ASSESSING POETRY MARKUP WITH NUSCHOLAR by MEGHA JYOTI Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Computer Science at Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Scotia December 2013 © Copyright by Megha Jyoti, 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... ix ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... xi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... xii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 1 1.1 Benefits of Digital Scansion Tool ............................................................................... 3 1.2 Motivation ................................................................................................................. 5 1.3 Thesis Contribution ................................................................................................... 6 1.4 Solution Overview ..................................................................................................... 6 1.4.1 Requirement Gathering ................................................................................. 6 1.4.2 Design and Implementation .......................................................................... 7 1.4.3 In situ Evaluation ............................................................................................ 8 1.5 Thesis Roadmap ........................................................................................................ 9 CHAPTER 2 BACKGROUND AND RELATED WORK ........................................................ 11 2.1 E-Learning ............................................................................................................... 11 2.1.2 Guidelines Considered for NUScholar ......................................................... 13 2.2 Annotation .............................................................................................................. 14 2.3 Scansion .................................................................................................................. 17 2.4 “For Better for Verse” ............................................................................................. 23 2.4.1 Scansion Task ............................................................................................... 23 2.4.2 Poems To Scan ............................................................................................. 23 2.4.3 Meter Identification ..................................................................................... 23 2.4.4 Additional Features ...................................................................................... 24 2.4.5 Glossary and Instructions ............................................................................. 24 2.4.6 Limitations of “For Better For Verse” .......................................................... 25 2.4.7 How “For Better for Verse” could be better integrated into the practice of teaching with computers? .................................................................. 26 2.5 Summary ................................................................................................................. 27 ii CHAPTER 3 REQUIREMENT GATHERING ..................................................................... 29 3.1 Research Objectives ................................................................................................ 30 3.2 Study Design ............................................................................................................ 30 3.3 Results ..................................................................................................................... 32 3.3.1 Type of Application ...................................................................................... 32 3.3.2 Scansion Marks Required and their Availability .......................................... 32 3.3.3 Appearance of the Poem ............................................................................. 33 3.3.4 Requirements for Saving the Poem ............................................................. 34 3.3.5 Checking the Accuracy of Marked Poem ..................................................... 35 3.3.6 Choosing a Poem to Scan ............................................................................. 35 3.3.7 Dictionary ..................................................................................................... 36 3.3.8 Other Features Required ............................................................................. 37 3.3.8.1 Ability to Correct Mistakes ................................................................... 37 3.3.8.2 Audio Version of Poems ........................................................................ 37 3.3.8.3 Color Blocking the Stanzas .................................................................... 37 3.3.8.4 Adding Notes and Comments ............................................................... 38 3.3.8.5 Highlight ................................................................................................ 38 3.3.8.6 Print ....................................................................................................... 38 3.3.8.7 System Asking Poem-Specific Questions .............................................. 39 3.3.8.8 Chat/ Discussion .................................................................................... 39 3.3.8.9 Concordance ......................................................................................... 39 3.3.8.10 Caesura ............................................................................................... 39 3.3.8.11 Enjambment ........................................................................................ 40 3.3.8.12 Automatic Meter and Feet Substitution Identification ...................... 40 3.3.8.13 Grading and Marking for Teachers ..................................................... 40 3.3.8.14 Line Numbers for Poem Lines ............................................................. 40 3.3.8.15 Audio for Different Accentual Syllabic Values .................................... 40 3.3.8.16 Glossary ............................................................................................... 40 3.4 Limitations of the Study .......................................................................................... 42 iii 3.5 What Could Have Been Done Differently? ............................................................. 43 CHAPTER 4 DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION .............................................................. 44 4.1 Design ...................................................................................................................... 44 4.1.1 Scanning ....................................................................................................... 44 4.1.2 Undo ............................................................................................................. 50 4.1.3 Finding the meter ........................................................................................ 52 4.1.4 Getting Reviews on Scansion ....................................................................... 54 4.1.5 Flexibility to Choose Poem ........................................................................... 56 4.1.6 Save and Print .............................................................................................. 58 4.1.7 AutoSave ...................................................................................................... 61 4.1.8 Dictionary ..................................................................................................... 61 4.1.9 Glossary ........................................................................................................ 63 4.2 Implementation ...................................................................................................... 63 4.2.1 Syllable Representation, Selection and Marking ......................................... 64 4.2.2 Finding the Meter in the Line ...................................................................... 66 4.2.3 Undo ............................................................................................................. 69 CHAPTER 5 FIELD EVALUATION OF NUSCHOLAR SCANSION TOOL .............................. 72 5.1 Research Objectives ................................................................................................ 72 5.2 Study Design ............................................................................................................ 73 5.2.1 Study Population and Recruitment Procedures .......................................... 73 5.2.2 Participants .................................................................................................. 73 5.2.3 Study Protocol .............................................................................................. 74 5.2.4 Data Collection ............................................................................................. 75 5.3 Results ..................................................................................................................... 75 5.3.1 Background Questions ................................................................................