CLiP 2006: Literatures, Languages and Cultural Heritage in a CLiP 2006: Literatures, Languages and Cultural Heritage in a digital worlddigital world

Building a Virtual Research Building a Virtual Research Environment for the Environment for the HumanitiesHumanities

TheThe JISC fundedJISC funded ‘Building a Virtual Research Environment for the ‘Building a Virtual Research Environment for the Humanities’ Humanities’ project has carried out a detailed survey of research activities across project has carried out a detailed survey of research activities across the division at Oxford. The survey forms the basis for the selection of a number of the division at Oxford. The survey forms the basis for the selection of a number of

tools which, implemented as prototypes, enable the project to provide the tools which, implemented as prototypes, enable the project to provide the community with tangible ideas of how their research needs might be addressed and community with tangible ideas of how their research needs might be addressed and

to begin a phase of user testing.to begin a phase of user testing.

Contact details: Contact details: Project Manager: Project Manager: Ruth KirkhamRuth Kirkham ruth.kirkham@humanities.ox.ac.ukTechnical Officer: Technical Officer: John PybusJohn Pybus john.pybus@humanities.ox.ac.ukWebsite: Website: http://bvreh.humanities.ox.ac.ukhttp://bvreh.humanities.ox.ac.uk

Principal Investigators: Principal Investigators: Prof. Alan Bowman and Dr Charles CrowtherProf. Alan Bowman and Dr Charles CrowtherCentre for the Study of Ancient Documents, Centre for the Study of Ancient Documents, University of OxfordUniversity of OxfordDr Michael Fraser Dr Michael Fraser Oxford University Computing ServicesOxford University Computing Services

The The demonstrators/prototypedemonstrators/prototypes under construction s under construction are:are:

An Eighteenth Century An Eighteenth Century Workspace related to the Workspace related to the work of Jane Austenwork of Jane Austen

A Virtual Workspace for A Virtual Workspace for the Study of Ancient the Study of Ancient DocumentsDocuments

A Research Discovery A Research Discovery ServiceService

The application of The application of Physical Tools such as Physical Tools such as Digital pen and paper and Digital pen and paper and the Personal Interface to the Personal Interface to the Access Grid (PIG)the Access Grid (PIG)

Research Discovery Research Discovery Service:Service:

Prof. Z has an idea for a new avenue of Prof. Z has an idea for a new avenue of research and is keen to find out about research and is keen to find out about sources of funding available to her and sources of funding available to her and any other researchers at Oxford any other researchers at Oxford working in related fields. working in related fields.

At her computer, the professor At her computer, the professor accesses the Research Discovery accesses the Research Discovery Service integrated in the VRE, and Service integrated in the VRE, and refines her search to the humanities refines her search to the humanities division at Oxford. The database of division at Oxford. The database of research interests across the research interests across the institution puts her in touch with a institution puts her in touch with a potential collaborator whose valuable potential collaborator whose valuable input assists Prof. Z in making a input assists Prof. Z in making a successful grant application. successful grant application.

A Virtual Workspace for A Virtual Workspace for the Study of Ancient the Study of Ancient Documents:Documents: Dr X is collaborating with colleagues, Dr X is collaborating with colleagues, widely dispersed around the world, to widely dispersed around the world, to make readings of the digitised image of a make readings of the digitised image of a highly degraded ancient papyrus. highly degraded ancient papyrus.

Using the VRE, he prepares for a virtual Using the VRE, he prepares for a virtual meeting by storing a copy of the digitized meeting by storing a copy of the digitized document within his personal workspace. document within his personal workspace. He notes down his thoughts and readings He notes down his thoughts and readings as annotations to the image, cross as annotations to the image, cross referencing these ideas with earlier referencing these ideas with earlier research work.research work.

Accessing communication facilities Accessing communication facilities through the VRE, Dr X and his through the VRE, Dr X and his collaborators share a common view of the collaborators share a common view of the image, exchanging their personal image, exchanging their personal annotations and highlighting sections of annotations and highlighting sections of the image as they discuss an indistinct the image as they discuss an indistinct mark. mark.

The VRE enables a group of experts, still The VRE enables a group of experts, still sat at their own desks, in separate sat at their own desks, in separate countries to decipher the text as if countries to decipher the text as if assembled together around the original assembled together around the original document.document.

Physical Tools:Physical Tools:

By using a ‘By using a ‘PIG’PIG’ portable video portable video conferencing system Dr W is able to conferencing system Dr W is able to attend an international symposium attend an international symposium linked via the AccessGrid, while linked via the AccessGrid, while remaining in his University study, remaining in his University study, surrounded by his research notes, surrounded by his research notes, with reference works filling the with reference works filling the shelves around him.shelves around him.

As he has made his handwritten notes As he has made his handwritten notes using a digital pen and paper system, using a digital pen and paper system, he is later able to upload a digital he is later able to upload a digital version of them to the VRE, where version of them to the VRE, where they are securely held and can be they are securely held and can be referred to from any site or shared referred to from any site or shared with a colleague.with a colleague.

Scenarios:Scenarios:What is a Virtual Research What is a Virtual Research Environment?Environment?

““A set of online tools, A set of online tools, systems and processes systems and processes interoperating to facilitate interoperating to facilitate or enhance the research or enhance the research process within and without process within and without institutional boundaries.”institutional boundaries.”

Michael Fraser – Oxford University Computing Service

A Virtual Research A Virtual Research Environment is best viewed as Environment is best viewed as a framework into which tools, a framework into which tools, services and resources can be services and resources can be plugged. It should be capable plugged. It should be capable of supporting the full lifecycle of supporting the full lifecycle of research, covering:of research, covering:

Research administrationResearch administration

Resource discovery & Resource discovery & access managementaccess management

Data creation, use and Data creation, use and analysisanalysis

Collaboration and Collaboration and communicationcommunication

Research publication, Research publication, curation and preservationcuration and preservation

1818thth Century Century Workspace:Workspace:

Professor Y is compiling a criticalProfessor Y is compiling a critical print edition of the surviving print edition of the surviving manuscript texts of a major manuscript texts of a major Eighteenth Century English author. Eighteenth Century English author.

As she develops comparisons between As she develops comparisons between versions of the manuscripts, she uses versions of the manuscripts, she uses a workspace within the VRE to search a workspace within the VRE to search across an integrated view of several across an integrated view of several well-known online resources.well-known online resources.