Digital Humanities Commons^™

What Makes An Emotionally Compelling Novel? A Sentiment Analysis Of Science Fiction Novels 1984 And We, Annalia Fiore, Katherine Elkins

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

The purpose of this project is to compare the Soviet novel We by Yevgeny Zamyatin (1924) to the English novel 1984 by George Orwell (1949). Many have previously drawn comparisons between the two works, but the focus of this research is to find dissimilarities in their respective emotional arcs using sentiment analysis, a computational tool used for processing large bodies of text. The findings of this research were twofold. Firstly, the novel We suffers from an undeveloped emotional arc due to a weak narrative voice and a lack of emotionally varied events. This is especially notable when compared to 1984, …

Optimizing Mlb Roster Selection With Moneyball Ai Scouting Agents: Using High Fidelity Synthetic Data To Optimize Team Performance, Parker Gibbons, Jon Chun

IPHS 391: Interdisciplinary AI Frontiers

This project utilizes artificial intelligence Agents to generate high-fidelity synthetic data for Major League Baseball hitters and their statistics over a single 162 game season. The AI evaluates each player based on a five-tool scale, comparing their abilities to one another. Finally, optimization techniques are applied to select an optimal set of thirteen hitters (half of a full MLB roster of twenty-six players), maximizing overall performance while adhering to a specified salary cap. The operating hypothesis is that artificial intelligence can effectively generate high-fidelity synthetic data for baseball hitters and evaluate player performance based on a five-tool scale, given a …

Pitchai: Streamlining Investment Banking Pitches Using Llms, Dillon Cleary

IPHS 391: Interdisciplinary AI Frontiers

Investment banking professionals spend significant time and effort creating client-facing pitch materials, synthesizing large volumes of financial data, and crafting compelling narratives. This project proposes a novel pipeline that leverages large language models (LLMs) and synthetic data generation to streamline and automate the creation of investment banking pitch documents. By drawing on publicly available filings and investor materials of comparable companies, the system generates high-quality, anonymized financial datasets and seamlessly transforms them into investor-ready deliverables—such as valuation ranges and pitch deck materials The result is a more efficient, consistent, and secure approach to preparing client presentations, freeing bankers to focus …

The Exploration Of Ancient Poetry: A Decision-Level Fusion Of Large Model Corrections For Allusion Citation Recognition Methods, Wenru Bu, Hao Wang, Xiaomin Li, Shu Zhou, Sanhong Deng

Journal of Scientific Information Research

[Purpose/significance]Allusions, as an important and widely used rhetorical device in literary creation, hold immeasurable value for the study of ancient Chinese literature. Despite this, the automatic identification technology for allusions is not yet mature and currently relies mainly on manual identification, which requires further in-depth research. [Method/process]The article proposes an allusion citation recognition method that incorporates the function of making corrections using large language models at the decision-making level. This method combines traditional sequence labeling techniques with general large language models, introduces prompt templates, and performs output fu‐ sion at the decision layer to improve accuracy. In addition, this study …

Can Ai Bridge The Aisle? Decoding The 118th Congress Through Artificial Intelligence Legislation, Fiona Hendryx, Katherine Elkins

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

The rise of AI’s influence in American life has concerned both the public and the United States Congress. Focusing on the 118th Congress, I identified 365 proposed AI-related bills, only four of which (1.09%) were ultimately passed. Using a combination of natural language processing, topic modeling, and data analysis tools, I investigated why, despite broad bipartisan public and Congressional support, Congress did not pass more AI-related legislation. Amidst shrinking party majority margins and rising polarization among the electorate and elites, the success of AI-related legislative action relies less on popularity and more on party affiliation and control.

Do Autism Diagnostic Narratives Have A Shape? Using Sentiment Analysis To Evaluate Autism Late Diagnosis Narratives And Ai’S Attitude Towards Disability-Related Keywords, Nava Bahrampour, Katherine Elkins, Jon Chun

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

Do autism diagnostic self-narratives have something in common? The meaning of diagnostic labels is a culturally relevant topic in 2024, and I am curious to know if there are similarities in self-narratives about autism diagnosis. We are at an interesting moment in regards to our attitudes about autism and disability, where diagnostic labels like autism are usually viewed as either a tragedy or a relief. I wanted to look at three recent autism diagnostic self-narratives from late-diagnosed women to confirm or refute the existence of a specific type of “narrative” around diagnosis. I was additionally interested in how artificial intelligence …

