This pioneering book teaches readers to use R within four core analytical areas applicable to
the Humanities: networks text geospatial data and images. This book is also designed to be a
bridge: between quantitative and qualitative methods individual and collaborative work and
the humanities and social sciences. Humanities Data with R does not presuppose background
programming experience. Early chapters take readers from R set-up to exploratory data analysis
(continuous and categorical data multivariate analysis and advanced graphics with emphasis on
aesthetics and facility). Following this networks geospatial data image data natural
language processing and text analysis each have a dedicated chapter. Each chapter is grounded
in examples to move readers beyond the intimidation of adding new tools to their research.
Everything is hands-on: networks are explained using U.S. Supreme Court opinions and low-level
NLP methods are applied to short stories by Sir Arthur ConanDoyle. After working through these
examples with the provided data code and book website readers are prepared to apply new
methods to their own work. The open source R programming language with its myriad packages and
popularity within the sciences and social sciences is particularly well-suited to working with
humanities data. R packages are also highlighted in an appendix. This book uses an expanded
conception of the forms data may take and the information it represents. The methodology will
have wide application in classrooms and self-study for the humanities but also for use in
linguistics anthropology and political science. Outside the classroom this intersection of
humanities and computing is particularly relevant for research and new modes of dissemination
across archives museums and libraries.
