Making Digital History

This is a compact guide to digital history for practice and research. It shows not only how sources are captured, preserved, and communicated as digital data, but also how these sources are enriched through conversion into digital formats which enable new modes of interpretation and presentation. Divided into three parts, this book offers a wide range of topical case studies, introduces cutting-edge methodologies, and provides a closer look at new challenges such as preventing loss by technological obsolescence. Chapter 1 builds a foundational knowledge of digital history, including the role of the archive, both digital and analogue. It is supported by best practices to manage things like cultural protocols and how archival materials are stored and shared. Chapter 2 explores the common elements of data analysis used in digital history, assuming no prior knowledge. This section will develop an understanding of why scholars select one method over another, and how certain types of sources and data lend themselves to different approaches.