If texts – from survey transcripts to Shakespearean drama to social-media posts -- are the objects of your research, you might benefit from using a computer to extend your analysis. Benefits include counting words, identifying topics, or analyzing sentiments. Text analysis is complex, but you don’t need a degree in statistics or computer science to use its tools. For instance, they can do simple comparisons between texts, like comparing the most frequent words in one text to those in another.

This half-day unconference for humanities and social sciences researchers is designed for beginners. If you work with text and are just curious about quantifying your qualitative research questions, come share your questions and learn some methods. If you’re already using methods like Natural Language Processing, or have just experimented with tools like Voyant, come share your knowledge. And if the digital humanities is just a sparkle in your eye and you want to know what it’s about, come with an open mind. Some of the questions we’ll address are:

• How do you analyze a lot of text quickly, but smartly?
• What happens when you turn qualitative research questions into quantified numbers? Must it limit the complexity of your inquiries?
• While computers are fast at simple research methods, humans excel at large, nuanced research methods. How an humanities and social sciences researchers use machines to combine our strengths?
   

Come explore these questions, methods, and related topics with a range of researchers and data scientists.

What’s an Unconference?

An unconference is an informal event whose sessions emerge from who shows up. Participants propose ideas and sessions at the beginning of the event, and groups coalesce around problems and methods of mutual interest. Unconference sessions could include, but are not limited to:

• Discuss a topic of mutual interest
• Show and tell: demo a new tool, technique, or resource
• Learn about, or how to do, X (if you’re inclined to teach something)
• Discuss works-in-progress: tell others about your research and get feedback on specific issues or broad questions