Digital instruments of research II 2900-HAMC-DIGIT2
The course aims to present the digital instruments used in the humanities. During the course, participants will become familiar with data management and learn about essential tools and data sources for their work.
The class will consist of a theoretical introduction and practical parts. The practical component will include short exercises and project-based training to demonstrate various aspects of digital instruments used in a single research project.
1. The first part will consist of an overview of digital tools and practical competencies, which will help participants in the scientific work and be relevant in managing and completing the project.
Topics Covered:
- An overview of the course: digital tools, data sources, and methods,
- Data organisation, Open Data, FAI.R data principles.
- Exercise: 1. Data Management Plan. 2. Introduction to digital notes (Obsidian and Zotero) for managing information.
2. The second part will focus on an introduction to databases used in the humanities. The classes will be introduced to database types, SQL principles and Linked Open Data. The participants will learn how to create an SQL database. SQL queries, data cleaning, and preparation for further research steps will also be introduced.
Topics Covered:
- Introduction to databases.
- Overview of database types.
- Introduction to Linked Open Data
- SQL database: data types, relations and structure.
- Practical exercise: data analysis in EXCEL, SQL database, queries, Wikidata and SPARQL queries.
3. The last part will include a theoretical introduction to deep learning, best practices and ethics in artificial intelligence. Students will be introduced to the tools necessary for creating datasets and for training and evaluating deep learning models.
Topics Covered:
- Introduction to deep learning, an overview of deep learning models and examples of the use of deep learning in archaeology.
- Best practices and ethics in artificial intelligence.
- Preparation of the dataset.
- Training and evaluating the model.
Type of course
Prerequisites (description)
Course coordinators
Term 2024L: | Term 2025L: |
Learning outcomes
The student has in-depth knowledge of the existing paradigms - world achievements, including theoretical foundations and general and selected specific issues of digital archaeology (P8S_WG.1). The student knows and understands the main developmental trends of digital archaeology (P8S_WG.2) and knows the methodology of scientific research (P8S_WG.3). Student understands the fundamental dilemmas of modern civilization in the aspect of application of digital archaeology (P8S_WK.1).
Student is able to use knowledge from different fields of science to creatively identify, formulate and innovatively solve complex problems or carrying out tasks of research character. In particular, he/she is able to independently define the aim and subject of scientific research, formulate a research hypothesis, develop research methods, techniques and tools and apply them creatively, as well as make conclusions on the basis of research results (P8S_UW.1). Can communicate on topics related to digital archaeology to a degree that enables active participation in the international scientific community (P8S_UK.1). Can participate in scientific discourse (P8S_UK.4).
The student is ready to recognize the importance of knowledge in solving cognitive and practical problems (P8S_KK.3), and is also ready to sustain and develop the ethos of research and creative circles, including, conducting scientific activity in an independent manner, and respecting the principle of public ownership of the results of scientific activity, taking into account the principles of protection of intellectual property (P8S_KR.1)
Assessment criteria
Participants will be required to prepare a final assessment presentation based on the digital tools and theory learned during the course, and to provide a short review of a paper focusing on digital humanities or digital archaeology.
The final assessment will consist of preparing a dataset management plan or a short review of a paper focusing on the digital humanities or digital archaeology, and completion of any missed exercises.
Two excused absences are allowed. Subsequent absences can be credited by doing exercises related to the topic of the class for which the student was absent.
Bibliography
Bickler, Simon H. ‘Machine Learning Arrives in Archaeology’. Advances in Archaeological Practice 9, no. 2 (May 2021): 186–91. https://doi.org/10.1017/aap.2021.6.
Bishop, Christopher M, and Hugh Bishop. Deep Learning: Foundations and Concepts. Springer Nature, 2023.
Buławka, Nazarij, Hector A. Orengo, and Iban Berganzo-Besga. ‘Deep Learning-Based Detection of Qanat Underground Water Distribution Systems Using HEXAGON Spy Satellite Imagery’. Journal of Archaeological Science 171 (2024): 106053. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2024.106053.
Campana, Stefano. ‘Drones in Archaeology. State-of-the-Art and Future Perspectives’. Archaeological Prospection 24, no. 4 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1002/arp.1569.
Evans, Thomas L, and Patrick T Daly. Digital Archaeology : Bridging Method and Theory. London; New York: Routledge, 2006. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203005262.
Howe, D R. Data Analysis for Database Design. Engineering Village. Butterworth Heinemann, 2001.
Karamalis, Athanasios. ‘Databases for Multiple Archaeological Excavations and Internet Applications’. In E-Learning Methodologies and Computer Applications in Archaeology, edited by Dionysios Politis, 104–27. IGI Global, 2009.
Matsumoto, Mallory E. ‘Archaeology and Epigraphy in the Digital Era’. Journal of Archaeological Research 30, no. 2 (June 2022): 285–320. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10814-021-09162-4.
Nicholson, Christopher, Sarah Kansa, Neha Gupta, and Rachel Fernandez. ‘Will It Ever Be FAIR?: Making Archaeological Data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable’. Advances in Archaeological Practice 11, no. 1 (February 2023): 63–75. https://doi.org/10.1017/aap.2022.40.
Petersen, John V. Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Databases. 1 online resource (vii, 313 pages) : illustrations vols. Absolute Beginner’s Guide Ser. Indianapolis, Ind.: Que, 2002.
Schmidt, Sophie C., Florian Thiery, and Martina Trognitz. ‘Practices of Linked Open Data in Archaeology and Their Realisation in Wikidata’. Digital 2, no. 3 (22 June 2022): 333–64. https://doi.org/10.3390/digital2030019.
Seales, W. Brent, and Christy Y. Chapman. ‘From Stone to Silicon: Technical Advances in Epigraphy’. International Journal on Digital Libraries 24, no. 2 (June 2023): 129–38. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00799-023-00362-5.
Sumathi, S, and S Esakkirajan. Fundamentals of Relational Database Management Systems. Studies in Computational Intelligence, v. 47. Berlin / London: Springer, 2007.
Wilson, Andrew T, and Ben Edwards. Open Source Archaeology : Ethics and Practice. Warsaw; Boston: De Gruyter Open, 2015.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: