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<title>Using Chat GPT to refine narratives</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/2023/12/13/using-chat-gpt-to-refine-narratives/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/2023/12/13/using-chat-gpt-to-refine-narratives/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Liam Duffy]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 Dec 2023 12:11:21 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/?p=120</guid>
<description><![CDATA[2023 has been the year of chatting with robots. Not in a fun-and-hijinks ‘Short Circuit’ way, but in a less...]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>2023 has been the year of chatting with robots. Not in a fun-and-hijinks ‘Short Circuit’ way, but in a less hilarity-inducing ‘lets spend 20 minutes phrasing this perfectly so I actually get something useful’ way. A lot of companies have been working on growing ‘large language models’ for use in AI for a while, but the one that really captured people’s attention in 2023 has been OpenAI’s ChatGPT.</p>
<p>There are many other flavours of AI chatty-Cathy’s out there with colourful names such as Bard, Claude, Grok, LLaMA, Bothan, and Ernie Bot (one of those I made up*), but ChatGPT has become the go-to chatbot for a lot of people, with over 100 million users registered on the service. In the past 12 months, the top 2 fastest-rising search terms on Google from the UK are ‘ChatGPT’ and ‘Chat GPT’.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-121" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/Screenshot-2023-12-13-at-09.38.55-300x253.png" alt="" width="300" height="253" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/Screenshot-2023-12-13-at-09.38.55-300x253.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/Screenshot-2023-12-13-at-09.38.55.png 585w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>While there are a lot of uses for ChatGPT and similar AI services, one that has some people worried about its potential impact is its use for creative purposes. The use of AI-generated images and music has raised questions about whether human artists will get shut out of the process if it’s quicker and cheaper to ask a bot to create art, and the recent SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes that took Hollywood to a grinding halt earlier this year was at least in part because of the actors and writer’s unions wanting to ensure there were protections in updated contracts to limit AI’s impact on filmmaking.</p>
<p>While we’re likely at least a few years away from the best original screenplay Academy Award going to ChatBot_182.432.1REV3, ChatGPT can be used as a tool in a lot of ways for narrative storytelling. It certainly can write a full story for you, but it can go off in pretty wild places with some… <em>interesting </em>narrative choices.</p>
<p>With the simple prompt ‘Hey ChatGPT, write me a story’, I got a 450 word tale of a character named Luna who lived in a ‘Blade Runner’-esque neon city worked as a librarian by day, and by night used her supernatural powers to turn the books on her shelves in to magical realms. She proceeds to find a kingdom in peril, talk to a wise old owl and a mischievous sprite, solve puzzles, go through enchanted forests, and save the day using the power of imagination. That’s a lot to cram in to 450 words. <em>You can read the full story here with the password LunasMidnightOdyssey – <a href="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/lunas-midnight-odyssey/">full story</a></em></p>
<p>This is one of the problems with just giving ChatGPT free reign to do what it ‘wants’ when being creative, it doesn’t really understand scale or that just throwing every plot point it can generate in to a list doesn’t really make a story.</p>
<figure id="attachment_130" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-130" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter center"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-130" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c-1024x684.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="468" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c-768x513.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c-1140x761.jpg 1140w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-130" class="wp-caption-text">Old College by Playfair, William, University of Edinburgh is available under a CC BY 3.0 Unported licence. https://images.is.ed.ac.uk/luna/servlet/s/m671gu</figcaption></figure>
<p>ChatGPT’s really power for creating narrative, at least in its current state, is in using it to refine a story, or to help work through ideas. Let’s say I’m trying create a new video for Media Hopper Create about the history of Old College, and want to write a voice over. Here’s a quick draft:</p>
<blockquote><p>Old College its part of The University of Edinburgh and was mostly built from the late 18th to early 19th century. Originally named ‘New College’, it is a Category A listed building located on South Bridge. The original design was by Robert Adam, with the modern design being completed by William Henry Playfair. The dome was added to the building in 1887, with a gilded statue of Youth by John Hutchinson.</p>
<ul>
<li>Original version</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>I wrote this in about 5 minutes with information culled from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_College,_University_of_Edinburgh">Wikipedia</a>, and while perfectly serviceable, it’s possibly a little perfunctory. I asked ChatGPT what it thought of my script, and it decided (unprompted) to re-write it for me to make it more ‘engaging’:</p>
<blockquote><p>Welcome to Old College, a majestic structure nestled within the heart of The University of Edinburgh. Originally named ‘New College,’ this architectural gem traces its roots back to the late 18th century. Designed by the renowned Robert Adam, its timeless elegance was later completed by William Henry Playfair in the 19th century.</p>
<p>Situated on South Bridge, Old College stands as a Category A listed building, a testament to its historical and architectural significance. In 1887, a crowning touch was added to the structure in the form of a magnificent dome. Adorning the pinnacle is a gilded statue of Youth, a creation by the skilled hands of John Hutchinson.</p>
<p>As you stand in awe of Old College, it’s not just a building; it’s a living testament to the evolution of academia and architecture. The melding of the past and present, with each stone whispering stories of the scholars who once walked its halls. Today, Old College continues to be a symbol of academic excellence and a revered landmark in the vibrant tapestry of The University of Edinburgh.</p>
<ul>
<li>Revision from ChatGPT</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>This new version does feel more like a narrative than just a list of facts, and the language use is definitely more descriptive, it goes a bit overboard with the use of evocative metaphors. To try and rein it in a bit, I added this prompt: “That’s a little bit over the top with descriptive language, can you scale it back a little?”. This is the new version:</p>
<blockquote><p>Old College, part of The University of Edinburgh, has a rich history dating back to the late 18th century. Originally called ‘New College,’ its design, led by Robert Adam and later completed by William Henry Playfair, stands as a testament to architectural craftsmanship.</p>
<p>Situated on South Bridge, this Category A listed building gained its distinctive dome in 1887, crowned with a gilded statue of Youth by John Hutchinson. Today, Old College preserves the charm of its past, serving as a key landmark in the University’s legacy.</p>
<p>Explore the echoes of academia within Old College’s walls, where each brick tells a story of the scholars who once roamed its corridors. This historic structure, with its timeless design, remains an enduring symbol of The University of Edinburgh’s journey through time.</p>
<ul>
<li>Revision 2 by ChatGPT</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>This time it removed some of the descriptive language of the building itself, but it replaced a metaphor of it being ‘a revered landmark in the vibrant tapestry’ of the university with one about ‘each brick telling a story’. Let’s try refining it one more time – here’s the latest version with my prompt “How about you remove some of the metaphors, but give more descriptive language?”:</p>
<blockquote><p>Old College, integral to The University of Edinburgh, has a fascinating history rooted in the late 18th century. Originally christened ‘New College,’ it boasts an architectural legacy shaped by Robert Adam and later refined by William Henry Playfair.</p>
<p>Nestled on South Bridge, this distinguished Category A listed building acquired its iconic dome in 1887, adorned with a gilded statue of Youth crafted by John Hutchinson. Old College serves as both witness and custodian to the University’s journey through time.</p>
<p>Step into its storied corridors and be transported to an era when scholars traversed its halls. Each brick and beam narrates tales of academic pursuits and intellectual growth. Old College stands today, not just as a historic landmark, but as a living tribute to The University of Edinburgh’s enduring academic tradition.</p></blockquote>
<p>At this point it feels like ChatGPT is stuck just reiterating on a specific style of writing. This is one of the issues I hit when looking to use a chatbot for anything creative – the model it’s using to generate text has a specific style and there isn’t an easy way to break out of that. While ChatGPT is great for helping point you in the right direction, most of the time things will still need to be edited and refined manually to fit the exact purpose you need it for.</p>
<p>How about we experiment with this further, and see how well it handles a change in tone. I added the a new prompt to change the genre, but not the content: “What if this was the Voice Over for a horror film?”</p>
<blockquote><p>“Deep within the shadows of The University of Edinburgh lies Old College, a structure steeped in a history that echoes with whispers of the supernatural. Once named ‘New College,’ its unsettling evolution began in the late 18th century under the design of Robert Adam, later twisted by the hands of William Henry Playfair.</p>
<p>Perched ominously on South Bridge, this foreboding Category A listed building acquired an eerie dome in 1887, crowned by a gilded statue of Youth, a macabre creation by the twisted artist John Hutchinson. Old College, now a haunting relic, conceals not only the secrets of academia but a darker, malevolent force.</p>
<p>As you traverse its desolate corridors, the air thickens with the chilling tales of scholars who met untimely fates within its haunted walls. Every brick, every step resonates with an otherworldly presence. Old College stands not as a symbol of knowledge, but as a portal to the supernatural, where the past lingers, and the spirits of the damned find no rest.”</p>
<ul>
<li>ChatGPT’s voice over for a horror film</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>Ok, a lot to unpack… not only is this now borderline defamatory calling famed sculptor John Hutchinson a ‘twisted artist’ who created ‘macabre creations’, claims that Old College is where ‘the spirits of the damned find no rest’ and is literally a ‘portal to the supernatural’, but it is <em>still</em> using that metaphor of ‘every brick tells a story’.</p>
<p>While overly flowery language can be a bit of a handful to prune back, this last revision shows where the creative ‘choices’ ChatGPT uses can start to turn truth in to pure fabrication. The original core of the facts from my initial script are still there (the dates, the people involved, the legacy), it uses those to create completely a fictitious narrative.</p>
<p>The creative uses for ChatGPT are vast, but as an AI it has no concept of how it <strong>should</strong> use the information in your prompts, only what it <strong>can</strong> do. Chat bots can be a useful tool, but just remember to keep it on a short leash.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*’Bothan’ is actually a lesser-known species from Star Wars: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Wars_species_(A–E)#Bothan">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Wars_species_(A–E)#Bothan</a></p>
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area">
<time datetime="2023-12-13" itemprop="dateModified">Dec 13, 2023</time>
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<title>What is 360º Video? – The Early Days…</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/2019/02/18/what-is-360o-video-the-early-days/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/2019/02/18/what-is-360o-video-the-early-days/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Liam Duffy]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 18 Feb 2019 16:24:53 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[DIY Film School]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[360º]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/?p=56</guid>
<description><![CDATA[This is part of a series of posts exploring 360º videos, going from its roots in expositions and theme parks,...]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><i>This is part of a series of posts exploring 360º videos, going from its roots in expositions and theme parks, to how it can be recorded using your mobile phone and used in education.</i></p>
<h2>Cinéorama</h2>
<p>The Exposition Universelle, or better known as the 1900 Paris Exposition in English, was part of France’s drive to enter the 20th century with a reignited sense of cultural and national pride after devastation of the Great War. For nearly a decade before the exhibition grounds were due to open, countries around the world were invited to bring their greatest achievements and display their cultures on an international stage, part of the event’s bigger themes of unifying people.</p>
<p><figure style="width: 4195px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/La_porte_monumentale%2C_Exposition_Universelle_1900.jpg" alt="" width="4195" height="2678" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Brown University Library [Public domain]</figcaption></figure>Some of the highlights of the Exposition included a giant refracting telescope (60 meters long with a diameter of 1.5 meters), a display of photographs showing African American’s contributions to American society organised by sociologists and activists Booker Washington and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W.E.B._Du_Bois">W.E.B. Du Bois</a> , and in a fit of what I can only imagine was either reckless abandonment or an over-eagerness to please the visiting crowds, a Russian sparkling wine won the “Grand Prix de Champagne” beating several French vintners. The first Olympic Games outside of Greece took place during the Exposition, with the winners receiving 100 francs, a tie pin, and a commemorative pencil.</p>
<p>One of the biggest draws of the Exposition was the introduction of two of the great innovations in the world of cinema: the first wide-scale demonstration of recorded sound synced with moving image, and 360º panoramic projections. Obviously the latter of the two had the greater impact in the history of entertainment. I mean, come on, how many people actually watch films with audio?</p>
<p>Oh, what’s that? Most people do? Pretty much every piece of commercial film created in the last 80 years has had synchronised sound? Nobody uses 360º panoramic video projections beyond some very limited applications? Hmm.</p>
<p>The French Cinéorama was designed and constructed specifically for the Exposition by <a href="Raoul Grimoin-Sanson">Raoul Grimoin-Sanson</a>, with the intention being to replicate a ride on a hot air balloon over Paris using ten synchronised projectors housed under the ‘basket’ of the stationary balloon model.</p>
<p><figure style="width: 1199px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Cineorama.jpg" alt="" width="1199" height="850" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Louis Poyet [Public domain]</figcaption></figure>Built on the technology that English inventor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_W._Paul">Robert Paul</a> had been working on in the late 1890’s to project moving image on a screen (which was in turn based on designs stolen from Thomas Edison’s single-viewer Kinetoscope machine), the Cinéorama would project moving images onto 10 screens, each 9×9 meters, arranged in a circle around the viewer. The film was shot using 10 cameras pointing outwards from a central point which housed the cranking mechanism that wound all of the cameras at the same time – early cinema cameras were usually hand-cranked, so this made sure that the image was captured at the same speed on each camera. This rig was then attached to a real hot air balloon as it flew 400 meters about the Tuileries Gardens, filming the ascent.</p>
<p><figure style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Cineorama_camera.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="1019" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Louis Poyet [Public domain]</figcaption></figure>People would board a giant hot air balloon model in the middle of the screens, the basket of which was big enough to hold 200 people, complete with rigging and the bottom half of a balloon suspended from the ceiling. Once ‘boarded’ the spectators would look out at the screens as the projectors showed the balloon take off. Once the experience had finished, they used some cinema magic to show the balloon landing again (they played the film backwards).</p>
<p>The Cinéorama lasted a glorious whole 3 days before the police shut it down due to safety concerns – one of the workmen had fainted from the immense heat of the arc lamps used in the projectors, and as these were housed directly beneath the viewing platform, it was considered an extreme fire hazard to the spectators. After the show was shut down in the middle of day 4, it has never been shown again.</p>
<p>Things didn’t faire much better for the Exposition Universelle – due the unexpectedly high running costs of the Exposition as a whole, it ended costing the organisers about 600 francs (around £2,000 in 2018) <i>more</i> per person than the cost of admission. This was the end of this streak of Parisian international fairs.</p>
<h2>Circle-Vision 360º</h2>
<p>The rebirth of commercial 360º panoramic films came with the opening of 1955’s ‘CIRCARAMA’ cinema in Disneyland, California, showing the short film A Tour of the West, soon followed by America The Beautiful.</p>
<iframe loading="lazy" src="about:blank" data-bs-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rmv_P_wcZG4?start=801" width="660" height="544" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>The system used in Disneyland, named ‘Circle-Vision 360°’, improved on Grimoin-Sanson’s Cinéorama system in a number of ways, with the biggest difference being that instead of having the film projectors mounted under the audience’s feet (and causing a lot of fire-risks at the same time) an odd number of screens and projectors are used – this means that each projector is placed between the screens on the opposite wall of the purpose-built circular auditorium:</p>
<figure style="width: 2320px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/3e/df/f2/ef5b770a26468d/US2942516-drawings-page-2.png" alt="" width="2320" height="3408" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Walter E Disney, Iwerks Ub (1956). US Patent No. US2942516A. Retrieved from https://patents.google.com/patent/US2942516</figcaption></figure>
<p>This clever bit of mathematics allows the bulky projector systems to be hidden behind the ring of screens, providing more a more immersive experience to the audience.</p>
<p>The camera system used to record the footage, however, is remarkably similar Cinéorama’s – nine cameras are arranged around a central point facing outwards, with an internal mechanism keeping the cameras in sync.</p>
<p><figure style="width: 2364px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Circle-Vision_360_camera_%2829638534777%29_%28cropped%29.jpg" alt="" width="2364" height="1965" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">elisfkc from Orlando, FL, United States [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons</figcaption></figure>The camera rig can be attached to the roof of a car or the underside of a helicopter. Given there was an intentional gap between each screen for the projectors to fit, later films used these to split-up the action between sections of the room. For example, they could show a full 360º film to start with, then fade the screens on one half of the room to show standard film footage on each screen, while maintaining the panorama on the other. This allowed for greater creative freedom, and removed the reliance of using the expensive Circle-Vision 360º cameras to capture all the footage.</p>
<p>Over the years, 5 different Disney theme parks have used Circle-Vision 360º for their attractions, and while the original has now closed at Disneyland in California, and it’s international variants at Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris closing in the early 21st century, there are 2 theatres still operating at Epcot – ‘Reflections of China’ and ‘Oh Canada!’ At each of their respective country’s pavilions in the World Showcase.</p>
<iframe loading="lazy" src="about:blank" data-bs-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SdUKRTeyKfU" width="660" height="544" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <em>Interestingly, you can actually watch this version in 360º using Google Cardboard or by clicking and dragging your mouse around the frame</em></pre>
<p> </p>
<p>Both of these act as quasi-tourism videos showing off the landscapes and cultural landmarks of each country …and the Canadian one also serves as a showcase for Martin Short’s comedic talents, so there’s that.</p>
<p>This idea of pure spectacle makes sense as a use for this pretty unique form of film-making, but it does highlight two of the biggest drawbacks of 360º cinema in an auditorium setting:</p>
<p>The first being the cost involved would make it prohibitive to film more than a few minutes worth of footage, both in terms of capturing using 9 high-quality cameras and running the multiple necessary projectors all day.</p>
<p>The second, and possibly most difficult to overcome: trying to craft a story where the viewer needs to constantly be turning their heads. Both of the 360º cinema formats mentioned here rely on the viewer being free to stand and turn all the way around to find and follow points of interest. Indicating where a person should be looking at all times is tricky when it might be behind them. Constantly having your characters announce themselves and give time for people to move around and look in their direction could kill the tension in your drama.</p>
<p><em>Thank you for coming along on our first journey in to 360º video. In our next article we’ll be diving in to the world of modern film and content creation for 360º and VR, and how this can be used in education.</em></p>
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area">
<time datetime="2019-02-18" itemprop="dateModified">Feb 18, 2019</time>
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<title>Using Chat GPT to refine narratives</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/2023/12/13/using-chat-gpt-to-refine-narratives/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/2023/12/13/using-chat-gpt-to-refine-narratives/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Liam Duffy]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 Dec 2023 12:11:21 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/?p=120</guid>
<description><![CDATA[2023 has been the year of chatting with robots. Not in a fun-and-hijinks ‘Short Circuit’ way, but in a less...]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>2023 has been the year of chatting with robots. Not in a fun-and-hijinks ‘Short Circuit’ way, but in a less hilarity-inducing ‘lets spend 20 minutes phrasing this perfectly so I actually get something useful’ way. A lot of companies have been working on growing ‘large language models’ for use in AI for a while, but the one that really captured people’s attention in 2023 has been OpenAI’s ChatGPT.</p>
<p>There are many other flavours of AI chatty-Cathy’s out there with colourful names such as Bard, Claude, Grok, LLaMA, Bothan, and Ernie Bot (one of those I made up*), but ChatGPT has become the go-to chatbot for a lot of people, with over 100 million users registered on the service. In the past 12 months, the top 2 fastest-rising search terms on Google from the UK are ‘ChatGPT’ and ‘Chat GPT’.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-121" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/Screenshot-2023-12-13-at-09.38.55-300x253.png" alt="" width="300" height="253" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/Screenshot-2023-12-13-at-09.38.55-300x253.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/Screenshot-2023-12-13-at-09.38.55.png 585w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>While there are a lot of uses for ChatGPT and similar AI services, one that has some people worried about its potential impact is its use for creative purposes. The use of AI-generated images and music has raised questions about whether human artists will get shut out of the process if it’s quicker and cheaper to ask a bot to create art, and the recent SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes that took Hollywood to a grinding halt earlier this year was at least in part because of the actors and writer’s unions wanting to ensure there were protections in updated contracts to limit AI’s impact on filmmaking.</p>
<p>While we’re likely at least a few years away from the best original screenplay Academy Award going to ChatBot_182.432.1REV3, ChatGPT can be used as a tool in a lot of ways for narrative storytelling. It certainly can write a full story for you, but it can go off in pretty wild places with some… <em>interesting </em>narrative choices.</p>
<p>With the simple prompt ‘Hey ChatGPT, write me a story’, I got a 450 word tale of a character named Luna who lived in a ‘Blade Runner’-esque neon city worked as a librarian by day, and by night used her supernatural powers to turn the books on her shelves in to magical realms. She proceeds to find a kingdom in peril, talk to a wise old owl and a mischievous sprite, solve puzzles, go through enchanted forests, and save the day using the power of imagination. That’s a lot to cram in to 450 words. <em>You can read the full story here with the password LunasMidnightOdyssey – <a href="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/lunas-midnight-odyssey/">full story</a></em></p>
<p>This is one of the problems with just giving ChatGPT free reign to do what it ‘wants’ when being creative, it doesn’t really understand scale or that just throwing every plot point it can generate in to a list doesn’t really make a story.</p>
<figure id="attachment_130" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-130" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter center"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-130" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c-1024x684.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="468" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c-768x513.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c-1140x761.jpg 1140w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-130" class="wp-caption-text">Old College by Playfair, William, University of Edinburgh is available under a CC BY 3.0 Unported licence. https://images.is.ed.ac.uk/luna/servlet/s/m671gu</figcaption></figure>
<p>ChatGPT’s really power for creating narrative, at least in its current state, is in using it to refine a story, or to help work through ideas. Let’s say I’m trying create a new video for Media Hopper Create about the history of Old College, and want to write a voice over. Here’s a quick draft:</p>
<blockquote><p>Old College its part of The University of Edinburgh and was mostly built from the late 18th to early 19th century. Originally named ‘New College’, it is a Category A listed building located on South Bridge. The original design was by Robert Adam, with the modern design being completed by William Henry Playfair. The dome was added to the building in 1887, with a gilded statue of Youth by John Hutchinson.</p>
<ul>
<li>Original version</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>I wrote this in about 5 minutes with information culled from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_College,_University_of_Edinburgh">Wikipedia</a>, and while perfectly serviceable, it’s possibly a little perfunctory. I asked ChatGPT what it thought of my script, and it decided (unprompted) to re-write it for me to make it more ‘engaging’:</p>
<blockquote><p>Welcome to Old College, a majestic structure nestled within the heart of The University of Edinburgh. Originally named ‘New College,’ this architectural gem traces its roots back to the late 18th century. Designed by the renowned Robert Adam, its timeless elegance was later completed by William Henry Playfair in the 19th century.</p>
<p>Situated on South Bridge, Old College stands as a Category A listed building, a testament to its historical and architectural significance. In 1887, a crowning touch was added to the structure in the form of a magnificent dome. Adorning the pinnacle is a gilded statue of Youth, a creation by the skilled hands of John Hutchinson.</p>
<p>As you stand in awe of Old College, it’s not just a building; it’s a living testament to the evolution of academia and architecture. The melding of the past and present, with each stone whispering stories of the scholars who once walked its halls. Today, Old College continues to be a symbol of academic excellence and a revered landmark in the vibrant tapestry of The University of Edinburgh.</p>
<ul>
<li>Revision from ChatGPT</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>This new version does feel more like a narrative than just a list of facts, and the language use is definitely more descriptive, it goes a bit overboard with the use of evocative metaphors. To try and rein it in a bit, I added this prompt: “That’s a little bit over the top with descriptive language, can you scale it back a little?”. This is the new version:</p>
<blockquote><p>Old College, part of The University of Edinburgh, has a rich history dating back to the late 18th century. Originally called ‘New College,’ its design, led by Robert Adam and later completed by William Henry Playfair, stands as a testament to architectural craftsmanship.</p>
<p>Situated on South Bridge, this Category A listed building gained its distinctive dome in 1887, crowned with a gilded statue of Youth by John Hutchinson. Today, Old College preserves the charm of its past, serving as a key landmark in the University’s legacy.</p>
<p>Explore the echoes of academia within Old College’s walls, where each brick tells a story of the scholars who once roamed its corridors. This historic structure, with its timeless design, remains an enduring symbol of The University of Edinburgh’s journey through time.</p>
<ul>
<li>Revision 2 by ChatGPT</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>This time it removed some of the descriptive language of the building itself, but it replaced a metaphor of it being ‘a revered landmark in the vibrant tapestry’ of the university with one about ‘each brick telling a story’. Let’s try refining it one more time – here’s the latest version with my prompt “How about you remove some of the metaphors, but give more descriptive language?”:</p>
<blockquote><p>Old College, integral to The University of Edinburgh, has a fascinating history rooted in the late 18th century. Originally christened ‘New College,’ it boasts an architectural legacy shaped by Robert Adam and later refined by William Henry Playfair.</p>
<p>Nestled on South Bridge, this distinguished Category A listed building acquired its iconic dome in 1887, adorned with a gilded statue of Youth crafted by John Hutchinson. Old College serves as both witness and custodian to the University’s journey through time.</p>
<p>Step into its storied corridors and be transported to an era when scholars traversed its halls. Each brick and beam narrates tales of academic pursuits and intellectual growth. Old College stands today, not just as a historic landmark, but as a living tribute to The University of Edinburgh’s enduring academic tradition.</p></blockquote>
<p>At this point it feels like ChatGPT is stuck just reiterating on a specific style of writing. This is one of the issues I hit when looking to use a chatbot for anything creative – the model it’s using to generate text has a specific style and there isn’t an easy way to break out of that. While ChatGPT is great for helping point you in the right direction, most of the time things will still need to be edited and refined manually to fit the exact purpose you need it for.</p>
<p>How about we experiment with this further, and see how well it handles a change in tone. I added the a new prompt to change the genre, but not the content: “What if this was the Voice Over for a horror film?”</p>
<blockquote><p>“Deep within the shadows of The University of Edinburgh lies Old College, a structure steeped in a history that echoes with whispers of the supernatural. Once named ‘New College,’ its unsettling evolution began in the late 18th century under the design of Robert Adam, later twisted by the hands of William Henry Playfair.</p>
<p>Perched ominously on South Bridge, this foreboding Category A listed building acquired an eerie dome in 1887, crowned by a gilded statue of Youth, a macabre creation by the twisted artist John Hutchinson. Old College, now a haunting relic, conceals not only the secrets of academia but a darker, malevolent force.</p>
<p>As you traverse its desolate corridors, the air thickens with the chilling tales of scholars who met untimely fates within its haunted walls. Every brick, every step resonates with an otherworldly presence. Old College stands not as a symbol of knowledge, but as a portal to the supernatural, where the past lingers, and the spirits of the damned find no rest.”</p>
<ul>
<li>ChatGPT’s voice over for a horror film</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>Ok, a lot to unpack… not only is this now borderline defamatory calling famed sculptor John Hutchinson a ‘twisted artist’ who created ‘macabre creations’, claims that Old College is where ‘the spirits of the damned find no rest’ and is literally a ‘portal to the supernatural’, but it is <em>still</em> using that metaphor of ‘every brick tells a story’.</p>
<p>While overly flowery language can be a bit of a handful to prune back, this last revision shows where the creative ‘choices’ ChatGPT uses can start to turn truth in to pure fabrication. The original core of the facts from my initial script are still there (the dates, the people involved, the legacy), it uses those to create completely a fictitious narrative.</p>
<p>The creative uses for ChatGPT are vast, but as an AI it has no concept of how it <strong>should</strong> use the information in your prompts, only what it <strong>can</strong> do. Chat bots can be a useful tool, but just remember to keep it on a short leash.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*’Bothan’ is actually a lesser-known species from Star Wars: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Wars_species_(A–E)#Bothan">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Wars_species_(A–E)#Bothan</a></p>
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area">
<time datetime="2023-12-13" itemprop="dateModified">Dec 13, 2023</time>
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<title>What is 360º Video? – The Early Days…</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/2019/02/18/what-is-360o-video-the-early-days/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/2019/02/18/what-is-360o-video-the-early-days/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Liam Duffy]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 18 Feb 2019 16:24:53 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[DIY Film School]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[360º]]></category>
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<description><![CDATA[This is part of a series of posts exploring 360º videos, going from its roots in expositions and theme parks,...]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><i>This is part of a series of posts exploring 360º videos, going from its roots in expositions and theme parks, to how it can be recorded using your mobile phone and used in education.</i></p>
<h2>Cinéorama</h2>
<p>The Exposition Universelle, or better known as the 1900 Paris Exposition in English, was part of France’s drive to enter the 20th century with a reignited sense of cultural and national pride after devastation of the Great War. For nearly a decade before the exhibition grounds were due to open, countries around the world were invited to bring their greatest achievements and display their cultures on an international stage, part of the event’s bigger themes of unifying people.</p>
<p><figure style="width: 4195px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/La_porte_monumentale%2C_Exposition_Universelle_1900.jpg" alt="" width="4195" height="2678" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Brown University Library [Public domain]</figcaption></figure>Some of the highlights of the Exposition included a giant refracting telescope (60 meters long with a diameter of 1.5 meters), a display of photographs showing African American’s contributions to American society organised by sociologists and activists Booker Washington and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W.E.B._Du_Bois">W.E.B. Du Bois</a> , and in a fit of what I can only imagine was either reckless abandonment or an over-eagerness to please the visiting crowds, a Russian sparkling wine won the “Grand Prix de Champagne” beating several French vintners. The first Olympic Games outside of Greece took place during the Exposition, with the winners receiving 100 francs, a tie pin, and a commemorative pencil.</p>
<p>One of the biggest draws of the Exposition was the introduction of two of the great innovations in the world of cinema: the first wide-scale demonstration of recorded sound synced with moving image, and 360º panoramic projections. Obviously the latter of the two had the greater impact in the history of entertainment. I mean, come on, how many people actually watch films with audio?</p>
<p>Oh, what’s that? Most people do? Pretty much every piece of commercial film created in the last 80 years has had synchronised sound? Nobody uses 360º panoramic video projections beyond some very limited applications? Hmm.</p>
<p>The French Cinéorama was designed and constructed specifically for the Exposition by <a href="Raoul Grimoin-Sanson">Raoul Grimoin-Sanson</a>, with the intention being to replicate a ride on a hot air balloon over Paris using ten synchronised projectors housed under the ‘basket’ of the stationary balloon model.</p>
<p><figure style="width: 1199px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Cineorama.jpg" alt="" width="1199" height="850" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Louis Poyet [Public domain]</figcaption></figure>Built on the technology that English inventor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_W._Paul">Robert Paul</a> had been working on in the late 1890’s to project moving image on a screen (which was in turn based on designs stolen from Thomas Edison’s single-viewer Kinetoscope machine), the Cinéorama would project moving images onto 10 screens, each 9×9 meters, arranged in a circle around the viewer. The film was shot using 10 cameras pointing outwards from a central point which housed the cranking mechanism that wound all of the cameras at the same time – early cinema cameras were usually hand-cranked, so this made sure that the image was captured at the same speed on each camera. This rig was then attached to a real hot air balloon as it flew 400 meters about the Tuileries Gardens, filming the ascent.</p>
<p><figure style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Cineorama_camera.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="1019" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Louis Poyet [Public domain]</figcaption></figure>People would board a giant hot air balloon model in the middle of the screens, the basket of which was big enough to hold 200 people, complete with rigging and the bottom half of a balloon suspended from the ceiling. Once ‘boarded’ the spectators would look out at the screens as the projectors showed the balloon take off. Once the experience had finished, they used some cinema magic to show the balloon landing again (they played the film backwards).</p>
