Basic Information Technology for the Humanities
A.Y. 2022/2023
Learning objectives
The course aims to provide a basic introduction to computing disciplines for the humanities and to help students tap into the potential of databases for humanities research.
In particular, it aims to help students develop fundamental knowledge and skills related to computer tools for information systems design, querying digital sources and visual analysis. The tools introduced and used in the course will be used to collect, integrate, query and present information for research in the humanities. The course is also intended to foster the development of skills related to object-oriented design, communication tools and to the ability to efficiently interact with scholars and professionals in the field of information technology.
In particular, it aims to help students develop fundamental knowledge and skills related to computer tools for information systems design, querying digital sources and visual analysis. The tools introduced and used in the course will be used to collect, integrate, query and present information for research in the humanities. The course is also intended to foster the development of skills related to object-oriented design, communication tools and to the ability to efficiently interact with scholars and professionals in the field of information technology.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge:
- Basic knowledge of information representation and related processes
- Notions of database modelling
- Notions of information architecture and semantic web
- Notions of visual data exploration
Competences:
- Conceptual design of an information system and a database
- Querying, scraping and population of databases and semantic web
- Interpretation and visual communication of data
- Basic knowledge of information representation and related processes
- Notions of database modelling
- Notions of information architecture and semantic web
- Notions of visual data exploration
Competences:
- Conceptual design of an information system and a database
- Querying, scraping and population of databases and semantic web
- Interpretation and visual communication of data
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Part 1: Theory and Instrumentation
1. Data, information, information systems - data storage, database management systems (DBMS), data and layers of abstraction
2. Conceptual design - entities and attributes, relationships between entities, cardinality of relationships, identifiers, generalisation hierarchies, methodological design guidelines
3. Logical design - transformation of generalisation hierarchies, transformation of entities and attributes, transformation of relationships
4. Creating and querying a database - the SQL language, creating and populating a database, referential integrity constraints, querying a database, selection conditions, table joins, sorting criteria
5. Web 2.0 and Semantic Web - structure, querying web resources via REST, JSON and XPath
6. Data semantics - ontologies and knowledge representation, concepts, definitions and content, CIDOC-CRM, querying via SparQL
7. Visual presentation and analysis - affordances, purposes and interpretations of spatial and iterative representation
Part 2: Practical project
Individual project within a collaborative research project on the cultural exchange in Milan the second half of the 20th century. Each project must contain: 1) a conceptual design part, 2) a part of querying of external sources and integration with data collected in one's own research, and 3) a part of visualisation of the integrated data.
1. Data, information, information systems - data storage, database management systems (DBMS), data and layers of abstraction
2. Conceptual design - entities and attributes, relationships between entities, cardinality of relationships, identifiers, generalisation hierarchies, methodological design guidelines
3. Logical design - transformation of generalisation hierarchies, transformation of entities and attributes, transformation of relationships
4. Creating and querying a database - the SQL language, creating and populating a database, referential integrity constraints, querying a database, selection conditions, table joins, sorting criteria
5. Web 2.0 and Semantic Web - structure, querying web resources via REST, JSON and XPath
6. Data semantics - ontologies and knowledge representation, concepts, definitions and content, CIDOC-CRM, querying via SparQL
7. Visual presentation and analysis - affordances, purposes and interpretations of spatial and iterative representation
Part 2: Practical project
Individual project within a collaborative research project on the cultural exchange in Milan the second half of the 20th century. Each project must contain: 1) a conceptual design part, 2) a part of querying of external sources and integration with data collected in one's own research, and 3) a part of visualisation of the integrated data.
Prerequisites for admission
No previous knowledge is required.
Teaching methods
The course contents will be delivered in lectures, with the support of slides and teaching materials that the lecturer will make available on the Ariel platform on a regular basis. Special emphasis is placed on the analysis of real case studies aimed at illustrating the specific applications of the theoretical topics covered during the course of the lectures.
Attendance, although not required, is strongly recommended. Students unable to attend are advised to contact the lecturer to agree on an alternative programme.
Attendance, although not required, is strongly recommended. Students unable to attend are advised to contact the lecturer to agree on an alternative programme.
Teaching Resources
Fundamental texts:
- Slides and handouts presented in class
- Castano Silvana, Ferrara Alfio, Montanelli Stefano. Informazione, conoscenza e Web per le scienze umanistiche, Pearson
- Tukey John, Exploratory Data Analysis, Pearson
Optional texts:
- Lazzari Marco, Informatica umanistica, McGraw-Hill
- Mauri, Buonanno, Sciuto, Informatica e cultura dell'informazione, McGraw-Hill
- Fiormonte Domenico, Numerico Teresa, Tomasi Francesca, L'umanista digitale, Il Mulino
- Slides and handouts presented in class
- Castano Silvana, Ferrara Alfio, Montanelli Stefano. Informazione, conoscenza e Web per le scienze umanistiche, Pearson
- Tukey John, Exploratory Data Analysis, Pearson
Optional texts:
- Lazzari Marco, Informatica umanistica, McGraw-Hill
- Mauri, Buonanno, Sciuto, Informatica e cultura dell'informazione, McGraw-Hill
- Fiormonte Domenico, Numerico Teresa, Tomasi Francesca, L'umanista digitale, Il Mulino
Assessment methods and Criteria
The assessment will consist of a project concerning a particular case study, which allows the student to work on a topic related to their training plan. The following will be assessed: possession and ability to put into practice the knowledge acquired during the course, completeness of the project modelling and the integrity of the reasoning carried out. Please refer to Part 2 of the programme for further details on the practical project.
Professor(s)
Reception:
Tuesdays at 13:00-14:00, or upon request
Piazza Sant'Alessandro 1, Anglistics sector, third floor