Information technology and the humanities scholar: Documenting digital research practices

TLDR

Digital tools provide new affordances and methodologies for humanities scholars. The study explores the heterogeneous research practices of humanities scholars and proposes two new practices—tool development and data preparation—to inform digital tool design. Using a constructivist grounded‑theory approach, the authors examined scholars’ use of diverse resources and digital technologies, leading to the proposal of the new practices. Analysis revealed seven themes—research approaches and tools, scholar as developer, data preparation, visualization versus numeric outputs, flexibility and agency, writer support, and solo versus collaborative work—showing that diverse digital technologies both reinforce traditional practices and enable new scholarly methods.

Abstract

Digital tools offer new affordances and methodologies to humanities scholars' research. This study used a constructivist grounded theory approach to examine humanities scholars' research practices, including their use of a wide range of resources and digital technologies. Using in‐depth study, several themes emerged from the research relating to the role of technology in shaping humanities scholars' research practices. The themes include: (a) humanities scholars' research approaches and technology tools; (b) the humanities scholar as tool developer; (c) the role of data preparation as a meta‐level research practice; (d) data visualization versus numeric outputs—one size does not fit all; (e) the importance of flexibility and agency; (f) technology tools in support of the researcher as writer; and (g) working alone/working together—technology tools and collaborative practice. The heterogeneous nature of humanities scholars' research practices are explored and the resulting implications for digital tool design. Two new research practices—tool development and data preparation—are proposed. The diverse digital technologies humanities scholars use support the traditional ways of working within their discipline, as well as creating potential for new scholarly practices.