Text and Data Mining for Pianists? Bringing Digital Humanities to a Graduate Music Research Methods Course Through Topic Modeling

ABSTRACT

This article presents a case study on integrating a text and data mining (TDM) assignment into the Research Methods for Performers course for music graduate students. The objective was to introduce data research methods to performing arts students and expand their understanding of the scope and possibilities of research in music through the application of digital humanities in the study of music. The project was accomplished using ProQuest TDM Studio, a user-friendly tool for data exploration and visualization using built-in datasets. This article discusses the implementation process, learning objectives, methods and concepts, and recommendations for similar applications. Incorporating TDM activities into the Research Methods for Performers course enhanced students’ understanding of the scope of music research and exposed them to methods that expanded their research skillset.

KEYWORDS:

• Text and data mining
• topic modeling
• information literacy
• research methods instruction
• music bibliography
• digital humanities

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. “Chapman University,” Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, accessed June 16, 2023, https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/institution/chapman-university/.

2. Michelle Urberg, “Pasts and Futures of Digital Humanities in Musicology: Moving Towards a ‘Bigger Tent,’” Music Reference Services Quarterly 20 (October 2, 2017): 134–50.

3. Cal Murgu, Mark Dancigers, and Emma Solloway, “Design Sprints and Direct Experimentation: Digital Humanities + Music Pedagogy At a Small Liberal Arts College,” Notes 77, no. 4 (June 1, 2021): 561–85.

4. Timothy Duguid, “Behind the Times? Digital Research Methods and the Music Classroom,” Notes 77, no. 4 (June 2021): 519–38, https://doi.org/10.1353/not.2021.0037.

5. “‘Chapter 1: What Is Digital Humanities and What’s It Doing in English Departments? | Matthew Kirschenbaum’ in ‘Debates in the Digital Humanities’ on Debates in the DH Manifold,” Debates in the Digital Humanities, accessed June 13, 2023, https://dhdebates.gc.cuny.edu/read/untitled-88c11800–9446-469b-a3be-3fdb36bfbd1e/section/f5640d43-b8eb-4d49-bc4b-eb31a16f3d06.

6. Francesca Giannetti, “Introduction: Some Practical And Ethical Considerations For Integrating Digital Humanities And Music Pedagogy,” Notes 77, no. 4 (June 2021): 519–38, https://doi.org/10.1353/not.2021.0038. p. 504

7. Alexandra Monchick, “Critical Thinking and Writing Strategies in the Music Bibliography Classroom,” Journal of Music History Pedagogy 7, no. 2 (2017): 44–55, https://www.ams-net.org/ojs/index.php/jmhp/article/view/222.

8. Laurie J. Sampsel, “Teaching the Google Books Ngram Viewer and JSTOR Text Analyzer in the Graduate Music Bibliography Course: Benefits, Issues, and Challenges,” Notes 77, no. 4 (2021): 539–60, https://doi.org/10.1353/not.2021.0035.

9. Sampsel, “Teaching”

10. Ibid., 543.

11. ProQuest, “LibGuides: TDM Studio: Topic Modeling,” accessed June 9, 2023, https://proquest.libguides.com/tdmstudio/topicmodeling.

12. This concept is derived from Prathik Roy, “How Text & Data Mining Uncovers Hidden Data Points and Powers New Discoveries,” Choice 360 (webinar), October 6, 2022, https://www.choice360.org/webinars/how-text-data-mining-uncovers-hidden-data-points-and-powers-new-discoveries/.

13. ProQuest, “LibGuides”

14. Giannetti, “Introduction.” p. 508.