other documents that relate to your research
▪ Today’s session introduces some tools to help do this
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Finding out about useful tools
▪ Research Skills Toolkit: http://www.skillstoolkit.ox.ac.uk/
▪ Bodleian Libraries WISER sessions▪ Colleagues and friends
▫ Suggestions of new tools▫ Tips and tricks for using old ones
▪ Google or other search engines
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Desktop or online?
▪ Do you download the program, or log in to a website?
▪ Where do you normally work?▫ How many computers do you use?▫ Do you always have Internet access?
▪ Some tools offer both desktop and Web versions, for the best of both worlds
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Data storage and security
▪ Where is your data stored?▫ On your hard drive?▫ On a Web service’s server?▫ On both?
▪ Are there any restrictions on what you can do with your data?▫ Confidentiality▫ Copyright
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Safeguarding your data
▪ Online services are great, but what if...▫ The service was down for maintenance?▫ The site announced it was closing down?
▪ Can you export your data in a widely used format?
▫ The site disappeared overnight?▪ Do you have back up copies?
▪ Desktop services aren’t totally immune
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Safeguarding yourself
▪ Don’t be paranoid, but do take reasonable precautions
▪ Check for reviews of unfamiliar software▪ Keep your anti-virus software up to date▪ Don’t reveal more personal information
than you’re comfortable with▫ Consider using an alternative email address
to register with websites
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Organising electronic material
▪ What sort of system do you prefer?▪ Hierarchical?
▫ Files organised in folders and sub-folders
▪ Tag-based?▫ Each item has one or more tags or labels
▪ Each has strengths and weaknesses
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Retrieving information
▪ The way we plan to retrieve information affects how we organise it
▪ Two main methods:▫ Location-based finding▫ Use a search function
▪ Greater use of searching may make us more efficient▫ Especially if we brush up search technique
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Search utilities
▪ Search emails and Web history as well as files
▪ Index the contents of your computer for speedy searching▫ Though this can slow your computer down
▪ Common utilities include:▫ Google Desktop▫ Windows Search 4.0
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Tools for tagging
▪ Tabbles▪ TaggedFrog▪ TaggTool▪ Gmail▪ For images:
▫ Flickr▫ Picasa
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Bibliographic software
▪ EndNote▪ RefWorks▪ Zotero▪ ColWiz▪ Mendeley
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Other tools
▪ Diigo▪ NVivo▪ AllMyNotes
Organizer▪ Stickies
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Have a go!
▪ Try one or more of the exercises▪ Explore some of the tools that
have been mentioned
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Integrating varied material
▪ How many types of information do you work with?
▪ Integrating material can save time▫ One collection to search instead of
several▫ Less likely to miss things▫ But you should only do it if it’s useful
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Paper and electronic material
▪ No simple solution (sorry!)▪ Scanning and OCR
▫ Some photocopiers can also scan
▪ Digital pens▪ Integrated indexing
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Electronic material
▪ One project may require several types of material
▪ Storing these together makes life easier
▪ Where this isn’t practical, a good search utility may still help
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Useful tools
▪ OneNote▪ Planz▪ A.nnotate▪ Idea Rover▪ Scrivener
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File synchronisation
▪ Useful for multiple computers
▪ Dropbox▪ SugarSync▪ Windows Live
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Have a go!
▪ Try one or more of the exercises▪ Explore some of the tools that
have been mentioned
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Databases
▪ Use of structured (and semi-structured) data growing in the humanities
▪ Databases and/or XML often underpin websites
▪ Word processors not ideal for every eventuality
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Spreadsheets
▪ Use to analyse regular sets of information▫ Time series; census information; financial
accounts
▪ Useful for▫ Ordering lists▫ Numerical analysis▫ Creating charts and graphs
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Relational databases
▪ Use to analyse complex data involving different (but connected) objects▫ Linked tables – each similar to a
spreadsheet
▪ Useful for▫ Flexibility▫ Identifying relationships▫ Structuring information for Web searching
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XML (and XML databases)
▪ A means of tagging information so that it become machine-readable▫ Can indicate proper names, parts of
speech, variable readings, or any other characteristic of a section of text
▫ TEI XML is the standard for the humanities
▪ Useful for▫ Textual analysis▫ Preparing and presenting texts on the Web
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RDF metadata
▪ A means of expressing relationships between data▫ Used in developing the ‘Semantic Web’
▪ Useful for▫ Integrating existing databases by mapping
metadata to a common standard▫ Network analysis
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Useful websites and services
▪ Research Skills Toolkit▫ http://www.skillstoolkit.ox.ac.uk/
▪ Research Data Management website▫ http://www.admin.ox.ac.uk/rdm/
▪ InfoDev▫ http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/infodev/
▪ HFS back up service▫ http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/hfs/
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Have a go!
▪ In small groups, discuss the various scenarios in Exercise 7
▪ Be ready to feed back to the whole group at the end
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