<p>The Cinéorama lasted a glorious whole 3 days before the police shut it down due to safety concerns – one of the workmen had fainted from the immense heat of the arc lamps used in the projectors, and as these were housed directly beneath the viewing platform, it was considered an extreme fire hazard to the spectators. After the show was shut down in the middle of day 4, it has never been shown again.</p>
<p>Things didn’t faire much better for the Exposition Universelle – due the unexpectedly high running costs of the Exposition as a whole, it ended costing the organisers about 600 francs (around £2,000 in 2018) <i>more</i> per person than the cost of admission. This was the end of this streak of Parisian international fairs.</p>
<h2>Circle-Vision 360º</h2>
<p>The rebirth of commercial 360º panoramic films came with the opening of 1955’s ‘CIRCARAMA’ cinema in Disneyland, California, showing the short film A Tour of the West, soon followed by America The Beautiful.</p>
<iframe loading="lazy" src="about:blank" data-bs-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rmv_P_wcZG4?start=801" width="660" height="544" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>The system used in Disneyland, named ‘Circle-Vision 360°’, improved on Grimoin-Sanson’s Cinéorama system in a number of ways, with the biggest difference being that instead of having the film projectors mounted under the audience’s feet (and causing a lot of fire-risks at the same time) an odd number of screens and projectors are used – this means that each projector is placed between the screens on the opposite wall of the purpose-built circular auditorium:</p>
<figure style="width: 2320px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/3e/df/f2/ef5b770a26468d/US2942516-drawings-page-2.png" alt="" width="2320" height="3408" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Walter E Disney, Iwerks Ub (1956). US Patent No. US2942516A. Retrieved from https://patents.google.com/patent/US2942516</figcaption></figure>
<p>This clever bit of mathematics allows the bulky projector systems to be hidden behind the ring of screens, providing more a more immersive experience to the audience.</p>
<p>The camera system used to record the footage, however, is remarkably similar Cinéorama’s – nine cameras are arranged around a central point facing outwards, with an internal mechanism keeping the cameras in sync.</p>
<p><figure style="width: 2364px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Circle-Vision_360_camera_%2829638534777%29_%28cropped%29.jpg" alt="" width="2364" height="1965" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">elisfkc from Orlando, FL, United States [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons</figcaption></figure>The camera rig can be attached to the roof of a car or the underside of a helicopter. Given there was an intentional gap between each screen for the projectors to fit, later films used these to split-up the action between sections of the room. For example, they could show a full 360º film to start with, then fade the screens on one half of the room to show standard film footage on each screen, while maintaining the panorama on the other. This allowed for greater creative freedom, and removed the reliance of using the expensive Circle-Vision 360º cameras to capture all the footage.</p>
<p>Over the years, 5 different Disney theme parks have used Circle-Vision 360º for their attractions, and while the original has now closed at Disneyland in California, and it’s international variants at Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris closing in the early 21st century, there are 2 theatres still operating at Epcot – ‘Reflections of China’ and ‘Oh Canada!’ At each of their respective country’s pavilions in the World Showcase.</p>
<iframe loading="lazy" src="about:blank" data-bs-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SdUKRTeyKfU" width="660" height="544" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <em>Interestingly, you can actually watch this version in 360º using Google Cardboard or by clicking and dragging your mouse around the frame</em></pre>
<p> </p>
<p>Both of these act as quasi-tourism videos showing off the landscapes and cultural landmarks of each country …and the Canadian one also serves as a showcase for Martin Short’s comedic talents, so there’s that.</p>
<p>This idea of pure spectacle makes sense as a use for this pretty unique form of film-making, but it does highlight two of the biggest drawbacks of 360º cinema in an auditorium setting:</p>
<p>The first being the cost involved would make it prohibitive to film more than a few minutes worth of footage, both in terms of capturing using 9 high-quality cameras and running the multiple necessary projectors all day.</p>
<p>The second, and possibly most difficult to overcome: trying to craft a story where the viewer needs to constantly be turning their heads. Both of the 360º cinema formats mentioned here rely on the viewer being free to stand and turn all the way around to find and follow points of interest. Indicating where a person should be looking at all times is tricky when it might be behind them. Constantly having your characters announce themselves and give time for people to move around and look in their direction could kill the tension in your drama.</p>
<p><em>Thank you for coming along on our first journey in to 360º video. In our next article we’ll be diving in to the world of modern film and content creation for 360º and VR, and how this can be used in education.</em></p>
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area">
<time datetime="2019-02-18" itemprop="dateModified">Feb 18, 2019</time>
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<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/2023/12/13/using-chat-gpt-to-refine-narratives/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/2023/12/13/using-chat-gpt-to-refine-narratives/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Liam Duffy]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 13 Dec 2023 12:11:21 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[AI]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/?p=120</guid>
<description><![CDATA[2023 has been the year of chatting with robots. Not in a fun-and-hijinks ‘Short Circuit’ way, but in a less...]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>2023 has been the year of chatting with robots. Not in a fun-and-hijinks ‘Short Circuit’ way, but in a less hilarity-inducing ‘lets spend 20 minutes phrasing this perfectly so I actually get something useful’ way. A lot of companies have been working on growing ‘large language models’ for use in AI for a while, but the one that really captured people’s attention in 2023 has been OpenAI’s ChatGPT.</p>
<p>There are many other flavours of AI chatty-Cathy’s out there with colourful names such as Bard, Claude, Grok, LLaMA, Bothan, and Ernie Bot (one of those I made up*), but ChatGPT has become the go-to chatbot for a lot of people, with over 100 million users registered on the service. In the past 12 months, the top 2 fastest-rising search terms on Google from the UK are ‘ChatGPT’ and ‘Chat GPT’.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-121" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/Screenshot-2023-12-13-at-09.38.55-300x253.png" alt="" width="300" height="253" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/Screenshot-2023-12-13-at-09.38.55-300x253.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/Screenshot-2023-12-13-at-09.38.55.png 585w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>While there are a lot of uses for ChatGPT and similar AI services, one that has some people worried about its potential impact is its use for creative purposes. The use of AI-generated images and music has raised questions about whether human artists will get shut out of the process if it’s quicker and cheaper to ask a bot to create art, and the recent SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes that took Hollywood to a grinding halt earlier this year was at least in part because of the actors and writer’s unions wanting to ensure there were protections in updated contracts to limit AI’s impact on filmmaking.</p>
<p>While we’re likely at least a few years away from the best original screenplay Academy Award going to ChatBot_182.432.1REV3, ChatGPT can be used as a tool in a lot of ways for narrative storytelling. It certainly can write a full story for you, but it can go off in pretty wild places with some… <em>interesting </em>narrative choices.</p>
<p>With the simple prompt ‘Hey ChatGPT, write me a story’, I got a 450 word tale of a character named Luna who lived in a ‘Blade Runner’-esque neon city worked as a librarian by day, and by night used her supernatural powers to turn the books on her shelves in to magical realms. She proceeds to find a kingdom in peril, talk to a wise old owl and a mischievous sprite, solve puzzles, go through enchanted forests, and save the day using the power of imagination. That’s a lot to cram in to 450 words. <em>You can read the full story here with the password LunasMidnightOdyssey – <a href="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/lunas-midnight-odyssey/">full story</a></em></p>
<p>This is one of the problems with just giving ChatGPT free reign to do what it ‘wants’ when being creative, it doesn’t really understand scale or that just throwing every plot point it can generate in to a list doesn’t really make a story.</p>
<figure id="attachment_130" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-130" style="width: 700px" class="wp-caption aligncenter center"><img decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-130" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c-1024x684.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="468" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c-768x513.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c-1140x761.jpg 1140w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/wp-content/uploads/sites/201/2023/12/0078862c.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-130" class="wp-caption-text">Old College by Playfair, William, University of Edinburgh is available under a CC BY 3.0 Unported licence. https://images.is.ed.ac.uk/luna/servlet/s/m671gu</figcaption></figure>
<p>ChatGPT’s really power for creating narrative, at least in its current state, is in using it to refine a story, or to help work through ideas. Let’s say I’m trying create a new video for Media Hopper Create about the history of Old College, and want to write a voice over. Here’s a quick draft:</p>
<blockquote><p>Old College its part of The University of Edinburgh and was mostly built from the late 18th to early 19th century. Originally named ‘New College’, it is a Category A listed building located on South Bridge. The original design was by Robert Adam, with the modern design being completed by William Henry Playfair. The dome was added to the building in 1887, with a gilded statue of Youth by John Hutchinson.</p>
<ul>
<li>Original version</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>I wrote this in about 5 minutes with information culled from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_College,_University_of_Edinburgh">Wikipedia</a>, and while perfectly serviceable, it’s possibly a little perfunctory. I asked ChatGPT what it thought of my script, and it decided (unprompted) to re-write it for me to make it more ‘engaging’:</p>
<blockquote><p>Welcome to Old College, a majestic structure nestled within the heart of The University of Edinburgh. Originally named ‘New College,’ this architectural gem traces its roots back to the late 18th century. Designed by the renowned Robert Adam, its timeless elegance was later completed by William Henry Playfair in the 19th century.</p>
<p>Situated on South Bridge, Old College stands as a Category A listed building, a testament to its historical and architectural significance. In 1887, a crowning touch was added to the structure in the form of a magnificent dome. Adorning the pinnacle is a gilded statue of Youth, a creation by the skilled hands of John Hutchinson.</p>
<p>As you stand in awe of Old College, it’s not just a building; it’s a living testament to the evolution of academia and architecture. The melding of the past and present, with each stone whispering stories of the scholars who once walked its halls. Today, Old College continues to be a symbol of academic excellence and a revered landmark in the vibrant tapestry of The University of Edinburgh.</p>
<ul>
<li>Revision from ChatGPT</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>This new version does feel more like a narrative than just a list of facts, and the language use is definitely more descriptive, it goes a bit overboard with the use of evocative metaphors. To try and rein it in a bit, I added this prompt: “That’s a little bit over the top with descriptive language, can you scale it back a little?”. This is the new version:</p>
<blockquote><p>Old College, part of The University of Edinburgh, has a rich history dating back to the late 18th century. Originally called ‘New College,’ its design, led by Robert Adam and later completed by William Henry Playfair, stands as a testament to architectural craftsmanship.</p>
<p>Situated on South Bridge, this Category A listed building gained its distinctive dome in 1887, crowned with a gilded statue of Youth by John Hutchinson. Today, Old College preserves the charm of its past, serving as a key landmark in the University’s legacy.</p>
<p>Explore the echoes of academia within Old College’s walls, where each brick tells a story of the scholars who once roamed its corridors. This historic structure, with its timeless design, remains an enduring symbol of The University of Edinburgh’s journey through time.</p>
<ul>
<li>Revision 2 by ChatGPT</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>This time it removed some of the descriptive language of the building itself, but it replaced a metaphor of it being ‘a revered landmark in the vibrant tapestry’ of the university with one about ‘each brick telling a story’. Let’s try refining it one more time – here’s the latest version with my prompt “How about you remove some of the metaphors, but give more descriptive language?”:</p>
<blockquote><p>Old College, integral to The University of Edinburgh, has a fascinating history rooted in the late 18th century. Originally christened ‘New College,’ it boasts an architectural legacy shaped by Robert Adam and later refined by William Henry Playfair.</p>
<p>Nestled on South Bridge, this distinguished Category A listed building acquired its iconic dome in 1887, adorned with a gilded statue of Youth crafted by John Hutchinson. Old College serves as both witness and custodian to the University’s journey through time.</p>
<p>Step into its storied corridors and be transported to an era when scholars traversed its halls. Each brick and beam narrates tales of academic pursuits and intellectual growth. Old College stands today, not just as a historic landmark, but as a living tribute to The University of Edinburgh’s enduring academic tradition.</p></blockquote>
<p>At this point it feels like ChatGPT is stuck just reiterating on a specific style of writing. This is one of the issues I hit when looking to use a chatbot for anything creative – the model it’s using to generate text has a specific style and there isn’t an easy way to break out of that. While ChatGPT is great for helping point you in the right direction, most of the time things will still need to be edited and refined manually to fit the exact purpose you need it for.</p>
<p>How about we experiment with this further, and see how well it handles a change in tone. I added the a new prompt to change the genre, but not the content: “What if this was the Voice Over for a horror film?”</p>
<blockquote><p>“Deep within the shadows of The University of Edinburgh lies Old College, a structure steeped in a history that echoes with whispers of the supernatural. Once named ‘New College,’ its unsettling evolution began in the late 18th century under the design of Robert Adam, later twisted by the hands of William Henry Playfair.</p>
<p>Perched ominously on South Bridge, this foreboding Category A listed building acquired an eerie dome in 1887, crowned by a gilded statue of Youth, a macabre creation by the twisted artist John Hutchinson. Old College, now a haunting relic, conceals not only the secrets of academia but a darker, malevolent force.</p>
<p>As you traverse its desolate corridors, the air thickens with the chilling tales of scholars who met untimely fates within its haunted walls. Every brick, every step resonates with an otherworldly presence. Old College stands not as a symbol of knowledge, but as a portal to the supernatural, where the past lingers, and the spirits of the damned find no rest.”</p>
<ul>
<li>ChatGPT’s voice over for a horror film</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>Ok, a lot to unpack… not only is this now borderline defamatory calling famed sculptor John Hutchinson a ‘twisted artist’ who created ‘macabre creations’, claims that Old College is where ‘the spirits of the damned find no rest’ and is literally a ‘portal to the supernatural’, but it is <em>still</em> using that metaphor of ‘every brick tells a story’.</p>
<p>While overly flowery language can be a bit of a handful to prune back, this last revision shows where the creative ‘choices’ ChatGPT uses can start to turn truth in to pure fabrication. The original core of the facts from my initial script are still there (the dates, the people involved, the legacy), it uses those to create completely a fictitious narrative.</p>
<p>The creative uses for ChatGPT are vast, but as an AI it has no concept of how it <strong>should</strong> use the information in your prompts, only what it <strong>can</strong> do. Chat bots can be a useful tool, but just remember to keep it on a short leash.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>*’Bothan’ is actually a lesser-known species from Star Wars: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Wars_species_(A–E)#Bothan">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Star_Wars_species_(A–E)#Bothan</a></p>
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area">
<time datetime="2023-12-13" itemprop="dateModified">Dec 13, 2023</time>
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<title>What is 360º Video? – The Early Days…</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/2019/02/18/what-is-360o-video-the-early-days/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/2019/02/18/what-is-360o-video-the-early-days/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Liam Duffy]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 18 Feb 2019 16:24:53 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[DIY Film School]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[360º]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/mediahopper/?p=56</guid>
<description><![CDATA[This is part of a series of posts exploring 360º videos, going from its roots in expositions and theme parks,...]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><i>This is part of a series of posts exploring 360º videos, going from its roots in expositions and theme parks, to how it can be recorded using your mobile phone and used in education.</i></p>
<h2>Cinéorama</h2>
<p>The Exposition Universelle, or better known as the 1900 Paris Exposition in English, was part of France’s drive to enter the 20th century with a reignited sense of cultural and national pride after devastation of the Great War. For nearly a decade before the exhibition grounds were due to open, countries around the world were invited to bring their greatest achievements and display their cultures on an international stage, part of the event’s bigger themes of unifying people.</p>
<p><figure style="width: 4195px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/La_porte_monumentale%2C_Exposition_Universelle_1900.jpg" alt="" width="4195" height="2678" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Brown University Library [Public domain]</figcaption></figure>Some of the highlights of the Exposition included a giant refracting telescope (60 meters long with a diameter of 1.5 meters), a display of photographs showing African American’s contributions to American society organised by sociologists and activists Booker Washington and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W.E.B._Du_Bois">W.E.B. Du Bois</a> , and in a fit of what I can only imagine was either reckless abandonment or an over-eagerness to please the visiting crowds, a Russian sparkling wine won the “Grand Prix de Champagne” beating several French vintners. The first Olympic Games outside of Greece took place during the Exposition, with the winners receiving 100 francs, a tie pin, and a commemorative pencil.</p>
