Syllabus

Hist 396.3 Digital History

  • Tuesdays 10am-12:50pm
  • Class 10-11:30: Arts 722
  • Lab 11:30-12:50: Arts 41
  • Professor: Dr Jim Clifford [website, faculty page]
  • Office Location: Arts 706
  • Office Hours: Tuesdays after class and other times by appointment (I am on campus and available most days of the week. Feel free to stop by any time my door is open.)
  • E-mail: jim.clifford@usask.ca

NOTE: This course has a website that will be updated regularly.

Course Description

Digital history, the application of new and emerging technologies to the study of history, is an exciting new historical methodology. In this course, we explore the literature on digital history and then put theory into practice by digitally collecting, evaluating, and producing historical knowledge. Along with discussing what is digital history and how it is evolving, this course will introduce students to text mining, geographic information systems (GIS) and developing historical websites. We will also explore how digital archives are changing how we preserve and research history. Students will get hands-on experience with a wide range of digital skills and use these new methods to develop a final digital history project.

Course Goals and Learning Outcomes

We have three goals for this course:

  1. The development of a digital portfolio, which showcases your work with several digital platforms, tools, and languages (including WordPress, Omeka, basic GIS, and basic Python).
  2. Improve your written communication skills through regular short writing assignments.
  3. Develop an ability to find high-quality primary sources on the Internet.

Course Requirements and Assessment

Assessment Date of Evaluation Weighting
Four Required Blog Posts January 22; February 5; March 12; March 26 20%
Contributions to course discussions (in class and online) Ongoing 15%
Final Project Proposal February 12 10%
Final Project April 2 40%
Final Project Lightning Talk April 2 15%

Four Required Blog Posts (20%)

You write a series of four short blog posts on your personal blog. Each of which can be between 800 and 1000 words and where applicable, should include embedded material such as images, links, videos and sample code. Blog posts are not essays – they are simply to show that you’re engaged with the material, playing with the tools and showing off some of your results. 
These are the required posts:

  1. One posts reviewing a digital history project found on the web. January 22
  2. One post on a digital tool for historical research. February 5
  3. One post on your encounters with HGIS. March 12
  4. One post on your encounters with programming. March 26
  • Each student should create a personal blog on the WordPress platform.

Each blog post will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Clarity: Is it well written? Does the blog post follow proper spelling,
    grammar, and
 stylistic conventions?
  • Engagement: Does the post engage with the assignment? Does it
    demonstrate that 
you have used the digital project or tool?
  • Description: What is the project or tool?
  • Analysis: Be critical. If you are frustrated, if you do not think
    something makes
 sense, or if a tool does not seem useful, this is OK. If
    you think it is the best thing since sliced bread, this is OK as well!

For grammar and writing style, consult Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing History, (Bedford Press), recent addition (8th or 9th).

Contributions to course discussions (in class and online) (15%)

Students are expected to be actively involved in lecture and tutorial discussions. I expect you to:

  • Attend class regularly with the readings completed and contribute to discussions.
  • Demonstrate a conscientious effort to learn and explore course themes and concepts. If you ever have a question, feel struck, or if anything arises – don’t hesitate to 
contact me. Asking questions will help your contributions grade.
  • Help fellow students during the hands-on lab sessions.
  • If you are not a big contributor during the class discussions, you can contribute online with an additional short weekly blog post (200 words).
  • Add thoughtful comments to your fellow student’s blog posts.
  • Share interesting DH tools, projects, blog posts, articles or books (post links your blog with a very short description and/or use the Blackboard email system).

The criteria for marking contributions follow: 80-100: Contributed frequently and appropriately; demonstrated critical understanding of assigned reading; applied relevant material from readings to the issues being discussed; built on the comments of others; made integrative or analytical statements.  Was consistently and clearly well-prepared for class. Contributions demonstrate a careful reading of the material and identify connections between the readings and the wider themes of the course. 70-79: Contributed regularly; demonstrated understanding of main points of reading; occasionally employed relevant material from readings to the issues being discussed; offered observations but did not necessarily integrate or build on other’s contributions. Was reasonably prepared for class. Contributions provide good overview of the material, but do not provide deeper insight.  60-69: Contributed a few times; demonstrated having read assigned material; made statements unconnected to main subject or repeated comments already offered. Was somewhat prepared for class. Contributions suggest limited engagement with the material. 50-59: Was present but contributed minimally to discussion; little demonstration of having read or carefully read the assignment; offered comments which did not advance discussion of the issues. Was only minimally prepared for class. No marks: Absent from discussion without excuse or did not contribute meaningfully to the discussion; no evidence of having done the reading. Consult the “University of Saskatchewan Grading System,” included on the final page of this course outline, for a more detailed description of the difference between a Good (70%) and an Exceptional (90%) grade.

