E-Lit: Historical Overview of IT E-Lit: Historical Overview of IT in English Literaturein English Literature

Stuart.lee@oucs.ox.ac.ukStuart.lee@oucs.ox.ac.uk

Initial pointsInitial points

Course and assessment - LOG ONCourse and assessment - LOG ON Web site (http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/ > Web site (http://www.english.ox.ac.uk/ >

On-line course material > E-Lit >Course On-line course material > E-Lit >Course site)site)

Bulletin BoardBulletin Board Using the roomUsing the room Final assessment - save in B: driveFinal assessment - save in B: drive Guest lectures, OUP visitGuest lectures, OUP visit

Aim of courseAim of course

The impact of the new technologies on The impact of the new technologies on English literature and languageEnglish literature and language

Changes in the world of publishingChanges in the world of publishing The history of computer-based English The history of computer-based English

literature projectsliterature projects Transferable skillsTransferable skills

Aim of ClassAim of Class

Look at the main areas where IT has Look at the main areas where IT has been used in English literary studiesbeen used in English literary studies

Hands-on analysis of a few selected Hands-on analysis of a few selected packagespackages

Discussion of common themes > esp. Discussion of common themes > esp. design and contentdesign and content

IT and English LiteratureIT and English Literature

Analysis of resources (textual) Analysis of resources (textual) Access to resourcesAccess to resources Bringing together material to further the Bringing together material to further the

study of the text, author, genrestudy of the text, author, genre Promoting dialoguePromoting dialogue Didactic/instructionalDidactic/instructional Creative writingCreative writing

Analysis of ResourcesAnalysis of Resources

Computers can handle large quantities of dataComputers can handle large quantities of data In literature this usually relates to collections of texts or In literature this usually relates to collections of texts or

corporacorpora Analysis (in theory) can provide a deeper understanding of Analysis (in theory) can provide a deeper understanding of

the textthe text Patterns, use of vocabulary (authorship studies), Patterns, use of vocabulary (authorship studies),

development of themes, creation of indices and development of themes, creation of indices and concordances, etc.concordances, etc.

Concordance of the Vulgate in the Middle AgesConcordance of the Vulgate in the Middle Ages Fr. Roberta Busa’s analysis of St Aquinas’s texts in 1946Fr. Roberta Busa’s analysis of St Aquinas’s texts in 1946 Covered in class 4Covered in class 4

Access to ResourcesAccess to Resources

Primary material - electronic versions of texts Primary material - electronic versions of texts and mss - started with Project Gutenberg and mss - started with Project Gutenberg (early 1971), the Oxford Text Archive (1976), (early 1971), the Oxford Text Archive (1976), Chadwyck-Healey began in early 1990s, Chadwyck-Healey began in early 1990s, finally e-books (class 6); first manuscripts finally e-books (class 6); first manuscripts were produced at Oxford and the BLwere produced at Oxford and the BL

Secondary (editions, journals, monographs, Secondary (editions, journals, monographs, etc.) and reference material (dictionaries, etc.) and reference material (dictionaries, companions, encyclopaedias)companions, encyclopaedias)

OED Case Study (p. 65)OED Case Study (p. 65)

2nd ed. Published on 2nd ed. Published on CD-ROM mid 1990sCD-ROM mid 1990s

Allowed for non-Allowed for non-standard searches of standard searches of the dictionarythe dictionary

Migrated to Web Migrated to Web version end of 1990sversion end of 1990s

Available under OxLIPAvailable under OxLIP

Hypertext publicationsHypertext publications

Allowed literary scholars to Allowed literary scholars to bring bring togethertogether material related to a specific material related to a specific text or authortext or author

Mixed media was available (text, images, Mixed media was available (text, images, audio, and video) plus linking to stress audio, and video) plus linking to stress intertextualityintertextuality

The Web uses the same metaphorsThe Web uses the same metaphors Hypertext discussed more in Class 3Hypertext discussed more in Class 3

Case study: The Beowulf Case study: The Beowulf Workstation Workstation

Written in HyperCard in 1991 by Prof. Written in HyperCard in 1991 by Prof. Patrick Conner (West Virgina Patrick Conner (West Virgina University)University)

Text of Text of BeowulfBeowulf plus tools to help plus tools to help students translate and study the workstudents translate and study the work

No longer runs but its design was highly No longer runs but its design was highly influentialinfluential

Instructional/DidacticInstructional/Didactic

Rarely used as there as Literary studies Rarely used as there as Literary studies tend to be more discursive, with more tend to be more discursive, with more emphasis on research, analysis, emphasis on research, analysis, argumentargument

Yet is applicable in some areas where Yet is applicable in some areas where self-paced learning and assessment is self-paced learning and assessment is appropriateappropriate

Case Study: STELLA (p.66)Case Study: STELLA (p.66)

Software for Teaching English Software for Teaching English Language and Literature and its Language and Literature and its Assessment (University of Glasgow)Assessment (University of Glasgow)

Series of self-paced modules with tests: Series of self-paced modules with tests: Scottish Literature, Older Scots, English Scottish Literature, Older Scots, English Metre, English Grammar, Old English, Metre, English Grammar, Old English, Piers PlowmanPiers Plowman

Hands-on AnalysisHands-on Analysis

Content - what is available?Content - what is available? Functionality - what does the package Functionality - what does the package

allow you to do that is new?allow you to do that is new? Appeal - how easy is it to use, and how Appeal - how easy is it to use, and how

aesthetically pleasing?aesthetically pleasing? Commonality - what are the common Commonality - what are the common

technical, design, and content features?technical, design, and content features?

DiscussionDiscussion

What did they contain?What did they contain? Structural design - tree diagramStructural design - tree diagram Authority, Purpose, Content, Accuracy, Authority, Purpose, Content, Accuracy,

Objectivity, Currency, DesignObjectivity, Currency, Design Greetham’s model editionsGreetham’s model editions All author or context-oriented?All author or context-oriented?

Week’s activitiesWeek’s activities

‘‘Internet for English’ tutorialInternet for English’ tutorial Look at web sites and post brief Look at web sites and post brief

evaluation on the bulletin board (one or evaluation on the bulletin board (one or two paragraphs)two paragraphs)

Reading for Class 1 and Condron (pp. Reading for Class 1 and Condron (pp. 15-18)15-18)