<p>One of the biggest draws of the Exposition was the introduction of two of the great innovations in the world of cinema: the first wide-scale demonstration of recorded sound synced with moving image, and 360º panoramic projections. Obviously the latter of the two had the greater impact in the history of entertainment. I mean, come on, how many people actually watch films with audio?</p>
<p>Oh, what’s that? Most people do? Pretty much every piece of commercial film created in the last 80 years has had synchronised sound? Nobody uses 360º panoramic video projections beyond some very limited applications? Hmm.</p>
<p>The French Cinéorama was designed and constructed specifically for the Exposition by <a href="Raoul Grimoin-Sanson">Raoul Grimoin-Sanson</a>, with the intention being to replicate a ride on a hot air balloon over Paris using ten synchronised projectors housed under the ‘basket’ of the stationary balloon model.</p>
<p><figure style="width: 1199px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Cineorama.jpg" alt="" width="1199" height="850" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Louis Poyet [Public domain]</figcaption></figure>Built on the technology that English inventor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_W._Paul">Robert Paul</a> had been working on in the late 1890’s to project moving image on a screen (which was in turn based on designs stolen from Thomas Edison’s single-viewer Kinetoscope machine), the Cinéorama would project moving images onto 10 screens, each 9×9 meters, arranged in a circle around the viewer. The film was shot using 10 cameras pointing outwards from a central point which housed the cranking mechanism that wound all of the cameras at the same time – early cinema cameras were usually hand-cranked, so this made sure that the image was captured at the same speed on each camera. This rig was then attached to a real hot air balloon as it flew 400 meters about the Tuileries Gardens, filming the ascent.</p>
<p><figure style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Cineorama_camera.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="1019" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Louis Poyet [Public domain]</figcaption></figure>People would board a giant hot air balloon model in the middle of the screens, the basket of which was big enough to hold 200 people, complete with rigging and the bottom half of a balloon suspended from the ceiling. Once ‘boarded’ the spectators would look out at the screens as the projectors showed the balloon take off. Once the experience had finished, they used some cinema magic to show the balloon landing again (they played the film backwards).</p>
<p>The Cinéorama lasted a glorious whole 3 days before the police shut it down due to safety concerns – one of the workmen had fainted from the immense heat of the arc lamps used in the projectors, and as these were housed directly beneath the viewing platform, it was considered an extreme fire hazard to the spectators. After the show was shut down in the middle of day 4, it has never been shown again.</p>
<p>Things didn’t faire much better for the Exposition Universelle – due the unexpectedly high running costs of the Exposition as a whole, it ended costing the organisers about 600 francs (around £2,000 in 2018) <i>more</i> per person than the cost of admission. This was the end of this streak of Parisian international fairs.</p>
<h2>Circle-Vision 360º</h2>
<p>The rebirth of commercial 360º panoramic films came with the opening of 1955’s ‘CIRCARAMA’ cinema in Disneyland, California, showing the short film A Tour of the West, soon followed by America The Beautiful.</p>
<iframe loading="lazy" src="about:blank" data-bs-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rmv_P_wcZG4?start=801" width="660" height="544" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>The system used in Disneyland, named ‘Circle-Vision 360°’, improved on Grimoin-Sanson’s Cinéorama system in a number of ways, with the biggest difference being that instead of having the film projectors mounted under the audience’s feet (and causing a lot of fire-risks at the same time) an odd number of screens and projectors are used – this means that each projector is placed between the screens on the opposite wall of the purpose-built circular auditorium:</p>
<figure style="width: 2320px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/3e/df/f2/ef5b770a26468d/US2942516-drawings-page-2.png" alt="" width="2320" height="3408" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Walter E Disney, Iwerks Ub (1956). US Patent No. US2942516A. Retrieved from https://patents.google.com/patent/US2942516</figcaption></figure>
<p>This clever bit of mathematics allows the bulky projector systems to be hidden behind the ring of screens, providing more a more immersive experience to the audience.</p>
<p>The camera system used to record the footage, however, is remarkably similar Cinéorama’s – nine cameras are arranged around a central point facing outwards, with an internal mechanism keeping the cameras in sync.</p>
<p><figure style="width: 2364px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Circle-Vision_360_camera_%2829638534777%29_%28cropped%29.jpg" alt="" width="2364" height="1965" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">elisfkc from Orlando, FL, United States [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons</figcaption></figure>The camera rig can be attached to the roof of a car or the underside of a helicopter. Given there was an intentional gap between each screen for the projectors to fit, later films used these to split-up the action between sections of the room. For example, they could show a full 360º film to start with, then fade the screens on one half of the room to show standard film footage on each screen, while maintaining the panorama on the other. This allowed for greater creative freedom, and removed the reliance of using the expensive Circle-Vision 360º cameras to capture all the footage.</p>
<p>Over the years, 5 different Disney theme parks have used Circle-Vision 360º for their attractions, and while the original has now closed at Disneyland in California, and it’s international variants at Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris closing in the early 21st century, there are 2 theatres still operating at Epcot – ‘Reflections of China’ and ‘Oh Canada!’ At each of their respective country’s pavilions in the World Showcase.</p>
<iframe loading="lazy" src="about:blank" data-bs-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SdUKRTeyKfU" width="660" height="544" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <em>Interestingly, you can actually watch this version in 360º using Google Cardboard or by clicking and dragging your mouse around the frame</em></pre>
<p> </p>
<p>Both of these act as quasi-tourism videos showing off the landscapes and cultural landmarks of each country …and the Canadian one also serves as a showcase for Martin Short’s comedic talents, so there’s that.</p>
<p>This idea of pure spectacle makes sense as a use for this pretty unique form of film-making, but it does highlight two of the biggest drawbacks of 360º cinema in an auditorium setting:</p>
<p>The first being the cost involved would make it prohibitive to film more than a few minutes worth of footage, both in terms of capturing using 9 high-quality cameras and running the multiple necessary projectors all day.</p>
<p>The second, and possibly most difficult to overcome: trying to craft a story where the viewer needs to constantly be turning their heads. Both of the 360º cinema formats mentioned here rely on the viewer being free to stand and turn all the way around to find and follow points of interest. Indicating where a person should be looking at all times is tricky when it might be behind them. Constantly having your characters announce themselves and give time for people to move around and look in their direction could kill the tension in your drama.</p>
<p><em>Thank you for coming along on our first journey in to 360º video. In our next article we’ll be diving in to the world of modern film and content creation for 360º and VR, and how this can be used in education.</em></p>
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area">
<time datetime="2019-02-18" itemprop="dateModified">Feb 18, 2019</time>
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<title>More about Blogs.ed and Plugins</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/2020/09/23/more-about-blogs-ed-and-plugins/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/2020/09/23/more-about-blogs-ed-and-plugins/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[James Slack]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Sep 2020 15:22:18 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/?p=176</guid>
<description><![CDATA[<span class="span-reading-time rt-reading-time" style="display: block;"><span class="rt-label rt-prefix">Reading Time: </span> <span class="rt-time"> 6</span> <span class="rt-label rt-postfix">minutes</span></span>Processes and Plugins I admit, I may be cheating a little here. As part of HeyPresstoConf20 I really wanted to be able to talk about our Plugins and Processes but couldn’t fit into the Tweet limit so I’m putting it all here. This should be helpful if you are planning on building your own […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<span class="span-reading-time rt-reading-time" style="display: block;"><span class="rt-label rt-prefix">Reading Time: </span> <span class="rt-time"> 6</span> <span class="rt-label rt-postfix">minutes</span></span><h1>Processes and Plugins</h1>
<p> </p>
<p>I admit, I may be cheating a little here. As part of HeyPresstoConf20 I really wanted to be able to talk about our Plugins and Processes but couldn’t fit into the Tweet limit so I’m putting it all here. This should be helpful if you are planning on building your own WordPress Multisite at your institution, as ever, if you want to discuss this feel free to get in touch.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Firstly let’s talk about how we go about selecting Plugins. We start to look when multiple users all ask for the same of similar plugin/function or if we encounter and issue that needs a plugin to be resolved. Thankfully we have an inhouse development team that can be called on if we cannot find something which is a blessing but they support multiple platforms so we do need to have good reason. If we do find a plugin or multiple plugins then we start to investigate whether they actually resolve our issue and if they add any issues or have unexpected behaviour, so far this seems to make basic sense. We have, however, developed a process to audit plugins to ascertain whether they are well supported, well reviewed and also if they contain privacy invasive cookies using the following criteria:</p>
<table width="99%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>Plugin / theme name:</strong></td>
<td><strong>Yes / no</strong></td>
<td><strong>Comments</strong></td>
<td><strong>Date requested</strong></td>
<td><strong>Date installed</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>What does it do?</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>How much does it cost?</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Cost of adoption</li>
<li>Cost of training</li>
<li>Cost of usage</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Author background</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Is the documentation good?</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Who will use the add-on?</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>admins / authors</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Feedback / reviews</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Is it used by many, reviews / comments</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Technical status:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Is it up to date, compatible with our version of wordpress?</li>
<li>Is it well written?</li>
<li>Does it backup/restore?</li>
<li>Is it secure?</li>
<li>Is data shared outside of wordpress?</li>
<li>Type of cookies set</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Accessibility:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Check any spellcheck functionality on free data entry boxes/forms that is either automatically run by the system or that requires users interaction</li>
<li>Describe any data validation that is automatically run by the system to ensure users enter data in the correct formats. Check error messages are in sufficient colour contrast, accessible font, clear location, not pop ups.</li>
<li>Check whether the template scales correctly using different resolutions and whether there are any resolutions that are not recommended, tested using ctrl + and Windows Magnifier</li>
<li>Check the colours and colour contrasts and font types and styles used i.e. are italics and continuous capitals avoided?</li>
<li>Check functionality that would allow users to customise their views (i.e. font size, colours, contrast ratios). This is by altering browser settings.</li>
<li>Check whether all content is accessible through a keyboard interface and whether it requires specific timings for keystrokes. I.e. is it possible to navigate around the template and complete any forms etc without ever using a mouse.</li>
<li>Check there is an indication or warning of links which will open a new tab or window and check that these warnings are accessible</li>
<li>Check that the template conveys no information in only colour or sound.</li>
<li>Check there is no flashing or scrolling text? If so does the text flash 3 or more times per second and can it be paused? If there is flashing or scrolling text please provide more details.</li>
<li>Check that Zoomtext is compatible with the template without plug ins</li>
<li>Check that JAWS is compatible with the template without plug ins</li>
<li>Check that TextHelp Read and Write Gold is compatible with the template in terms of spellcheck, hover highlight and highlight and read without plug ins.</li>
<li>Check that tooltips are clear and enabled by default on the template.</li>
</ul>
<p>· Check that there are text alternatives for any non-text content.</p>
<ul>
<li>Check that for any audio/visual items are there captions available and theses have been checked for accuracy.</li>
<li>Check there are no time limits prescribed for the viewing/inputting of content to the template</li>
<li>Check what specialist help is linked to on the template and that this includes a method of contacting someone for assistance?</li>
<li>Check that if the template is accessed via a mobile or tablet device the user system does not require to use any requires any specific timings/specific keystrokes to complete tasks</li>
<li>Check the template works with mobiles/tablets to offer any text to speech functionality of the results for those with visual impairments?</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> </p>
<p>You can also read more about this process in this blog post by Callum, one of the original service managers who has since moved to greener pastures (about 5 metres away when we were in the office) – <a href="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/dlam/2019/04/08/cookie-audit-findings/">Cookie Audit Process Blog</a></p>
<p>Lastly, here is a comprehensive list of all of the plugins that we currently use, all of these have been vetted through our process so should provide a good starting point.</p>
<h3>Plugins</h3>
<table width="1132">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="270"><strong>Plugin</strong></td>
<td width="225">Developer</td>
<td width="511">Description</td>
<td width="126">Network Activated?</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Add Existing Users</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Allows you to bulk add existing users to a site, including the facility to set their role.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://addmultipleusers.happynuclear.com/">Add Multiple Users</a></td>
<td>HappyNuclear</td>
<td width="511">This plugin allows you to add multiple user accounts to your WordPress blog using a range of tools.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://akismet.com/">Akismet Anti-Spam</a></td>
<td>Automattic</td>
<td width="511">Used by millions, Akismet is quite possibly the best way in the world to protect your blog from spam. Your site is fully configured and being protected, even while you sleep.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Batch Create</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Create hundred or thousands of blogs and users automatically by simply uploading a csv text file – subdomain and user creation automation has never been so easy.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BeeHive Pro</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Basicall Google Analytics, users can use their own ID or apply for access to the University managed one</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Broken Link Checker</td>
<td>ManageWP</td>
<td width="511">Checks your blog for broken links and missing images and notifies you on the dashboard if any are found.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Classic Editor</td>
<td>WordPress Contributers</td>
<td width="511">Enabled at network level to remove block editor default</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CommentPress Core</td>
<td><a href="http://www.futureofthebook.org/"> Institute for the Future of the Book</a></td>
<td width="511">CommentPress allows readers to comment in the margins of a text. You can use it to annotate, gloss, workshop, debate and more!</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cookies for Comment</td>
<td><a href="http://ocaoimh.ie/"> Donncha O Caoimh</a></td>
<td width="511">Sets a cookie that must exist for a comment to be allowed through</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cryout Series Slider</td>
<td><a href="http://www.cryoutcreations.eu/">Cryout Creations</a></td>
<td width="511">accessibility ready free image slider for WordPress.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Disable Comments</td>
<td><a href="http://www.rayofsolaris.net/">Samir Shah</a></td>
<td width="511">Allows administrators to globally disable comments on their site. Comments can be disabled according to post type.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://gitlab.is.ed.ac.uk/is-dlam/academic-blogging-project/ed-solr">EdSolr</a></td>
<td>UoE</td>
<td width="511">Integrates Apache Solr with a WordPress Multisite Installation.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Email Subscribers & Newsletters</td>
<td><a href="https://www.icegram.com/"> Icegram</a></td>
<td width="511">Add subscription forms on website, send HTML newsletters, and automatically notify subscribers about new blog posts once they are published.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Enlighter – Customizable Syntax Highlighter</td>
<td><a href="https://andidittrich.com/">Andi Dittrich</a></td>
<td width="511">Syntax Highlighter</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>FeedWordPress</td>
<td><a href="https://feedwordpress.radgeek.com/contact/"> C. Johnson</a></td>
<td width="511">simple and flexible Atom/RSS syndication for WordPress</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Flickr Album Gallery</td>
<td>FARAZFRANK</td>
<td>Flickr Album Gallery is on JS API plugin to display all public Flickr albums on your WordPress website.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Force Regenerate Thumbnails</td>
<td><a href="http://www.pedroelsner.com/">Pedro Elsner</a></td>
<td width="511">Delete and REALLY force the regenerate thumbnail.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.arnebrachhold.de/redir/sitemap-home/">Google XML Sitemaps</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.arnebrachhold.de/"> Arne Brachhold</a></td>
<td width="511">This plugin improves SEO using sitemaps for best indexation by search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo and others.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Image Attribution Tagger</td>
<td><a href="http://red8interactive.com/">Red8 Interactive</a></td>