Final Project PROPOSAL
 and Meeting (10%)

400-500 words (roughly two pages, double-spaced) – due February 12th. For this, you only need to do the following:

  • What is your project going to be?
  • What sources will you be drawing on?
  • What digital tools do you plan to use?

You also need to schedule a meeting with me during the two weeks leading up to February 12th to discuss your proposal and plan a feasible final project.

Final Project 
(40%)

This is a major research project for this course, that will allow you to pursue one of the tools that you have explored in depth. There is quite a bit of freedom in what you want to do. The project is due on the last day of class and should be the rough workload equivalent of a 15-20 page paper (remember there is no exam in this class).
 For this assignment, YOU WILL PICK ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TO DO!

  • Research, establish and write a historical website: Using Omeka, WordPress or another web development tool, create a public history website or digital archive. This could be of:
    • University of Saskatchewan topics: cataloging public art, buildings, nature, and so forth on campus.
    • Local history: finding historical sites, plaques, etc.
    • Public history mapping project and virtual walking tour using History Pin or a similar platform.
    • Other (preferably something you love)

~ OR ~

  • Conduct large-scale textual analysis and share your analysis: In consultation with me, we can find a corpus that you could then explore using tools such as topic modelling, n-grams, Voyant Tools, and so forth.
    • The end result can be a historical paper (8-10 pages) or can be a website explaining your findings (similar to Mining the Dispatch).

~ OR ~

  • Develop an HGIS project: With maps and data found online, through the library, in consultation with the me or from city resources.
    • The end result can be a historical paper (8-10 pages) or can be a website explaining your findings (you could use Arc StoryMaps).

~ OR ~

  • Create a tool with Python or another language: Building on our introductory Programming Historian work, you could find a corpus online, find a way to spider the sources, and program your own textual analysis tools. As with above, you could write a historical paper (8-10 pages) which would note your own experiences as well as findings, or put this on your website. Or, you could choose to write your own Programming Historian style lesson(s).

~ OR ~

  • Something else! Come talk to me in office hours.

Final Project Lightning Talk (15%)

This will involve quickly showing off what you’ve done to the rest of the class in exactly 5 minutes (10 slides – 30 seconds each, adapted PechaKucha). It will be marked on the effectiveness of your presentation slides and on the clarity of your oral presentation. You will need to submit your slides for me to grade.

Course Outline

Week 1: Course Introduction – January 8

Explore the following websites:

  1. The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database: http://www.slavevoyages.org/
  2. The Eugenics Archive: http://eugenicsarchive.ca/
  3. Locating London’s Past: https://www.locatinglondon.org/
  4. Mapping Inequality: Redlining in New Deal America: https://dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/redlining
  5. Wikipedia (choose any topic in history and consider Wikipedia as the largest public history website)

Lab: Setting up a WordPress site and text formatting and embedding links, images, videos, maps and other media.

  • Set up a site on history396.ca and say hi in your first post! Who are you, why are you in the course, what is your background? (complete the setup and post before class on January 15).
  • Add a comment to the http://history396.ca/blog/2019/01/02/creating-a-site/ post with a link to your new site.
  • Comment on at least 3 other student’s sites.

Week 2: Digital Humanities vs. Digital History – January 15

Reading:

Lab: Introducing the Programming Historian and other online digital learning tools. Try one of the following lessons:

Week 3: The Potential and Pitfalls of Digital History – January 22 with Prof Ben Hoy

Readings:

  • Putnam, Lara. “The Transnational and the Text-Searchable: Digitized Sources and the Shadows They Cast.” The American Historical Review 121, no. 2 (April 1, 2016): 377–402. https://doi.org/10.1093/ahr/121.2.377.
  • Ben Hoy’s “USER GUIDE: Building Borders on Aboriginal Lands 1860-1924”: Brief Description of Project (page 6), Project Scope (Page 8-9), Digitizing Maps (Page 14-18), Data Entry (18-21), Canada Department of Indian Affairs (DIA) Employees (page 22-25).

