oxford university computing services research information management tools for the humanities
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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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