<td width="511">A plugin that adds image credits to licensed images</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MimeTypes Link Icons</td>
<td><a href="https://github.com/eagerterrier/MimeTypes-Link-Icons"> Toby Cox, Juliette Reinders Folmer</a></td>
<td width="511">This will add file type icons next to links automatically.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Multisite Plugin Manager</td>
<td><a href="http://uglyrobot.com/"> Aaron Edwards</a></td>
<td width="511">The essential plugin for every multisite install! Manage plugin access permissions across your entire multisite network.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Multisite Privacy</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Adds more levels of privacy and allows you to control them across all sites – or allow users to override them.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NS Cloner – Site Copier</td>
<td><a href="https://neversettle.it/">Never Settle</a></td>
<td width="511">Allows us to create sites from a template</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NS Cloner Pro</td>
<td><a href="https://neversettle.it/">Never Settle</a></td>
<td width="511">add-ons to the NS Cloner Core</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Open Attribute</td>
<td><a href="http://openattribute.com/">OpenAttribute</a></td>
<td width="511"></td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PDF & Print</td>
<td><a href="https://bestwebsoft.com/">BestWebSoft</a></td>
<td width="511">Generate PDF files and print WordPress posts/pages. Customize document header/footer styles and appearance.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Reading Time WP</td>
<td><a href="https://jasonyingling.me/">Jason Yingling</a></td>
<td width="511">Add an estimated reading time to your posts.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Remove Email Verification</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Removes need to send a verification email when adding users to site or blogs</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TinyMCE Comment Field – WPSIWYG</td>
<td><a href="http://www.eracer.de/">Stefan Helmer</a></td>
<td width="511">This plugin turns the comment field from a primitive into a WYSIWYG editor, using the internal TinyMCE library bundled with WordPress.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Titan Framework</td>
<td><a href="http://gambit.ph/"> Benjamin Intal, Gambit</a></td>
<td width="511">Titan Framework allows theme and plugin developers to create a admin pages, options, meta boxes, and theme customizer options with just a few simple lines of code.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>True Multisite Indexer</td>
<td><a href="https://rudrastyh.com/">Misha Rudrastyh</a></td>
<td width="511">Indexes all posts across your network and brings them into one spot – a very powerful tool that you use as a base to display posts in different ways or to manage your network.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ultimate Category Excluder</td>
<td><a href="http://infolific.com/technology/"> Marios Alexandrou</a></td>
<td width="511">Easily exclude categories from your front page, feeds, archives, and search results.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WordPress Importer</td>
<td><a href="https://wordpress.org/"> wordpressdotorg</a></td>
<td width="511">Import posts, pages, comments, custom fields, categories, tags and more from a WordPress export file.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WordPress.com Theme Updates</td>
<td><a href="http://automattic.com/"> Automattic</a></td>
<td width="511">Update themes downloaded from WordPress.com seamlessly with the rest of your WordPress updates.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WP Accessibility</td>
<td><a href="http://www.joedolson.com/"> Joe Dolson</a></td>
<td width="511">Helps improve accessibility in your WordPress site, like removing title attributes.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WP Crontrol</td>
<td><a href="https://github.com/johnbillion/wp-crontrol/graphs/contributors"> John Blackbourn & contributors</a></td>
<td width="511">WP Crontrol lets you view and control what’s happening in the WP-Cron system.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WP QuickLaTeX</td>
<td><a href="http://www.holoborodko.com/pavel/">Pavel Holoborodko</a></td>
<td width="511">Access to complete LaTeX distribution. Publish formulae & graphics using native LaTeX syntax directly in the text. Inline formulas, displayed equations auto-numbering, labeling and referencing, AMS-LaTeX, TikZ, custom LaTeX preamble. No LaTeX installation required. Easily customizable using UI dialog. Actively developed and maintained. Visit QuickLaTeX homepage for more info.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WP to Twitter</td>
<td><a href="http://www.joedolson.com/">Joseph C Dolson</a></td>
<td width="511">Posts a Tweet when you update your WordPress blog or post a link, using your URL shortener. Rich options to customise and promote your Tweets.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WPMUDEV Dashboard</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Brings the powers of WPMU DEV directly to you. It will revolutionize how you use WordPress. Activate now!</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> </p>
<h3>Themes</h3>
<div>
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 48pt;" border="0" width="64" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 48pt;" width="64" /> </colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt; width: 48pt;" width="64" height="19"><strong>Theme Name</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Apostrophe 2</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">AwesomePress</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Baskerville</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
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<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Cover</td>
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<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Cover2</td>
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<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Cyanotype</td>
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<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
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<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
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<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Intergalactic</td>
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<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Lovecraft</td>
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<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Period</td>
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<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Writee</td>
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</tbody>
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<title>Service Inheritance</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/2020/08/14/service-inheritance/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/2020/08/14/service-inheritance/#comments</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[James Slack]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2020 16:06:04 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/?p=165</guid>
<description><![CDATA[<span class="span-reading-time rt-reading-time" style="display: block;"><span class="rt-label rt-prefix">Reading Time: </span> <span class="rt-time"> 6</span> <span class="rt-label rt-postfix">minutes</span></span>How to Inherit a Service A while back, before quarantine and therefore a lifetime ago, I ‘inherited’ a service. Anyone familiar with how these things go will also be somewhat familiar with how the conversation went: “We think you’ve done quiet well and we’d like you to take over this service” “Does that mean I […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<span class="span-reading-time rt-reading-time" style="display: block;"><span class="rt-label rt-prefix">Reading Time: </span> <span class="rt-time"> 6</span> <span class="rt-label rt-postfix">minutes</span></span><h1>How to Inherit a Service</h1>
<p>A while back, before quarantine and therefore a lifetime ago, I ‘inherited’ a service. Anyone familiar with how these things go will also be somewhat familiar with how the conversation went:</p>
<p>“We think you’ve done quiet well and we’d like you to take over this service”</p>
<p>“Does that mean I can drop my old service”</p>
<p>“No”.</p>
<p>Thankfully I have loved taking over this service, by this service I do actually mean *this* service. I now manage the Academic Blogging service, blogs.ed.ac.uk which is what you are reading this post on. I have blogged in the past but sporadically at best. Managing the service is completely different, managing any service is difficult but managing a service which is designed to be open and allow people to do what they want (to an extent) comes with it’s own interesting challenges, more of that in another post.</p>
<p>Today however I wanted to talk more specifically about inheriting a service. It’s something that I hadn’t really thought about before but it struck me that this is the first ‘living’ service that I have taken over. I have a relatively short period of experience of managing learning technology services, roughly 6 years at this point. In that time I have managed two large services but both of these were in their infancy when I got hold. I was able to largely decide what these service should look like, what they would look like and what the policies around them would be. Obviously there is an amount of team work and involvement of other teams in this process but as a service manager the impetus usually came from me.</p>
<p>Taking on a new service that has existed before, however, is something completely different. I often enjoy using bad analogies that I tend to stretch to far, so allow me to do this yet again: Inheriting services is like getting an armchair that belonged to someone else (ish). It’s arranged in a different way, it faces the door, it doesn’t go back far enough, it feels a bit to firm and there are Revels tucked into the side of the cushion. Who would put Revels down there, why would they choose Revels of all the things available?</p>
<h2>Service Personality</h2>
<p>The problem/issue/opportunity is, someone or a group of somebodies have decided how this should work and put it all in place. Now you come in and you’re not sure if you always agree. Most of the time you will but you just need to understand the ‘why’ after seeing the ‘what’ and ‘how’. Most services have a ‘vision’ of sorts attached, usually within the original Project Brief or the Service Level Description (SLD) that sets out the ‘shape’ of the service. This works great in isolation but what often happens is that this clearly defined ‘shape’ then gets released and it tends to need to alter shape to fits its environment in some way. (I DID say I enjoy bad analogies).</p>
<h2>Opportunities for Change</h2>
<p>I’ve always very strongly believed that getting a ‘fresh pair of eyes’ is possibly one of the most useful things to do when you have a great idea or process. Having someone outside of the ‘organisation’ take a look is often the best way to pick up on things, firstly it forces you to explain why you made a decision and also allows you to be questioned. If you can’t convince someone as to why something works that way then you might want to re-evaluate or compromise with the other view point. I love the following quote, which I believe is attributed to Grace Hopper – “The most dangerous phrase in the language is, ‘We’ve always done it this way’ ”</p>
<p>(If you don’t know who Grace Hopper is, please pause and look her up. I will wait)</p>
<h2>Inheritance runs both ways</h2>
<p>This is the part that surprised me the most when I realised that this was the first service that was secondhand/pre-loved/pre-existing/had a life before me. I started this long monologue talking about how I had inherited something but it seems obvious that the service had also imbibed something from it’s creators and previous owners. There were certain priorities or choices that were made by previous people upon the service, impressions in the surface that had left their mark. I agree with the vast majority of these but some I want to change, based on my priorities or choices that I think make it fit it’s environment in a better way, or a way that appears better to me. Obviously all of this is measured alongside the needs of the current community, I wouldn’t make big changes that negatively impacted people using the service but I may make decisions that change the ‘flavour’ in some ways.</p>
<h2>Making it yours or making you part of it</h2>
<p>After you have been looking after the service for a short while you will likely find a list of things that don’t really feel right to you. It’s likely that these decisions were made some time ago and might not reflect the needs of the user community anymore. I would say it is important to mention here that we aren’t criticising the previous owners, just using this change as an opportunity to review and also add you own input to the service. Once you have found these areas then try to seek the justification if possible, there could be a very good reason as to why something works like this and not like *this*. If there isn’t a good justification or if that doesn’t really hold anymore then start building your case for making a change and what that change will be. Next you get to take these changes to the service team, working group or user community. If these don’t exist then this is a good chance to make them as having some external input, if only at certain times will greatly improve the service as a whole. Also be sure to check that these changes are actually wanted/needed/will have a positive impact, change for the sake of change is a winding road. Always remember RACI (Responsible, Accountable,<strong> Consulted, Informed</strong>)</p>
<p>This is the part that I enjoy the most about managing services, there is a human part even if what *it* is an application running on virtual machines somewhere (I imagine in a basement, because, it has to be). I get to take all of the work that went before and add my layer on top and alter it ever so slightly, like a funky new flavour in your Rainbow Cake – I REALLY DID say that I like bad analogies.</p>
<p> </p>
<div id="attachment_166" style="width: 696px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-166" class="size-full wp-image-166" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/wp-content/uploads/sites/2048/2020/08/7478835056_c91640ed8c_b.jpg" alt=""Layers from top - Rainbow Birthday Cake" by avlxyz is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0" width="686" height="1024" /><p id="caption-attachment-166" class="wp-caption-text">“Layers from top – Rainbow Birthday Cake” by avlxyz is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0</p></div>
<p> </p>
<p>Takeaways from service inheritance</p>
<p>If you are a current service owner</p>
<ul>
<li>For you managing a service, try to document what decisions were taken and why they were taken, this makes it a lot quicker for someone to get a feel for how the service exists now. Adding the justification really makes a big difference when someone new steps in</li>
<li>Even if the service isn’t being taken over by someone else it can be very helpful to get fresh eyes on a service, or to include more people when making the decisions. Working groups or user involvement are very good for this.</li>
<li>Try to update original documentation as the service shifts over time, most institutions seem to push for this at intervals but it helps to remember how services can change over time.</li>
<li>Include retrospective look backs at the service at regular intervals, perhaps each year. Having a look at the changes that were added, how they were received and whether they helped add something useful to the service is a very rewarding process</li>
</ul>
<p>If you are taking over an existing service</p>
<ul>
<li>Getting an overview or introduction to the service is incredibly useful but do bear in mind that it is unlikely that you will be able to understand the entire service after one meeting</li>
<li>If possible try to take the previous service owner hostage so that you can refer to them if they didn’t document things</li>
<li>Once you have a good understanding of the service highlight the areas that you have issues with. Areas that you don’t understand why something was done in a particular way or why a certain policy exists. Try to find to root cause for these, if they make sense and fit the service you can leave them for now. If that doesn’t fit the service or the user’s need then earmark those areas for change.</li>
<li>Add your personal touch, come up with suggestions in these specific areas that you have highlighted and taken them to existing working groups or service team. If they don’t exist then consider creating them.</li>
</ul>
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<title>More about Blogs.ed and Plugins</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/2020/09/23/more-about-blogs-ed-and-plugins/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/2020/09/23/more-about-blogs-ed-and-plugins/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[James Slack]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Sep 2020 15:22:18 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/?p=176</guid>
<description><![CDATA[<span class="span-reading-time rt-reading-time" style="display: block;"><span class="rt-label rt-prefix">Reading Time: </span> <span class="rt-time"> 6</span> <span class="rt-label rt-postfix">minutes</span></span>Processes and Plugins I admit, I may be cheating a little here. As part of HeyPresstoConf20 I really wanted to be able to talk about our Plugins and Processes but couldn’t fit into the Tweet limit so I’m putting it all here. This should be helpful if you are planning on building your own […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<span class="span-reading-time rt-reading-time" style="display: block;"><span class="rt-label rt-prefix">Reading Time: </span> <span class="rt-time"> 6</span> <span class="rt-label rt-postfix">minutes</span></span><h1>Processes and Plugins</h1>
<p> </p>
<p>I admit, I may be cheating a little here. As part of HeyPresstoConf20 I really wanted to be able to talk about our Plugins and Processes but couldn’t fit into the Tweet limit so I’m putting it all here. This should be helpful if you are planning on building your own WordPress Multisite at your institution, as ever, if you want to discuss this feel free to get in touch.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Firstly let’s talk about how we go about selecting Plugins. We start to look when multiple users all ask for the same of similar plugin/function or if we encounter and issue that needs a plugin to be resolved. Thankfully we have an inhouse development team that can be called on if we cannot find something which is a blessing but they support multiple platforms so we do need to have good reason. If we do find a plugin or multiple plugins then we start to investigate whether they actually resolve our issue and if they add any issues or have unexpected behaviour, so far this seems to make basic sense. We have, however, developed a process to audit plugins to ascertain whether they are well supported, well reviewed and also if they contain privacy invasive cookies using the following criteria:</p>
<table width="99%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>Plugin / theme name:</strong></td>
<td><strong>Yes / no</strong></td>
<td><strong>Comments</strong></td>
<td><strong>Date requested</strong></td>
<td><strong>Date installed</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>What does it do?</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>How much does it cost?</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Cost of adoption</li>
<li>Cost of training</li>
<li>Cost of usage</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Author background</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Is the documentation good?</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Who will use the add-on?</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>admins / authors</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Feedback / reviews</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Is it used by many, reviews / comments</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Technical status:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Is it up to date, compatible with our version of wordpress?</li>