Explore at least five of the following websites:

  1. The Liberated Africans Project: http://www.liberatedafricans.org/
  2. An Infamous Day: http://storymaps.esri.com/stories/2016/pearl-harbor/
  3. 9/11 Digital Archive: http://911digitalarchive.org
  4. Geography of the Post: U.S. Post Offices in the Nineteenth-Century West http://www.cameronblevins.org/gotp/
  5. The Old Bailey Online: https://www.oldbaileyonline.org/
  6. Montréal, l’avenir du passé (English version available): http://www.mun.ca/mapm/eng/about_frame.html
  7. Mapping the Republic of Letters: http://republicofletters.stanford.edu/
  8. Quantifying Kissinger: http://blog.quantifyingkissinger.com/
  9. Digital Harlem: http://digitalharlem.org/
  10. The Making of British Landscape: http://arcg.is/2gGUOku
  11. Occupy Web Archive: http://webarchives.cdlib.org/a/occupy
  12. Outbreak (digital history game): http://kevinkee.ca/articles/project/outbreak/
  13. Returning the Voices to Kouchibouguac National Park: http://returningthevoices.ca
  14. Old Maps Online: http://www.oldmapsonline.org/
  15. American Panorama: https://dsl.richmond.edu/panorama/:
  16. Enchanting the Desert: http://enchantingthedesert.com/home/
  17. The Lucas-Heaton Lettes: http://loudounmuseum.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=8f83bd92c18f40dfbb4a455acbe85f2d&webmap=d69b68d0e43445f8baea7eb27b9f49c4
  18. Musical Passage: http://www.musicalpassage.org/#home
  19. Mapping Occupation: http://mappingoccupation.org/
  20. Six Degrees of Francis Bacon: http://www.sixdegreesoffrancisbacon.com/
  21. Coloured Conventions: http://coloredconventions.org/
  22. Wearing gay history: http://www.wearinggayhistory.com/
  23. Africa Map: https://worldmap.harvard.edu/africamap/
  24. Becoming Richard Pryor: http://www.becomingrichardpryor.com/pryors-peoria/era/1919-1941/
  25. Canada’s Year Without a Summer: http://niche-canada.org/yearwithoutasummer/
  26. 100 Years of In Flanders Fields: http://cityofguelph.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=f39b056d38fe460f8269eed11eb3cd66
  27. Clio Visualizing History: https://www.cliohistory.org/
  28. Any other significant digital history project, but please check with me first.

Lab: Content Management Systems and cloud platforms: WordPress, Wix, Weebly, Github Pages, HistoryPin, Timeline JS etc.

Homework: Complete your first required blog post on a digital history project. What is it? What does it offer? Is it valuable? Representative? (Due before class)

Week 4: Digitizing Primary Documents and The Role of Archives (with librarian Craig Harkema)- January 29

Readings:

Library Visit: This week we will visit the Digitization team at the University Library.

Lab: Omeka digital archives and the importance of metadata.

Homework: Blog post on a digital tool for historical research (finish before the next class).

Some questions to consider:

  • What are the uses of your tool?
  • What are the
    strengths and weaknesses of the tool?
  • Can you find a digital history project
    that uses the tool?Tools:
  1. Voyant Tools
  2. Relational Databases
  3. Audacity
  4. Timeline.js
  5. Omeka
  6. HistoryPin
  7. myHistro
  8. MALLET
  9. StoryMaps (ESRI)
  10. StoryMapJS
  11. Tableau Visualizations
  12. Find more digital tools on the Dirt Directory: http://dirtdirectory.org/
  13. Do not choose GIS software or Python, as you will write future blog posts on these tools.

Week 5: Digital Audiences: Podcasting and History Blogging – February 5

Readings:

Lab: Recording and editing audio with Audacity.

Week 6: Quantitative History and Historical Databases (with Dr. Andrew Watson) – February 12

Readings: 

  • Gutmann, Myron P. “Beyond Social Science History: Population and Environment in the US Great Plains.” Social Science History 42, no. 1 (2018): 1–27. https://doi.org/10.1017/ssh.2017.43.