Sentiment Analysis Of Harry Potter: Exploring Ai Versus Human Interpretation, Xander Newman, Katherine Elkins

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

The project starts by examining whether a smaller window size of 5% allows the algorithm to determine cruxes and their sentiment more accurately than the standard 10% window size, using the passages identified by the crux report to assist me. I find that the smaller window size seems to be more accurate for the most part, but this is not always the case. Moreover, regardless of window size, the algorithm struggled with definitively assessing ambivalent sentiment, much like how a reader has their own interpretation of emotionally charged moments. Moreover, using the results of the 5% and 10% window size …

Journey To The West: A Sentiment Analysis Exploration, Ava Yu, Katherine Elkins

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

Journey to the Westis one of the most influential literary works to come out of the East. Set in Tang-era China, the book is a religious allegory following a Buddhist monk and his supernatural disciples who make a pilgrimage from China to India. The chaptered format of the story lends itself to a very episodic approach to conflict & resolution in the story. The text also has a myriad of different influences; it heavily draws inspiration from Buddhist folklore, Confucianist tradition, and Daoist ideology, which were the reigning schools of thought in 16th-century imperial China(the time period in which this …

Human-Chatbot Interaction Patterns: A Topic Modeling Analysis Of 3,275 Conversations With Chatgpt, Hannah Sussman

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

This research presents a topic modeling analysis of the WILDCHAT-FULL dataset, examining user interactions with ChatGPT across over one million conversations. The study focused specifically on extended conversations (five or more exchanges) between U.S.-based users and ChatGPT in English. Using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA), I identified 50 distinct conversational topics with coherence scores ranging from -1.5 to -14.92 (mean: -4.47). The analysis revealed diverse interaction patterns spanning creative writing, jailbreaking (attempting to get ChatGPT to do something against its guidelines), technical discussions, business applications, and educational queries. A particularly striking finding was that creative writing and role-play scenarios dominated the …

Park Inequality In Miami: How Income And Population Density Shape Access To Green Spaces, Andre Mccloud, Katherine Elkins

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

This data analytics project explores the relationships between park distribution, income levels, and population in Miami, Florida. Data were collected from multiple sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, Miami-Dade GIS, and other public databases. The data were then visualized using Tableau to identify trends and patterns related to parks. The visualizations revealed that low-income areas have fewer overall parks, a significant number of “mini parks,” and are underserved relative to their population density. The findings of this project highlight inequalities in park allocation and call for policymakers to leverage this information to create equity-driven investments in low-income, high-density communities, ensuring …

Intertextual Sentiments In Ulysses And The Odyssey, Aidan Jordan, Katherine Elkins

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

James Joyce’s masterpiece novel Ulysses is a text built upon its relationship to other texts. The very title is a reference to the Greek hero Odysseus and the epic poem that contains his story. The form of Ulyssesrelies heavily on the structure of the Odyssey for its movement. With chapters taking key events from the Odyssey as inspiration for their themes, characters, and events. One chapter for example is based on the episode where Odysseus travels into the underworld and Joyce’s stand-in character Bloom goes to a funeral. These structural and tonal suggestions have lead me to ask if this …

Instagram's 2025 Terms Of Service: The Evolution Of Surveillance Capitalism And Ai Training Data, Marisol Hernandez Brito, Katherine Elkins

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

This research examines how social media platforms like Instagram’s 2025 Terms of Services (TOS) updates reflect the increasing demand for AI training data, illustrating the critical concerns about user privacy and data rights. Technology companies like Meta progressively require vast amounts of user-generated content to develop competitive AI systems to generate financial gain. Forming their data collection practices has led to their updated terms and services. In particular, their expanded AI training rights and modified dispute resolution procedures reveal the complex tension between technological advancement and user privacy. AI training data raises urgent questions about consent, ownership, and the commodification …

The Ethics Of Pitch Correction: How Technology Is Changing Musical Expression, Rachel Ferrara, Katherine Elkins

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

The music industry has undoubtedly undergone fundamental changes since the invention of pitch correction technology, and audiences' many long-established views of "authenticity" are now being questioned. In this study, I quantitatively assess pitch correction technology's ethical and cultural implications for artist performance, public perception, industry popularity standards, and authenticity using open-source data from Spotify and Chart Masters.