<li>Is it well written?</li>
<li>Does it backup/restore?</li>
<li>Is it secure?</li>
<li>Is data shared outside of wordpress?</li>
<li>Type of cookies set</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Accessibility:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Check any spellcheck functionality on free data entry boxes/forms that is either automatically run by the system or that requires users interaction</li>
<li>Describe any data validation that is automatically run by the system to ensure users enter data in the correct formats. Check error messages are in sufficient colour contrast, accessible font, clear location, not pop ups.</li>
<li>Check whether the template scales correctly using different resolutions and whether there are any resolutions that are not recommended, tested using ctrl + and Windows Magnifier</li>
<li>Check the colours and colour contrasts and font types and styles used i.e. are italics and continuous capitals avoided?</li>
<li>Check functionality that would allow users to customise their views (i.e. font size, colours, contrast ratios). This is by altering browser settings.</li>
<li>Check whether all content is accessible through a keyboard interface and whether it requires specific timings for keystrokes. I.e. is it possible to navigate around the template and complete any forms etc without ever using a mouse.</li>
<li>Check there is an indication or warning of links which will open a new tab or window and check that these warnings are accessible</li>
<li>Check that the template conveys no information in only colour or sound.</li>
<li>Check there is no flashing or scrolling text? If so does the text flash 3 or more times per second and can it be paused? If there is flashing or scrolling text please provide more details.</li>
<li>Check that Zoomtext is compatible with the template without plug ins</li>
<li>Check that JAWS is compatible with the template without plug ins</li>
<li>Check that TextHelp Read and Write Gold is compatible with the template in terms of spellcheck, hover highlight and highlight and read without plug ins.</li>
<li>Check that tooltips are clear and enabled by default on the template.</li>
</ul>
<p>· Check that there are text alternatives for any non-text content.</p>
<ul>
<li>Check that for any audio/visual items are there captions available and theses have been checked for accuracy.</li>
<li>Check there are no time limits prescribed for the viewing/inputting of content to the template</li>
<li>Check what specialist help is linked to on the template and that this includes a method of contacting someone for assistance?</li>
<li>Check that if the template is accessed via a mobile or tablet device the user system does not require to use any requires any specific timings/specific keystrokes to complete tasks</li>
<li>Check the template works with mobiles/tablets to offer any text to speech functionality of the results for those with visual impairments?</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> </p>
<p>You can also read more about this process in this blog post by Callum, one of the original service managers who has since moved to greener pastures (about 5 metres away when we were in the office) – <a href="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/dlam/2019/04/08/cookie-audit-findings/">Cookie Audit Process Blog</a></p>
<p>Lastly, here is a comprehensive list of all of the plugins that we currently use, all of these have been vetted through our process so should provide a good starting point.</p>
<h3>Plugins</h3>
<table width="1132">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="270"><strong>Plugin</strong></td>
<td width="225">Developer</td>
<td width="511">Description</td>
<td width="126">Network Activated?</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Add Existing Users</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Allows you to bulk add existing users to a site, including the facility to set their role.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://addmultipleusers.happynuclear.com/">Add Multiple Users</a></td>
<td>HappyNuclear</td>
<td width="511">This plugin allows you to add multiple user accounts to your WordPress blog using a range of tools.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://akismet.com/">Akismet Anti-Spam</a></td>
<td>Automattic</td>
<td width="511">Used by millions, Akismet is quite possibly the best way in the world to protect your blog from spam. Your site is fully configured and being protected, even while you sleep.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Batch Create</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Create hundred or thousands of blogs and users automatically by simply uploading a csv text file – subdomain and user creation automation has never been so easy.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BeeHive Pro</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Basicall Google Analytics, users can use their own ID or apply for access to the University managed one</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Broken Link Checker</td>
<td>ManageWP</td>
<td width="511">Checks your blog for broken links and missing images and notifies you on the dashboard if any are found.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Classic Editor</td>
<td>WordPress Contributers</td>
<td width="511">Enabled at network level to remove block editor default</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CommentPress Core</td>
<td><a href="http://www.futureofthebook.org/"> Institute for the Future of the Book</a></td>
<td width="511">CommentPress allows readers to comment in the margins of a text. You can use it to annotate, gloss, workshop, debate and more!</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cookies for Comment</td>
<td><a href="http://ocaoimh.ie/"> Donncha O Caoimh</a></td>
<td width="511">Sets a cookie that must exist for a comment to be allowed through</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cryout Series Slider</td>
<td><a href="http://www.cryoutcreations.eu/">Cryout Creations</a></td>
<td width="511">accessibility ready free image slider for WordPress.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Disable Comments</td>
<td><a href="http://www.rayofsolaris.net/">Samir Shah</a></td>
<td width="511">Allows administrators to globally disable comments on their site. Comments can be disabled according to post type.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://gitlab.is.ed.ac.uk/is-dlam/academic-blogging-project/ed-solr">EdSolr</a></td>
<td>UoE</td>
<td width="511">Integrates Apache Solr with a WordPress Multisite Installation.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Email Subscribers & Newsletters</td>
<td><a href="https://www.icegram.com/"> Icegram</a></td>
<td width="511">Add subscription forms on website, send HTML newsletters, and automatically notify subscribers about new blog posts once they are published.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Enlighter – Customizable Syntax Highlighter</td>
<td><a href="https://andidittrich.com/">Andi Dittrich</a></td>
<td width="511">Syntax Highlighter</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>FeedWordPress</td>
<td><a href="https://feedwordpress.radgeek.com/contact/"> C. Johnson</a></td>
<td width="511">simple and flexible Atom/RSS syndication for WordPress</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Flickr Album Gallery</td>
<td>FARAZFRANK</td>
<td>Flickr Album Gallery is on JS API plugin to display all public Flickr albums on your WordPress website.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Force Regenerate Thumbnails</td>
<td><a href="http://www.pedroelsner.com/">Pedro Elsner</a></td>
<td width="511">Delete and REALLY force the regenerate thumbnail.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.arnebrachhold.de/redir/sitemap-home/">Google XML Sitemaps</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.arnebrachhold.de/"> Arne Brachhold</a></td>
<td width="511">This plugin improves SEO using sitemaps for best indexation by search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo and others.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Image Attribution Tagger</td>
<td><a href="http://red8interactive.com/">Red8 Interactive</a></td>
<td width="511">A plugin that adds image credits to licensed images</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MimeTypes Link Icons</td>
<td><a href="https://github.com/eagerterrier/MimeTypes-Link-Icons"> Toby Cox, Juliette Reinders Folmer</a></td>
<td width="511">This will add file type icons next to links automatically.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Multisite Plugin Manager</td>
<td><a href="http://uglyrobot.com/"> Aaron Edwards</a></td>
<td width="511">The essential plugin for every multisite install! Manage plugin access permissions across your entire multisite network.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Multisite Privacy</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Adds more levels of privacy and allows you to control them across all sites – or allow users to override them.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NS Cloner – Site Copier</td>
<td><a href="https://neversettle.it/">Never Settle</a></td>
<td width="511">Allows us to create sites from a template</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NS Cloner Pro</td>
<td><a href="https://neversettle.it/">Never Settle</a></td>
<td width="511">add-ons to the NS Cloner Core</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Open Attribute</td>
<td><a href="http://openattribute.com/">OpenAttribute</a></td>
<td width="511"></td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PDF & Print</td>
<td><a href="https://bestwebsoft.com/">BestWebSoft</a></td>
<td width="511">Generate PDF files and print WordPress posts/pages. Customize document header/footer styles and appearance.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Reading Time WP</td>
<td><a href="https://jasonyingling.me/">Jason Yingling</a></td>
<td width="511">Add an estimated reading time to your posts.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Remove Email Verification</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Removes need to send a verification email when adding users to site or blogs</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TinyMCE Comment Field – WPSIWYG</td>
<td><a href="http://www.eracer.de/">Stefan Helmer</a></td>
<td width="511">This plugin turns the comment field from a primitive into a WYSIWYG editor, using the internal TinyMCE library bundled with WordPress.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Titan Framework</td>
<td><a href="http://gambit.ph/"> Benjamin Intal, Gambit</a></td>
<td width="511">Titan Framework allows theme and plugin developers to create a admin pages, options, meta boxes, and theme customizer options with just a few simple lines of code.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>True Multisite Indexer</td>
<td><a href="https://rudrastyh.com/">Misha Rudrastyh</a></td>
<td width="511">Indexes all posts across your network and brings them into one spot – a very powerful tool that you use as a base to display posts in different ways or to manage your network.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ultimate Category Excluder</td>
<td><a href="http://infolific.com/technology/"> Marios Alexandrou</a></td>
<td width="511">Easily exclude categories from your front page, feeds, archives, and search results.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WordPress Importer</td>
<td><a href="https://wordpress.org/"> wordpressdotorg</a></td>
<td width="511">Import posts, pages, comments, custom fields, categories, tags and more from a WordPress export file.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WordPress.com Theme Updates</td>
<td><a href="http://automattic.com/"> Automattic</a></td>
<td width="511">Update themes downloaded from WordPress.com seamlessly with the rest of your WordPress updates.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WP Accessibility</td>
<td><a href="http://www.joedolson.com/"> Joe Dolson</a></td>
<td width="511">Helps improve accessibility in your WordPress site, like removing title attributes.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WP Crontrol</td>
<td><a href="https://github.com/johnbillion/wp-crontrol/graphs/contributors"> John Blackbourn & contributors</a></td>
<td width="511">WP Crontrol lets you view and control what’s happening in the WP-Cron system.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WP QuickLaTeX</td>
<td><a href="http://www.holoborodko.com/pavel/">Pavel Holoborodko</a></td>
<td width="511">Access to complete LaTeX distribution. Publish formulae & graphics using native LaTeX syntax directly in the text. Inline formulas, displayed equations auto-numbering, labeling and referencing, AMS-LaTeX, TikZ, custom LaTeX preamble. No LaTeX installation required. Easily customizable using UI dialog. Actively developed and maintained. Visit QuickLaTeX homepage for more info.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WP to Twitter</td>
<td><a href="http://www.joedolson.com/">Joseph C Dolson</a></td>
<td width="511">Posts a Tweet when you update your WordPress blog or post a link, using your URL shortener. Rich options to customise and promote your Tweets.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WPMUDEV Dashboard</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Brings the powers of WPMU DEV directly to you. It will revolutionize how you use WordPress. Activate now!</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> </p>
<h3>Themes</h3>
<div>
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 48pt;" border="0" width="64" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 48pt;" width="64" /> </colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt; width: 48pt;" width="64" height="19"><strong>Theme Name</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Apostrophe 2</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">AwesomePress</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Baskerville</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Bhari</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Blask</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Cover</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Cover2</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Cyanotype</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Davis</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Fluida</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Fukasawa</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Garfunkel</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Hitchcock</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Intergalactic</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Intergalactic 2</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Isola</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Lovecraft</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Make</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Period</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Radcliffe</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Sorbet</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">SPLOTpoint</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Tiny Framework</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Twenty Fifteen</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Twenty Nineteen</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Twenty Seventeen</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Twenty Sixteen</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Twenty Twenty</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Writee</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
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<title>Service Inheritance</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/2020/08/14/service-inheritance/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/2020/08/14/service-inheritance/#comments</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[James Slack]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2020 16:06:04 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/?p=165</guid>
<description><![CDATA[<span class="span-reading-time rt-reading-time" style="display: block;"><span class="rt-label rt-prefix">Reading Time: </span> <span class="rt-time"> 6</span> <span class="rt-label rt-postfix">minutes</span></span>How to Inherit a Service A while back, before quarantine and therefore a lifetime ago, I ‘inherited’ a service. Anyone familiar with how these things go will also be somewhat familiar with how the conversation went: “We think you’ve done quiet well and we’d like you to take over this service” “Does that mean I […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<span class="span-reading-time rt-reading-time" style="display: block;"><span class="rt-label rt-prefix">Reading Time: </span> <span class="rt-time"> 6</span> <span class="rt-label rt-postfix">minutes</span></span><h1>How to Inherit a Service</h1>
<p>A while back, before quarantine and therefore a lifetime ago, I ‘inherited’ a service. Anyone familiar with how these things go will also be somewhat familiar with how the conversation went:</p>
<p>“We think you’ve done quiet well and we’d like you to take over this service”</p>
<p>“Does that mean I can drop my old service”</p>
<p>“No”.</p>
<p>Thankfully I have loved taking over this service, by this service I do actually mean *this* service. I now manage the Academic Blogging service, blogs.ed.ac.uk which is what you are reading this post on. I have blogged in the past but sporadically at best. Managing the service is completely different, managing any service is difficult but managing a service which is designed to be open and allow people to do what they want (to an extent) comes with it’s own interesting challenges, more of that in another post.</p>
<p>Today however I wanted to talk more specifically about inheriting a service. It’s something that I hadn’t really thought about before but it struck me that this is the first ‘living’ service that I have taken over. I have a relatively short period of experience of managing learning technology services, roughly 6 years at this point. In that time I have managed two large services but both of these were in their infancy when I got hold. I was able to largely decide what these service should look like, what they would look like and what the policies around them would be. Obviously there is an amount of team work and involvement of other teams in this process but as a service manager the impetus usually came from me.</p>
<p>Taking on a new service that has existed before, however, is something completely different. I often enjoy using bad analogies that I tend to stretch to far, so allow me to do this yet again: Inheriting services is like getting an armchair that belonged to someone else (ish). It’s arranged in a different way, it faces the door, it doesn’t go back far enough, it feels a bit to firm and there are Revels tucked into the side of the cushion. Who would put Revels down there, why would they choose Revels of all the things available?</p>
<h2>Service Personality</h2>
<p>The problem/issue/opportunity is, someone or a group of somebodies have decided how this should work and put it all in place. Now you come in and you’re not sure if you always agree. Most of the time you will but you just need to understand the ‘why’ after seeing the ‘what’ and ‘how’. Most services have a ‘vision’ of sorts attached, usually within the original Project Brief or the Service Level Description (SLD) that sets out the ‘shape’ of the service. This works great in isolation but what often happens is that this clearly defined ‘shape’ then gets released and it tends to need to alter shape to fits its environment in some way. (I DID say I enjoy bad analogies).</p>
<h2>Opportunities for Change</h2>
<p>I’ve always very strongly believed that getting a ‘fresh pair of eyes’ is possibly one of the most useful things to do when you have a great idea or process. Having someone outside of the ‘organisation’ take a look is often the best way to pick up on things, firstly it forces you to explain why you made a decision and also allows you to be questioned. If you can’t convince someone as to why something works that way then you might want to re-evaluate or compromise with the other view point. I love the following quote, which I believe is attributed to Grace Hopper – “The most dangerous phrase in the language is, ‘We’ve always done it this way’ ”</p>
