Digital Scholarship Guide: Foreign and Ancient Languages
Essential Skills and Tools
Text Analysis
Text analysis can happen in two ways: analyzing the texts in question, or analyzing what other scholars are saying about those texts.
- Unpack the impact of word choices. Use analytical tools to measure the occurrence of key words and phrases, as well as authors’ tone. The guides and tutorials cover a wide array of options, most of which can interpret non-English languages (e.g. Voyant can handle ancient Latin). Lean into your expertise and test it out.
- The discipline’s historiography is similarly compelling when we engage with what topics scholars are publishing about. JSTOR and Scopus have embedded visualization tools and you can use them to model what other scholars are publishing about over time. Consider a comparative analysis between the two, and examine how JSTOR’s Humanities and Social Sciences-focused content different from SCOPUS, which will include topics like Natural Language Processing and language cognition.
Image Recognition
Train your computer to recognize and read handwritten text.
Spatial Analysis
- GIS (Geographic Information Systems) could come in handy if you’re investigating spatial-themed questions, such as the spread of a particular story or literary theme.
- Even if your project isn’t about landscapes, you will need to situate readers in space. Make your own map for your publication or conference presentation.
Data Management and Visualizations
- Coding can be hugely useful for digital projects using non-English languages. Python and R can speed up the process of editing datasets, creating graphs and visualizations, as well as customizing GIS tools. Contact the Data Services team to find out which coding language is best for your needs, and find out about upcoming free workshops.
Digital Foreign/Ancient Language Scholars at Brandeis
Are you a Brandeis staff/faculty member and would like to be listed? Contact Dr. Natalie Susmann.
Digital Language Training Resources
Coming Soon!
Digital Language Publications
This Zotero library is regularly updated with publications discussing digital scholarship’s impact on Foreign Languages and Literature.
Many thanks to Nathan Bernstein '24 for contributing to this page. This page was last updated on August 20, 2024. If you would like to contribute, please contact Dr. Natalie Susmann.