Unraveling The March Sisters: A Digital Network Analysis Of Little Women's Evolving Bonds, Jessica Daugherty, Katherine Elkins

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

Little Women is one of the most female-focused novels of the 19th century. The book, being so popular, inspired numerous film and television adaptations. The three most recognized film adaptations are: 1933 directed by George Cukor, 1994 directed by Gillian Armstrong, and 2019 directed by Greta Gerwig. This project aims to analyze and compare the social networks in these three adaptations to assess how genuinely female-centric the films are. I am curious to see if there have been any changes in the social networks and if they have evolved in response to cultural context. Using AI for coding assistance and …

Leveraging Ai To Manage Your Money Better: How Financial Advisors Can Use Ai To Provide Better Service, Lewis Cropper, Katherine Elkins

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

A financial advisor is someone who works with clients to build a comprehensive plan for what they should do with their money. The best financial advisors are the ones that clients can trust when they’re going through major life changes, because money is very personal and emotional. With this being said, the wealth management industry is currently going through a major disruption with the rise in generative artificial intelligence. More and more financial institutions are integrating artificial intelligence into their business, whether it be through new planning software, enhanced fraud detection, marketing automation, or even robo advisors. The focus of …

Narrative Structures In American History: Using Sentiment Analysis To Identify Trends In Historiography, Maisie Jane Brigham, Katherine Elkins

IPHS 200: Programming Humanity

This study uses sentiment analysis technology to examine six seminal comprehensive texts on American history. The texts range in publication dates from 1835 to 2018 and include notable authors such as the notorious Howard Zinn and former U.S. President Woodrow Wilson. Sentiment analysis creates quantitative data based on literature that rates each sentence on a sentiment scale that identifies the level of emotional intensity or neutrality, as well as if it is positive or negative emotional intensity. By using this technology, the study aims to identify and compare the story arcs and crux points of the six books, as well …

Using Vr And Ar To Create Immersive Experiences That Document Local History And Culture, Susan Swiatosz, Beryl White-Bing, Kevin Pfeil

Library Faculty Presentations & Publications

In 2023 the Virtual Learning Librarian at the University of North Florida’s (UNF) Thomas G. Carpenter Library approached the Head of Special Collections and University Archives (SCUA) with the idea to create a virtual reality (VR) experience using one of SCUA’s most accessed special collections: the Eartha M. M. White Collection. She was inspired by several existing VR experiences such as The Book of Distance and The People’s House: Inside the White House with Barack and Michelle Obama. She was also stimulated by the challenge set by the Head of SCUA to figure out a collaborative project with Special Collections. …

Review: Unsettling Archival Research: Engaging Critical, Communal, And Digital Archives, Dina López

The Writing Center Journal

Review of Unsettling Archival Research: Engaging Critical, Communal, and Digital Archives, edited by Gesa E Kirsch, Romeo García, Caitlin Burns Allen and Walker P. Smith.

Community Engagement: Hungarian Cultural Center, Theresa Colombini, Emily Jesse, Michael Raffelson, Colin Ring, John Granicke, Rae Cohen

Undergraduate Research Symposium

This project outlines the community engagement efforts undertaken within the Pierre Laclede Honors College. Collaborating with the Hungarian Cultural Center at Mary of Victories Church, our class embarked on a multifaceted endeavor. Firstly, we recorded oral histories, transforming them into engaging videos for digital platforms. Secondly, we curated a Hungarian cookbook featuring authentic community recipes for fundraising purposes. Lastly, we crafted a comprehensive poster timeline highlighting significant milestones for the Center. Through these initiatives, we aim to celebrate and preserve the rich cultural heritage of the Hungarian community in St. Louis.

Critical Artificial Intelligence Literacy Course: Exploring Ai’S History, Mechanics, Influence, Pamela Jean Stemberg

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The Critical Artificial Intelligence Literacy course is designed to equip students and educators with the tools to engage with Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies critically. Initially conceived as a syllabus for the course Critical Approaches to Education Technology in the Digital Humanities Department of the Graduate Center, the project evolved into a comprehensive, modular program addressing the historical, technical, ethical, and societal dimensions of AI.

This course encourages a multidisciplinary approach by integrating perspectives from various fields, such as history, philosophy, ethics, technology, law, and social sciences. The design process draws from foundational courses like Digital Pedagogy and Methods, Theory, Design, …