<p>(If you don’t know who Grace Hopper is, please pause and look her up. I will wait)</p>
<h2>Inheritance runs both ways</h2>
<p>This is the part that surprised me the most when I realised that this was the first service that was secondhand/pre-loved/pre-existing/had a life before me. I started this long monologue talking about how I had inherited something but it seems obvious that the service had also imbibed something from it’s creators and previous owners. There were certain priorities or choices that were made by previous people upon the service, impressions in the surface that had left their mark. I agree with the vast majority of these but some I want to change, based on my priorities or choices that I think make it fit it’s environment in a better way, or a way that appears better to me. Obviously all of this is measured alongside the needs of the current community, I wouldn’t make big changes that negatively impacted people using the service but I may make decisions that change the ‘flavour’ in some ways.</p>
<h2>Making it yours or making you part of it</h2>
<p>After you have been looking after the service for a short while you will likely find a list of things that don’t really feel right to you. It’s likely that these decisions were made some time ago and might not reflect the needs of the user community anymore. I would say it is important to mention here that we aren’t criticising the previous owners, just using this change as an opportunity to review and also add you own input to the service. Once you have found these areas then try to seek the justification if possible, there could be a very good reason as to why something works like this and not like *this*. If there isn’t a good justification or if that doesn’t really hold anymore then start building your case for making a change and what that change will be. Next you get to take these changes to the service team, working group or user community. If these don’t exist then this is a good chance to make them as having some external input, if only at certain times will greatly improve the service as a whole. Also be sure to check that these changes are actually wanted/needed/will have a positive impact, change for the sake of change is a winding road. Always remember RACI (Responsible, Accountable,<strong> Consulted, Informed</strong>)</p>
<p>This is the part that I enjoy the most about managing services, there is a human part even if what *it* is an application running on virtual machines somewhere (I imagine in a basement, because, it has to be). I get to take all of the work that went before and add my layer on top and alter it ever so slightly, like a funky new flavour in your Rainbow Cake – I REALLY DID say that I like bad analogies.</p>
<p> </p>
<div id="attachment_166" style="width: 696px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-166" class="size-full wp-image-166" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/wp-content/uploads/sites/2048/2020/08/7478835056_c91640ed8c_b.jpg" alt=""Layers from top - Rainbow Birthday Cake" by avlxyz is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0" width="686" height="1024" /><p id="caption-attachment-166" class="wp-caption-text">“Layers from top – Rainbow Birthday Cake” by avlxyz is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0</p></div>
<p> </p>
<p>Takeaways from service inheritance</p>
<p>If you are a current service owner</p>
<ul>
<li>For you managing a service, try to document what decisions were taken and why they were taken, this makes it a lot quicker for someone to get a feel for how the service exists now. Adding the justification really makes a big difference when someone new steps in</li>
<li>Even if the service isn’t being taken over by someone else it can be very helpful to get fresh eyes on a service, or to include more people when making the decisions. Working groups or user involvement are very good for this.</li>
<li>Try to update original documentation as the service shifts over time, most institutions seem to push for this at intervals but it helps to remember how services can change over time.</li>
<li>Include retrospective look backs at the service at regular intervals, perhaps each year. Having a look at the changes that were added, how they were received and whether they helped add something useful to the service is a very rewarding process</li>
</ul>
<p>If you are taking over an existing service</p>
<ul>
<li>Getting an overview or introduction to the service is incredibly useful but do bear in mind that it is unlikely that you will be able to understand the entire service after one meeting</li>
<li>If possible try to take the previous service owner hostage so that you can refer to them if they didn’t document things</li>
<li>Once you have a good understanding of the service highlight the areas that you have issues with. Areas that you don’t understand why something was done in a particular way or why a certain policy exists. Try to find to root cause for these, if they make sense and fit the service you can leave them for now. If that doesn’t fit the service or the user’s need then earmark those areas for change.</li>
<li>Add your personal touch, come up with suggestions in these specific areas that you have highlighted and taken them to existing working groups or service team. If they don’t exist then consider creating them.</li>
</ul>
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<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/2020/09/23/more-about-blogs-ed-and-plugins/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/2020/09/23/more-about-blogs-ed-and-plugins/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[James Slack]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 23 Sep 2020 15:22:18 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/?p=176</guid>
<description><![CDATA[<span class="span-reading-time rt-reading-time" style="display: block;"><span class="rt-label rt-prefix">Reading Time: </span> <span class="rt-time"> 6</span> <span class="rt-label rt-postfix">minutes</span></span>Processes and Plugins I admit, I may be cheating a little here. As part of HeyPresstoConf20 I really wanted to be able to talk about our Plugins and Processes but couldn’t fit into the Tweet limit so I’m putting it all here. This should be helpful if you are planning on building your own […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<span class="span-reading-time rt-reading-time" style="display: block;"><span class="rt-label rt-prefix">Reading Time: </span> <span class="rt-time"> 6</span> <span class="rt-label rt-postfix">minutes</span></span><h1>Processes and Plugins</h1>
<p> </p>
<p>I admit, I may be cheating a little here. As part of HeyPresstoConf20 I really wanted to be able to talk about our Plugins and Processes but couldn’t fit into the Tweet limit so I’m putting it all here. This should be helpful if you are planning on building your own WordPress Multisite at your institution, as ever, if you want to discuss this feel free to get in touch.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Firstly let’s talk about how we go about selecting Plugins. We start to look when multiple users all ask for the same of similar plugin/function or if we encounter and issue that needs a plugin to be resolved. Thankfully we have an inhouse development team that can be called on if we cannot find something which is a blessing but they support multiple platforms so we do need to have good reason. If we do find a plugin or multiple plugins then we start to investigate whether they actually resolve our issue and if they add any issues or have unexpected behaviour, so far this seems to make basic sense. We have, however, developed a process to audit plugins to ascertain whether they are well supported, well reviewed and also if they contain privacy invasive cookies using the following criteria:</p>
<table width="99%">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>Plugin / theme name:</strong></td>
<td><strong>Yes / no</strong></td>
<td><strong>Comments</strong></td>
<td><strong>Date requested</strong></td>
<td><strong>Date installed</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>What does it do?</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>How much does it cost?</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Cost of adoption</li>
<li>Cost of training</li>
<li>Cost of usage</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Author background</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Is the documentation good?</strong></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Who will use the add-on?</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>admins / authors</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Feedback / reviews</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Is it used by many, reviews / comments</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Technical status:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Is it up to date, compatible with our version of wordpress?</li>
<li>Is it well written?</li>
<li>Does it backup/restore?</li>
<li>Is it secure?</li>
<li>Is data shared outside of wordpress?</li>
<li>Type of cookies set</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Accessibility:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Check any spellcheck functionality on free data entry boxes/forms that is either automatically run by the system or that requires users interaction</li>
<li>Describe any data validation that is automatically run by the system to ensure users enter data in the correct formats. Check error messages are in sufficient colour contrast, accessible font, clear location, not pop ups.</li>
<li>Check whether the template scales correctly using different resolutions and whether there are any resolutions that are not recommended, tested using ctrl + and Windows Magnifier</li>
<li>Check the colours and colour contrasts and font types and styles used i.e. are italics and continuous capitals avoided?</li>
<li>Check functionality that would allow users to customise their views (i.e. font size, colours, contrast ratios). This is by altering browser settings.</li>
<li>Check whether all content is accessible through a keyboard interface and whether it requires specific timings for keystrokes. I.e. is it possible to navigate around the template and complete any forms etc without ever using a mouse.</li>
<li>Check there is an indication or warning of links which will open a new tab or window and check that these warnings are accessible</li>
<li>Check that the template conveys no information in only colour or sound.</li>
<li>Check there is no flashing or scrolling text? If so does the text flash 3 or more times per second and can it be paused? If there is flashing or scrolling text please provide more details.</li>
<li>Check that Zoomtext is compatible with the template without plug ins</li>
<li>Check that JAWS is compatible with the template without plug ins</li>
<li>Check that TextHelp Read and Write Gold is compatible with the template in terms of spellcheck, hover highlight and highlight and read without plug ins.</li>
<li>Check that tooltips are clear and enabled by default on the template.</li>
</ul>
<p>· Check that there are text alternatives for any non-text content.</p>
<ul>
<li>Check that for any audio/visual items are there captions available and theses have been checked for accuracy.</li>
<li>Check there are no time limits prescribed for the viewing/inputting of content to the template</li>
<li>Check what specialist help is linked to on the template and that this includes a method of contacting someone for assistance?</li>
<li>Check that if the template is accessed via a mobile or tablet device the user system does not require to use any requires any specific timings/specific keystrokes to complete tasks</li>
<li>Check the template works with mobiles/tablets to offer any text to speech functionality of the results for those with visual impairments?</li>
</ul>
</td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
<td></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> </p>
<p>You can also read more about this process in this blog post by Callum, one of the original service managers who has since moved to greener pastures (about 5 metres away when we were in the office) – <a href="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/dlam/2019/04/08/cookie-audit-findings/">Cookie Audit Process Blog</a></p>
<p>Lastly, here is a comprehensive list of all of the plugins that we currently use, all of these have been vetted through our process so should provide a good starting point.</p>
<h3>Plugins</h3>
<table width="1132">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="270"><strong>Plugin</strong></td>
<td width="225">Developer</td>
<td width="511">Description</td>
<td width="126">Network Activated?</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Add Existing Users</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Allows you to bulk add existing users to a site, including the facility to set their role.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://addmultipleusers.happynuclear.com/">Add Multiple Users</a></td>
<td>HappyNuclear</td>
<td width="511">This plugin allows you to add multiple user accounts to your WordPress blog using a range of tools.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://akismet.com/">Akismet Anti-Spam</a></td>
<td>Automattic</td>
<td width="511">Used by millions, Akismet is quite possibly the best way in the world to protect your blog from spam. Your site is fully configured and being protected, even while you sleep.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Batch Create</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Create hundred or thousands of blogs and users automatically by simply uploading a csv text file – subdomain and user creation automation has never been so easy.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BeeHive Pro</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Basicall Google Analytics, users can use their own ID or apply for access to the University managed one</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Broken Link Checker</td>
<td>ManageWP</td>
<td width="511">Checks your blog for broken links and missing images and notifies you on the dashboard if any are found.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Classic Editor</td>
<td>WordPress Contributers</td>
<td width="511">Enabled at network level to remove block editor default</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CommentPress Core</td>
<td><a href="http://www.futureofthebook.org/"> Institute for the Future of the Book</a></td>
<td width="511">CommentPress allows readers to comment in the margins of a text. You can use it to annotate, gloss, workshop, debate and more!</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cookies for Comment</td>
<td><a href="http://ocaoimh.ie/"> Donncha O Caoimh</a></td>
<td width="511">Sets a cookie that must exist for a comment to be allowed through</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cryout Series Slider</td>
<td><a href="http://www.cryoutcreations.eu/">Cryout Creations</a></td>
<td width="511">accessibility ready free image slider for WordPress.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Disable Comments</td>
<td><a href="http://www.rayofsolaris.net/">Samir Shah</a></td>
<td width="511">Allows administrators to globally disable comments on their site. Comments can be disabled according to post type.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://gitlab.is.ed.ac.uk/is-dlam/academic-blogging-project/ed-solr">EdSolr</a></td>
<td>UoE</td>
<td width="511">Integrates Apache Solr with a WordPress Multisite Installation.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Email Subscribers & Newsletters</td>
<td><a href="https://www.icegram.com/"> Icegram</a></td>
<td width="511">Add subscription forms on website, send HTML newsletters, and automatically notify subscribers about new blog posts once they are published.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Enlighter – Customizable Syntax Highlighter</td>
<td><a href="https://andidittrich.com/">Andi Dittrich</a></td>
<td width="511">Syntax Highlighter</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>FeedWordPress</td>
<td><a href="https://feedwordpress.radgeek.com/contact/"> C. Johnson</a></td>
<td width="511">simple and flexible Atom/RSS syndication for WordPress</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Flickr Album Gallery</td>
<td>FARAZFRANK</td>
<td>Flickr Album Gallery is on JS API plugin to display all public Flickr albums on your WordPress website.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Force Regenerate Thumbnails</td>
<td><a href="http://www.pedroelsner.com/">Pedro Elsner</a></td>
<td width="511">Delete and REALLY force the regenerate thumbnail.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="http://www.arnebrachhold.de/redir/sitemap-home/">Google XML Sitemaps</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.arnebrachhold.de/"> Arne Brachhold</a></td>
<td width="511">This plugin improves SEO using sitemaps for best indexation by search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo and others.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Image Attribution Tagger</td>
<td><a href="http://red8interactive.com/">Red8 Interactive</a></td>
<td width="511">A plugin that adds image credits to licensed images</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MimeTypes Link Icons</td>
<td><a href="https://github.com/eagerterrier/MimeTypes-Link-Icons"> Toby Cox, Juliette Reinders Folmer</a></td>
<td width="511">This will add file type icons next to links automatically.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Multisite Plugin Manager</td>
<td><a href="http://uglyrobot.com/"> Aaron Edwards</a></td>
<td width="511">The essential plugin for every multisite install! Manage plugin access permissions across your entire multisite network.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Multisite Privacy</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Adds more levels of privacy and allows you to control them across all sites – or allow users to override them.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NS Cloner – Site Copier</td>
<td><a href="https://neversettle.it/">Never Settle</a></td>
<td width="511">Allows us to create sites from a template</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NS Cloner Pro</td>
<td><a href="https://neversettle.it/">Never Settle</a></td>
<td width="511">add-ons to the NS Cloner Core</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Open Attribute</td>
<td><a href="http://openattribute.com/">OpenAttribute</a></td>
<td width="511"></td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PDF & Print</td>
<td><a href="https://bestwebsoft.com/">BestWebSoft</a></td>
<td width="511">Generate PDF files and print WordPress posts/pages. Customize document header/footer styles and appearance.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Reading Time WP</td>
<td><a href="https://jasonyingling.me/">Jason Yingling</a></td>
<td width="511">Add an estimated reading time to your posts.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Remove Email Verification</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Removes need to send a verification email when adding users to site or blogs</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TinyMCE Comment Field – WPSIWYG</td>
<td><a href="http://www.eracer.de/">Stefan Helmer</a></td>
<td width="511">This plugin turns the comment field from a primitive into a WYSIWYG editor, using the internal TinyMCE library bundled with WordPress.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Titan Framework</td>
<td><a href="http://gambit.ph/"> Benjamin Intal, Gambit</a></td>
<td width="511">Titan Framework allows theme and plugin developers to create a admin pages, options, meta boxes, and theme customizer options with just a few simple lines of code.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>True Multisite Indexer</td>
<td><a href="https://rudrastyh.com/">Misha Rudrastyh</a></td>
<td width="511">Indexes all posts across your network and brings them into one spot – a very powerful tool that you use as a base to display posts in different ways or to manage your network.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ultimate Category Excluder</td>
