Category Archives: Definitions

Definitions, Guides

Why Metadata Matters

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Metadata, in simplest terms is the data about data. Metadata provides a description of a Web resource by assigning attributes to the object. www.dublincore.org uses the example of how libraries use metadata as part of the catalog: title, author, date of creation or publication, etc.  The site goes on to explain that part of the stressful information overload frequently experienced during a search is undifferentiated digital data. 

A Web resource’s basic information follows the basic idea of the library catalog, expanding it out to encompass more information. The Dublin Core Standards offer a framework for elements using terms that were developed across multiple user communities as a means of simplifying metadata.

Metadata attached to a photograph of a coffeemaker adds information for perspective. By offering information on the physical dimensions, it helps visualized the item outside of the flattened digital format.

Definitions

A Definition of Digital Humanities

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Digital humanities is a discipline that combines uses ever evolving technologies to enhance the myriad activities that make up the field of humanities. Evolving from advances in computing, digital humanities offer tools and platforms for activities from research to data analysis to presentation, curation, education and public engagements.

The reading selections made it clear that a coherent definition continues to elude us all. The ideas of digital, computing and technology are a constant, however each one bounded the ideas and how they could be used differently. While some writers embraced the digital, as opposed to the computing, others seemed to want the term limited to data analysis.

I left my definition broad, as the readings exercise convinced me that as a community we need to embrace and respect all the ways the digital world can be used in the humanities and all of the professions within the humanities that can practice digital humanities. Looking at the history and development of computing humanities and the name shift to digital humanities, imagining how ideas can be studied and presented differently needs to be open-ended to reflect the continuing changes in technology and applications.