Lab: Working with the Great Plains database in Excel.

Reading Break February 18-22

Week 7: Historical Geographic Information Systems  – February 26

Readings:

Read Knowles and either Cunfer or Rueck:

Lab: Geospatial Historian ArcGIS Lessons.

Week 8: Finding Patterns in an HGIS Database – March 5 with Prof. Cheryl Troupe

Readings:

  • Bonnell, Jennifer, and Marcel Fortin, eds. Historical GIS Research in Canada. 1 edition. University of Calgary Press, 2014. Introduction and Chapter 1. (the book is Open Access), http://press.ucalgary.ca/books/9781552387085

Lab: Geospatial Historian ArcGIS and/or QGIS lessons.

Homework: Blog post on your experiences with HGIS due by Monday at 5pm. Include at least one image of a map you created using ArcGIS, QGIS or Google Earth.

Weeks 9: Humanities Programming and Distant Reading – March 12

Readings:

Lab: The Programming Historian, available online, http://programminghistorian.org. Do the Introduction to Python lessons.

Week 10: Future of History and the Infinite Archive – March 19

Readings:

Lab: The Programming Historian, available online, http://programminghistorian.org. Complete the Introduction lessons and the Internet Archive lesson: http://programminghistorian.org/lessons/data-mining-the-internet-archive.

Homework: After our introductory classes, begin to work through the lessons. Write up a short blog post on your encounters with Python (Due Monday at 5pm). How far did you get? Do you think this is a valuable approach for historians? Why or why not?

Note that I do not expect you to become the best Python programmer in the world. Instead, these readings are to help you start thinking about programming and whether we think it matters for Arts students. At the end of the day, if you hated it and got nowhere, that’s fine!

Week 11: 3D Printing and Digital Public History – March 26 with Prof. Frank Klaassen

Readings:

Week 12: Big Data and Lightning Talks – April 2

Readings:

Acknowledgements:

This course is adapted and now significantly revised from Dr. Ian Milligan’s History 303 at the University of Waterloo. I also found Jason Heppler’s Digital History: Concepts, Methods, Problems useful.

Late Policy and Extensions

The late penalty is 2% per day (14% per week). You will receive a 2% penalty at 10am each day.

Every student may take one 7-day extension without penalty. After you use your extension, do not request a second one unless you have a documented medical or family emergency. Please consult with me as soon as possible if you have a medical or family emergency.

Recording Lectures

Recording lectures is only permitted with the consent of the instructor. You may not record discussion sections.

Technology in the classroom

  • Computers are important but distracting.
  • Please respect your fellow students and do not browse the Internet and social media.
  • Do not distract me or your fellow students by texting or receiving phone calls.

Academic Courses Policy on Class Delivery, Examinations, and Assessment of Student Learning

Find the policy here:

http://policies.usask.ca/policies/academic-affairs/academic-courses.php

Departmental policy on plagiarism

It is important that students read and understand the University’s regulations governing academic misconduct, which apply to all University courses. Plagiarism is one of 23 examples of misconduct that are outlined in these regulations. Because it concerns the use of sources in the production of one’s own work (term essays, prepared in-class essays, take-home exams, book reviews, historiographic overviews, artistic or historical reproductions, and any other written requirements), a clear understanding of plagiarism is particularly important in History and CMRS courses, where such work often constitutes an important component of the course. Accordingly, every student must understand the distinction between plagiarism and the legitimate use of external sources. As stated in the University’s regulations: Department of History Undergraduate Instruction Handbook: 11

“Plagiarism is the presentation of the work or idea of another in such a way as to give others the impression that it is the work or idea of the presenter.

Adequate attribution is required. What is essential is that another person have no doubt which words or research results are the student’s and which are drawn from other sources. Full explicit acknowledgement of the source of the material is required.

Examples of Plagiarism are:

(i) The use of material received or purchased from another person or prepared by any person other than the individual claiming to be the author.

(ii) The verbatim use of oral or written material without adequate attribution.

(iii) The paraphrasing of oral or written material of other persons without adequate attribution.”

It is also unethical to submit the same essay to two different classes, unless you have made a special arrangement with the instructors of both classes.

