4 Juin 2014 Olivier LE DEUFF Coline BLOT;Olivier Le Deuff Catherine DE BENGY RESULTATS DE L’ENQUETE HUMANLIT This survey has been conducted in the context of a research project, Humanlit (Digital Humanities and Literacies), funded by the ISCC. 1 INTRODUCTION Here we present the results from a survey conducted in 2013, between June, 3rd and October, 30th. We have been able to collect 106 usable surveys. The survey was bilingual (French and English version). The questions were similar, except for the one regarding the favourite expression to define digital humanities’ field. Linguistic stakes are different in English and in French. 2 SURVEY’S RESULTS Survey about digital uses and skills of researchers’ interested or implied in Digital Humanities projects. The survey is held in Humanlit research’s project surroundings (digital humanities and literacies) sponsored by ISCC. For convenience, we use the abbreviation “DH” to qualify Humanities Computing or Digital Humanities in the document. GENERAL RESULTS Number of records in this query 456 Total records in survey 456 Total percentage 100.00% How would you define DH ? Count Percentage Answer 106 100.00% No answer 0 0.00% Not displayed 0 0.00% The issue concerning Digital Humanities’ definition was an important point insofar as we have focused on researchers initiated to the Digital Humanities community. That’s why the question was placed in first position. It was deliberately chosen to unleash the answer without offering definitions to check. All respondents tried to bring their own vision of the field. Only three of them admitted not to be able to propose a definition. The answers were either in French or in English and highlighted a diversity of points of view/opinions. It probably explains why some answers have mentioned that digital humanities’ expression is still vague and confused. However, one can notice some recurring comments in the answers : - The proof of an evolution, a movement or a transformation. This transformation is clearly related to digital and explains the needs of renewal, of new tools and new methods. - The coalition, or connection, between technical or computing science and humanities and social sciences. As a consequence, the question of use and practices of digital tools in the research’s context often occurs in the answers. - The fact it’s “something” in which we can dig and find common grounds. Several answers mention that Digital Humanities are some kind of tool box, while others talk about a disciplinary field, hard to define, maybe an inter or trans disciplinary field. To a lesser extent, we notice two other themes: - The topic of data and their accessibility, their sharing, is also mentioned. - The question of digital literacy, and the importance of going over a simplistic vision of digital. Among the most interesting elements pointed out, the following ones stand out: “DH is a large cultural data set.” “DH is a fluid area of study directed toward research of relationship between humanities and digital environment, practices, technologies and artifacts.” « L'utilisation des nouvelles technologies et d'une perspective transdisciplinaire ouverte aux sciences "dures", pour renouveler les Humanités. » « The use of new technologies and an interdisciplinary perspective largely open to “hard sciences”, to renew the Humanities.” « Human and social sciences ‘augmented’ by digital” “A trans disciplinary prism, permitting to question about digital and sociotechnical problems” 1 Which expression would you prefer? Answer Count Percentage digital studies 5 10% digital humanities 35 72,92% humanities computing 4 8% other 4 8% Total 48 100% The Digital Humanities Manifesto defines DH in the following way: “a transdiscipline embodying all the methods, systems and heuristic perspectives linked to the digital within the fields of humanities and the social sciences”. Do you think the digital humanities should be considered as a discipline? Anwer Count Percentage Yes 34 32.08% No 61 57.55% Prefer not to say 11 10.38% No answer 0 0.00% Not displayed 0 0.00% Total 106 100% Commentary : The question is regularly debated, it aims to know if DH should be considered as an independent field or not. Most people come to the agreement that it shouldn’t. However, it’s not surprising to see that one-third of respondents take this possibility in consideration. Indeed, behind this question, there are real organizational and academic issues. Careers developments are at stake. 