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Student projects

When creating a digital project, the most important step - other than choosing a manageable topic - is the planning phase. Some projects can take years to get off the ground while others are meant to be chosen, planned, and completed in the span of one semester (or perhaps even a couple of weeks). The scale of the project dictates how long it will take to complete, so always remember to choose something that you can finish in the time that you have. Here are a few things to consider when developing your digital project:

  • Project summary: This is essentially an abstract for your project. Think of a way to describe your goals and methods in about 300 words. Don't worry if it changes over the course of your project: the goal is create a starting point.
  • Intended audience: Who is the audience for your project? In the short-term, it will likely be your instructor and/or your classmates. But once something is published to the Internet, it is there forever. So think about who might stumble across your project and how they might want to use or re-use your content.
  • Participants: A key feature of DH projects is that they are collaborative by default. Depending on the size, your project could bring together classmates, instructors, librarians, and even external specialists. Be sure to consider who might be a good collaborator and reach out to them.
  • Content management: Which content management system (CMS) will be best for your project? For example, if you're creating a digital archive, you might want to use Omeka. The most popular CMS on the Internet is WordPress, which hosts something like 52% of sites worldwide. If you're having trouble deciding, please come speak to us.
  • Digital tools: The types of digital tools you're going to need will depend on your project's goals. Think of the various types of content that you'll be creating (infographics, maps, timelines, etc.) and how you'll want to present that to your audience. For more on digital tools, visit our Tools page.
  • Space and storage: Where do you plan on keeping your files? Remember that many external CMSes have relatively small storage options. You should also consider what will happen to your files once you've graduated: how long will the CMS retain your files? If you have questions about this, please come to us about the options available to you.
  • Metadata: Metadata is data about data. That is, it is the "hidden" data that machines read to learn about your project. Good metadata practices are essential for helping users locate and access your project. You will need to consider how to accurately describe your files and other content. There are some CMSes, such as Omeka, that make adding and editing metadata easy.
  • Copyright and permissions: You will need to consider both your copyrights and those of others as you develop your project. For a basic overview, see our LibGuide on copyright and fair use. When it comes time to publishing your work to the Internet, consider a Creative Commons license.
  • Sustainability and preservation: Once it's published, your project will need to be maintained. How will you do that? Another option is to make it clear that the project has an end date. That is, notify your visitors that it will not be maintained after a certain date. If you wish to remove your project, consider archiving it. For more information on that option, please speak to a librarian.
  • Publicity: Depending on the scope of the project, you may need to publicize it both internally (i.e., via Guilford Daily or What's the G?) and/or externally (i.e., on the public web; Guilford's DS site is public-facing by default). You may want to promote it via social media (your own accounts or official accounts), as well. Once again, this is something that needs to be considered from the beginning.
  • Attribution: This page is based on a number of different sources, including Visualizing Objects, Places, and Spaces: A Digital Project Handbook, Digital Scholarship: Plan Your Project, Creating Digital Projects, and Best Practices for Digital Humanities Projects.

Instructor information

Incorporating digital scholarship (DS) into the classroom can be beneficial to both the instructor and the students. For students, DS can lead to new ways of engaging with the materials by encouraging students to conceptualize, produce, and communicate their research in new and dynamic ways. DS can bring students closer to the materials and, when utilized systematically, can be a perspective-altering approach when it comes to research and critical inquiry. Class-based projects need not be large or take up the entire semester. DS projects can be small and focused, taking as little time as one clss session. DS projects can also be individualized or group-based (though they shine in the latter case by fostering collaboration).

Here are some project and assignment ideas to get everything started. These are by no means the only project so please feel free to be as creative as you'd like!

  • Build digital collections and exhibits in Omeka: Bring images, video, and commentary together in Omeka, a platform specifically designed to create digital collections (e.g., digital museums). There are a number of add-on features for mapping, timelines, etc.
  • Showcase student work with a Wordpress site hosted by DSH: Wordpress sites are easy to use and require no background in coding or web design. Wordpress sites are flexible and can accommodate text, images, and video. Another option is to build a site using Google Sites.
  • Create an open access zine or book using Pressbooks: This resource can be used for both student projects and instructor projects (e.g., an open-access textbook). The platform is easy to use and allows for the incorporation of text, images, video, and interactive elements. Please keep in mind that this service is not free.
  • Conduct digital oral history research: Oral history can be uniquely leveraged to tell stories from the bottom-up. Oral history projects can be local, regional, national, or international as demonstrated by some of our completed projects. The number of digital tools available now enhances the efficacy of oral history.
  • Utilize the Quaker Archives hosted by Gulford College: We have an extensive collection of Quaker Archives that can be leveraged in a number of ways. One way could be to tie the project to something close to your students' hearts (e.g., social justice). Students are often energized by gathering and describing archival content related to their interests.

Tips for instructors

  • Plan your project in advance: We recommend that you plan DS projects at least one semester in advance. Remember that we are here to help so please reach out even if you know exactly what you want to do.
  • Connect with librarians: Partner with us to think through assignment and project ideas and design; making resources about copyright, public scholarship, metadata, rights and responsiblities in open environments, and other related concepts; choosing the right technologies to support your project and learning goals; and much more.
  • Practice the technology: Spending time with the technologies you choose to use with students will help you refine your project design and find areas of potential hiccups. We are happy to walk you through the use of DS technologies and, in the near future, we will offer workshops for both instructors and students on platforms like Omeka and Wordpress.

Useful resources for instructors

  • A Companion to Digital Humanities: An open access eBook about the digital humanities that gives an overview of DH history, how it applies to different disciplines, methods of preservation, and tools.
  • CUNY Digital Humanities Resource Guide: A constantly updated list of syllabi and reading lists for digital scholarship and DH. Created and maintained by the CUNY Graduate Center for Digital Humanities.
  • How did they make that?: Miriam Posner's blog on DH. Some of the material is out of date at this point but it still offers good overviews and ideas.
  • National History Education Clearinghouse: Among other things, there is a good overview of Omeka and ideas of how to integrate Omeka into the classroom.
  • The Programming Historian: Free tutorials on data analysis, web mapping, linked open data, and web processing.
  • A short guide to the digital humanities: Checklists, criteria, and things to consider if you're thinking about a DS project in your class. There is a section on assessment, as well.