If your instructor believes that plagiarism or any other type of academic misconduct has occurred, s/he will follow the University regulations governing these matters, which are available at: http://www.usask.ca/university_secretary/honesty/StudentAcademicMisconduct.pdf

Integrity Defined (from the Office of the University Secretary)

The University of Saskatchewan is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty.  Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect.  Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Student Conduct & Appeals section of the University Secretary Website and avoid any behavior that could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence.  Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.

All students should read and be familiar with the Regulations on Academic Student Misconduct (http://www.usask.ca/university_secretary/honesty/StudentAcademicMisconduct.pdf) as well as the Standard of Student Conduct in Non-Academic Matters and Procedures for Resolution of Complaints and Appeals (http://www.usask.ca/university_secretary/honesty/StudentNonAcademicMisconduct2012.pdf)

For more information on what academic integrity means for students see the Student Conduct & Appeals section of the University Secretary Website at: http://www.usask.ca/university_secretary/pdf/dishonesty_info_sheet.pdf

Student Supports

Student Learning Services

Student Learning Services (SLS) offers assistance to U of S undergrad and graduate students. For information on specific services, please see the SLS web site http://library.usask.ca/studentlearning/.

Student and Enrolment Services Division

The Student and Enrolment Services Division (SESD) focuses on providing developmental and support services and programs to students and the university community. For more information, see the students’ web site http://students.usask.ca.

Financial Support

Any student who faces challenges securing their food or housing and believes this may affect their performance in the course is urged to contact Student Central (https://students.usask.ca/student-central.php).

Aboriginal Students Centre

The Aboriginal Students Centre (ASC) is dedicated to supporting Aboriginal student academic and personal success. The centre offers personal, social, cultural and some academic supports to Métis, First Nations, and Inuit students. The centre is also dedicated to intercultural education, brining Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students together to learn from, with and about one another in a respectful, inclusive and safe environment. Students are encouraged to visit the ASC’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/aboriginalstudentscentre/) to learn more.

International Student and Study Abroad Centre

The International Student and Study Abroad Centre (ISSAC) supports student success in their international education experiences at the U of S and abroad.  ISSAC is here to assist all international undergraduate, graduate, exchange and English as a Second Language students and their families in their transition to the U of S and Saskatoon.  ISSAC offers advising and support on all matters that affect international students and their families and on all matters related to studying abroad.  Please visit students.usask.ca for more information.

University Grading System

The university-wide relationship between literal descriptors and percentage scores for undergraduate courses is as follows:

90-100 Exceptional

A superior performance with consistent strong evidence of

  • a comprehensive, incisive grasp of the subject matter;
  • an ability to make insightful critical evaluation of the material given;
  • an exceptional capacity for original, creative and/or logical thinking;
  • an excellent ability to organize, to analyze, to synthesize, to integrate ideas, and to express thoughts fluently.

80-89 Excellent

An excellent performance with strong evidence of

  • a comprehensive grasp of the subject matter;
  • an ability to make sound critical evaluation of the material given;
  • a very good capacity for original, creative and/or logical thinking;
  • an excellent ability to organize, to analyze, to synthesize, to integrate ideas, and to express thoughts fluently.

70-79 Good

A good performance with evidence of

  • a substantial knowledge of the subject matter;
  • a good understanding of the relevant issues and a good familiarity with the relevant literature and techniques;
  • some capacity for original, creative and/or logical thinking;
  • a good ability to organize, to analyze and to examine the subject material in a critical and constructive manner.

60-69 Satisfactory

A generally satisfactory and intellectually adequate performance with evidence of

  • an acceptable basic grasp of the subject material;
  • a fair understanding of the relevant issues;
  • a general familiarity with the relevant literature and techniques;
  • an ability to develop solutions to moderately difficult problems related to the subject material;
  • a moderate ability to examine the material in a critical and analytical manner.

50-59 Minimal Pass

A barely acceptable performance with evidence of

  • a familiarity with the subject material;
  • some evidence that analytical skills have been developed;
  • some understanding of relevant issues;
  • some familiarity with the relevant literature and techniques;
  • attempts to solve moderately difficult problems related to the subject material and to examine the material in a critical and analytical manner which are only partially successful.

<50 Failure

An unacceptable performance.