1 Do you think that digital humanities entails an epistemological change? We consider this epistemological change as a turn in methods, frontiers of field, and goals of humanities. Answer Count Percentage 0 not at all 6 5.66% 1 3 2.83% 2 8 7.55% 3 32 30.19% 4 28 26.42% 5 absolutely 29 27.36% No answer 0 0.00% Not displayed 0 0.00% Total 106 100% Commentary : Respondents are clearly observing an « evolution, », not to mention a “revolution” or an epistemological rupture, an “epokhé”. In fact, beyond the tools, Humanities and their methodological foundations are deeply changing de facto researchers themselves and institutions. The question didn’t specify whether this development was well perceived or not. Going further with this problem could be interesting. 2 Can you name a researcher whom you consider to be exemplary of DH ? Count Percentage Answer 86 81.13% No answer 20 18.87% Not diplayed 0 0.00% Total 106 100% We collected a lot of different answers. We try to show them in the following tagcloud. Can you name a book which you consider to be exemplary of DH ? Count Percentage Answer 74 69.81% No answer 32 30.19% Not displayed 0 0.00% 3 Bibliography of the most cited books K.Gold, Matthew, Debates in the Digital Humanities, University of Minnesota Press, 1 janvier 2012, 50p. Schreibman,Susan,A companion to Digital Humanities, (Sous la direction de), Ray Siemens et de John Unsworth, Ed. Wiley-Blackwell,Blackwell Companions to Literature and Culture collection, 29 février 2008, 640 p. Doueihi, Milad Pour un humanisme numérique, (Broché)Ed.Seuil, La Librairie du XXe siècle, 10 février 2011, 177 p. M. BerryDavid, Understanding digital humanities, Ed. Palgrave Macmillan, Eng, 3 Fevrier 2012, 336 . Dacos, Marin, Read Write book, Le livre inscriptible, Open Edition Press, Col.Read/Write Book, 2010, 198p. Mounier, Pierre (dir.) Read/Write Book 2: Une introduction aux humanités numériques, OpenEdition Press, 21 septembre 2012, 362 p. Burdick, Peter ; Lunenfeld, Peter ; Burdick, Anne ; Drucker, Johanna, Presner, Todd ; Schnapp, Jeffrey, Digital Humanities,Ed.The MIT Press, 16 Nov 2012, 152p. Ramsay, Stephen, Reading machine, toward an Algorithmic Criticism, Ed. University of Illinois Press, Eng, 10 janvier 2012, 128 p. McCarty Willard, Humanities computing; Ed. Palgrave Macmillan, Relié,20 September 2005, 328 p. L. Jockers,Matthew Macroanalysis, Digital Methods and Literary History, Series Topics in the Digital Humanities, University of Illinois Press; 1st Edition, 1 Avril 2013, Paperback: 208 p. 1 With regard to issues related to DH, do you think that being a researcher/ teacher is evolving? Answer Count Percentage 0 not at all 3 2.83% 1 4 3.77% 2 3 2.83% 3 26 24.53% 4 24 22.64% 5 absolutely 46 43.40% No answer 0 0.00% Not displayed 0 0.00% Total 106 100% With regard to issues related to DH, do you think that being a researcher/ teacher is evolving? 2 What kind of training would be useful to researchers? Answer Count Percentage Practical training in the use 84 79.25% of specific tools Methodological 79 74.53% Theoretical 66 62.26% Project Management 50 47.17% Other 16 15.09% Commentary : Many answers were possible, but this question brings out the need of trainings in regards to tools, but also to methodological, theoretical, or organizational aspects. 3 At what level of training do you think we should begin to include training for DH ? Answer Count Percentage Primary school 20 18.87% Secondary school 14 13.21% Undergraduate 50 47.17% Master degrees 17 16.04% Phd 4 3.77% No answer 1 0.94% Not displayed 0 0.00% Total 106 100% Commentary : A majority thinks that specific trainings should be integrated as soon as possible during the first years in university. We still need to identify the contents and the ways these trainings could be held within institutions and organizations. 4 Do you think computer or web programming is an essential skill to understand and work on DH? Answer Count Percentage Yes but according to the 54 50.94% needs No 27 25.47% Yes with a high level of 18 16.98% competences Prefer not to say 5 4.72% No answer 2 1.89% Not displayed 0 0.00% Do you think computer or web programming is an essential skill, to understand and work on DH ? Commentary : It was difficult to avoid the famous question: “Do we need to learn programming languages?”. The importance of code seems to be recognized by the majority, though only relatively. Indeed, it’s impossible to learn every existing languages. Nevertheless, a quarter of the answers shows that code is not an evidence. The elders seem to be the most attached to the knowledge of code. 5 Do you consider adding data processing tools in your methodology? Answer Count Percentage I'm already using data 58 54.72% processing tools Yes 39 36.79% No 5 4.72% Prefer not to say 4 3.77% No answer 0 0.00% Not displayed 0 0.00% Commentary : Data’s issue is eliciting a large interest now. Researchers are constantly manipulating data, and the use of appropriate software is clearly bound to become a necessity. Therefore, those who don’t use any software yet will have to in the future.