<td><a href="http://infolific.com/technology/"> Marios Alexandrou</a></td>
<td width="511">Easily exclude categories from your front page, feeds, archives, and search results.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WordPress Importer</td>
<td><a href="https://wordpress.org/"> wordpressdotorg</a></td>
<td width="511">Import posts, pages, comments, custom fields, categories, tags and more from a WordPress export file.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WordPress.com Theme Updates</td>
<td><a href="http://automattic.com/"> Automattic</a></td>
<td width="511">Update themes downloaded from WordPress.com seamlessly with the rest of your WordPress updates.</td>
<td>Y</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WP Accessibility</td>
<td><a href="http://www.joedolson.com/"> Joe Dolson</a></td>
<td width="511">Helps improve accessibility in your WordPress site, like removing title attributes.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WP Crontrol</td>
<td><a href="https://github.com/johnbillion/wp-crontrol/graphs/contributors"> John Blackbourn & contributors</a></td>
<td width="511">WP Crontrol lets you view and control what’s happening in the WP-Cron system.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WP QuickLaTeX</td>
<td><a href="http://www.holoborodko.com/pavel/">Pavel Holoborodko</a></td>
<td width="511">Access to complete LaTeX distribution. Publish formulae & graphics using native LaTeX syntax directly in the text. Inline formulas, displayed equations auto-numbering, labeling and referencing, AMS-LaTeX, TikZ, custom LaTeX preamble. No LaTeX installation required. Easily customizable using UI dialog. Actively developed and maintained. Visit QuickLaTeX homepage for more info.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WP to Twitter</td>
<td><a href="http://www.joedolson.com/">Joseph C Dolson</a></td>
<td width="511">Posts a Tweet when you update your WordPress blog or post a link, using your URL shortener. Rich options to customise and promote your Tweets.</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WPMUDEV Dashboard</td>
<td>WPMUDEV</td>
<td width="511">Brings the powers of WPMU DEV directly to you. It will revolutionize how you use WordPress. Activate now!</td>
<td>N</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p> </p>
<h3>Themes</h3>
<div>
<table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 48pt;" border="0" width="64" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<colgroup>
<col style="width: 48pt;" width="64" /> </colgroup>
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt; width: 48pt;" width="64" height="19"><strong>Theme Name</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Apostrophe 2</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">AwesomePress</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Baskerville</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Bhari</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Blask</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Cover</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Cover2</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Cyanotype</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Davis</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Fluida</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Fukasawa</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Garfunkel</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Hitchcock</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Intergalactic</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Intergalactic 2</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Isola</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Lovecraft</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Make</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Period</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Radcliffe</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Sorbet</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">SPLOTpoint</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Tiny Framework</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Twenty Fifteen</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Twenty Nineteen</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Twenty Seventeen</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Twenty Sixteen</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Twenty Twenty</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 14.5pt;">
<td style="height: 14.5pt;" height="19">Writee</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
]]></content:encoded>
<wfw:commentRss>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/2020/09/23/more-about-blogs-ed-and-plugins/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
</item>
<item>
<title>Service Inheritance</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/2020/08/14/service-inheritance/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/2020/08/14/service-inheritance/#comments</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[James Slack]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 14 Aug 2020 16:06:04 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/?p=165</guid>
<description><![CDATA[<span class="span-reading-time rt-reading-time" style="display: block;"><span class="rt-label rt-prefix">Reading Time: </span> <span class="rt-time"> 6</span> <span class="rt-label rt-postfix">minutes</span></span>How to Inherit a Service A while back, before quarantine and therefore a lifetime ago, I ‘inherited’ a service. Anyone familiar with how these things go will also be somewhat familiar with how the conversation went: “We think you’ve done quiet well and we’d like you to take over this service” “Does that mean I […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<span class="span-reading-time rt-reading-time" style="display: block;"><span class="rt-label rt-prefix">Reading Time: </span> <span class="rt-time"> 6</span> <span class="rt-label rt-postfix">minutes</span></span><h1>How to Inherit a Service</h1>
<p>A while back, before quarantine and therefore a lifetime ago, I ‘inherited’ a service. Anyone familiar with how these things go will also be somewhat familiar with how the conversation went:</p>
<p>“We think you’ve done quiet well and we’d like you to take over this service”</p>
<p>“Does that mean I can drop my old service”</p>
<p>“No”.</p>
<p>Thankfully I have loved taking over this service, by this service I do actually mean *this* service. I now manage the Academic Blogging service, blogs.ed.ac.uk which is what you are reading this post on. I have blogged in the past but sporadically at best. Managing the service is completely different, managing any service is difficult but managing a service which is designed to be open and allow people to do what they want (to an extent) comes with it’s own interesting challenges, more of that in another post.</p>
<p>Today however I wanted to talk more specifically about inheriting a service. It’s something that I hadn’t really thought about before but it struck me that this is the first ‘living’ service that I have taken over. I have a relatively short period of experience of managing learning technology services, roughly 6 years at this point. In that time I have managed two large services but both of these were in their infancy when I got hold. I was able to largely decide what these service should look like, what they would look like and what the policies around them would be. Obviously there is an amount of team work and involvement of other teams in this process but as a service manager the impetus usually came from me.</p>
<p>Taking on a new service that has existed before, however, is something completely different. I often enjoy using bad analogies that I tend to stretch to far, so allow me to do this yet again: Inheriting services is like getting an armchair that belonged to someone else (ish). It’s arranged in a different way, it faces the door, it doesn’t go back far enough, it feels a bit to firm and there are Revels tucked into the side of the cushion. Who would put Revels down there, why would they choose Revels of all the things available?</p>
<h2>Service Personality</h2>
<p>The problem/issue/opportunity is, someone or a group of somebodies have decided how this should work and put it all in place. Now you come in and you’re not sure if you always agree. Most of the time you will but you just need to understand the ‘why’ after seeing the ‘what’ and ‘how’. Most services have a ‘vision’ of sorts attached, usually within the original Project Brief or the Service Level Description (SLD) that sets out the ‘shape’ of the service. This works great in isolation but what often happens is that this clearly defined ‘shape’ then gets released and it tends to need to alter shape to fits its environment in some way. (I DID say I enjoy bad analogies).</p>
<h2>Opportunities for Change</h2>
<p>I’ve always very strongly believed that getting a ‘fresh pair of eyes’ is possibly one of the most useful things to do when you have a great idea or process. Having someone outside of the ‘organisation’ take a look is often the best way to pick up on things, firstly it forces you to explain why you made a decision and also allows you to be questioned. If you can’t convince someone as to why something works that way then you might want to re-evaluate or compromise with the other view point. I love the following quote, which I believe is attributed to Grace Hopper – “The most dangerous phrase in the language is, ‘We’ve always done it this way’ ”</p>
<p>(If you don’t know who Grace Hopper is, please pause and look her up. I will wait)</p>
<h2>Inheritance runs both ways</h2>
<p>This is the part that surprised me the most when I realised that this was the first service that was secondhand/pre-loved/pre-existing/had a life before me. I started this long monologue talking about how I had inherited something but it seems obvious that the service had also imbibed something from it’s creators and previous owners. There were certain priorities or choices that were made by previous people upon the service, impressions in the surface that had left their mark. I agree with the vast majority of these but some I want to change, based on my priorities or choices that I think make it fit it’s environment in a better way, or a way that appears better to me. Obviously all of this is measured alongside the needs of the current community, I wouldn’t make big changes that negatively impacted people using the service but I may make decisions that change the ‘flavour’ in some ways.</p>
<h2>Making it yours or making you part of it</h2>
<p>After you have been looking after the service for a short while you will likely find a list of things that don’t really feel right to you. It’s likely that these decisions were made some time ago and might not reflect the needs of the user community anymore. I would say it is important to mention here that we aren’t criticising the previous owners, just using this change as an opportunity to review and also add you own input to the service. Once you have found these areas then try to seek the justification if possible, there could be a very good reason as to why something works like this and not like *this*. If there isn’t a good justification or if that doesn’t really hold anymore then start building your case for making a change and what that change will be. Next you get to take these changes to the service team, working group or user community. If these don’t exist then this is a good chance to make them as having some external input, if only at certain times will greatly improve the service as a whole. Also be sure to check that these changes are actually wanted/needed/will have a positive impact, change for the sake of change is a winding road. Always remember RACI (Responsible, Accountable,<strong> Consulted, Informed</strong>)</p>
<p>This is the part that I enjoy the most about managing services, there is a human part even if what *it* is an application running on virtual machines somewhere (I imagine in a basement, because, it has to be). I get to take all of the work that went before and add my layer on top and alter it ever so slightly, like a funky new flavour in your Rainbow Cake – I REALLY DID say that I like bad analogies.</p>
<p> </p>
<div id="attachment_166" style="width: 696px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-166" class="size-full wp-image-166" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/sliceoflearning/wp-content/uploads/sites/2048/2020/08/7478835056_c91640ed8c_b.jpg" alt=""Layers from top - Rainbow Birthday Cake" by avlxyz is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0" width="686" height="1024" /><p id="caption-attachment-166" class="wp-caption-text">“Layers from top – Rainbow Birthday Cake” by avlxyz is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0</p></div>
<p> </p>
<p>Takeaways from service inheritance</p>
<p>If you are a current service owner</p>
<ul>
<li>For you managing a service, try to document what decisions were taken and why they were taken, this makes it a lot quicker for someone to get a feel for how the service exists now. Adding the justification really makes a big difference when someone new steps in</li>
<li>Even if the service isn’t being taken over by someone else it can be very helpful to get fresh eyes on a service, or to include more people when making the decisions. Working groups or user involvement are very good for this.</li>
<li>Try to update original documentation as the service shifts over time, most institutions seem to push for this at intervals but it helps to remember how services can change over time.</li>
<li>Include retrospective look backs at the service at regular intervals, perhaps each year. Having a look at the changes that were added, how they were received and whether they helped add something useful to the service is a very rewarding process</li>
</ul>
<p>If you are taking over an existing service</p>
<ul>
<li>Getting an overview or introduction to the service is incredibly useful but do bear in mind that it is unlikely that you will be able to understand the entire service after one meeting</li>
<li>If possible try to take the previous service owner hostage so that you can refer to them if they didn’t document things</li>
<li>Once you have a good understanding of the service highlight the areas that you have issues with. Areas that you don’t understand why something was done in a particular way or why a certain policy exists. Try to find to root cause for these, if they make sense and fit the service you can leave them for now. If that doesn’t fit the service or the user’s need then earmark those areas for change.</li>
<li>Add your personal touch, come up with suggestions in these specific areas that you have highlighted and taken them to existing working groups or service team. If they don’t exist then consider creating them.</li>
</ul>
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<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ewan McAndrew]]></dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[This post is the second written by LLB student Dervla Craig who has worked as our Information and Data Literacy intern this Summer researching and preparing a National Lottery Heritage Fund bid to preserve, and raise public engagement with, the accused witches of Scotland as an important part of Scotland’s heritage. As I sit to […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>This post is the second written by LLB student Dervla Craig who has worked as our Information and Data Literacy intern this Summer researching and preparing a National Lottery Heritage Fund bid to preserve, and raise public engagement with, the accused witches of Scotland as an important part of Scotland’s heritage.</strong></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">As I sit to write this blog post, my twelve-week internship is rapidly drawing to a close. How the time has flown! I have learned and achieved so much this summer, and it seems only appropriate that I reflect on and share what this experience has taught me through another blog post. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Since my first blog (</span><a href="https://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/preserving-scottish-heritage/"><span data-contrast="none">Preserving Scottish Heritage: The Accused Witches of Scotland</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">), my research and bid-writing have taken me down many different avenues. The more familiar I became with the past, however, the more questions arose about the present. Why is there still no appropriate memorial to the accused in Edinburgh? Does stigma still exist surrounding these persecuted individuals? How can we at the University best preserve and promote the individual stories of the accused and make sure they are not forgotten to history? Exploring these questions was extremely important for me in ensuring that I understood the context in which the bid lives and the landscape we would be entering with this project. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In my search for answers to these questions, two main areas stuck out to me as requiring more work and attention to make sure the real, human stories of those accused of witchcraft are protected and valued now and into the future: increasing awareness, education, and understanding of the Scottish witch trials, and appropriately memorialising the victims who were accused, tortured and executed. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<div id="attachment_1634" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Witches-and-Witchcraft.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1634" class="size-large wp-image-1634" src="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Witches-and-Witchcraft-941x1024.jpg" alt="Information board about "Witches and Witchcraft" at the National Museum of Scotland. Pic by Ewan McAndrew, CC-BY-SA" width="629" height="684" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1634" class="wp-caption-text">Information board about “Witches and Witchcraft” at the National Museum of Scotland. Pic by Ewan McAndrew, CC-BY-SA</p></div>
<h2><b><span data-contrast="auto">Education on the Scottish Witch Trials</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">My line manager, Ewan McAndrew, and I have spent the last few weeks consulting with various organisations in an effort to realise the full potential of our bid. One area we explored was how we at the University, as a teaching and learning institution, could help facilitate education on the Scottish witch trials and use our accused witches’ dataset to combat negative perceptions of the accused exacerbated by entertainment-driven media portrayals. I researched the </span><a href="https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/curriculum-in-scotland/"><span data-contrast="none">Curriculum in Scotland </span></a><span data-contrast="auto">for secondary schools and was surprised to find that whilst adjacent topics such as King James VI and the Protestant Reformation are covered in detail, the witch trials themselves are largely overlooked. We also spoke with Jo Spiller and Judy Robertson from the University about their work on data education in schools and how our dataset could be a valuable resource. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">A huge opportunity for progress in this area came in week eight, when we visited the National Museum of Scotland to meet with Anna Groundwater, the Principal Curator of Renaissance and Early Modern History, Scottish History and Archaeology. She showed us the current witchcraft exhibit, which has remained unchanged for the twenty-seven years it has been on display, and discussed what updates could be made to accurately reflect the research that has taken place in the years since and modern attitudes towards the study of witchcraft and the witch trials. We also had a great conversation about promoting education on this dark period of Scottish history and how we can engage a wider audience with this heritage. This was my first professional meeting, and I am happy to report that it went very well. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p>
<div id="attachment_1635" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Witches_Well.jpg"><img decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1635" class="size-large wp-image-1635" src="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Witches_Well-1024x549.jpg" alt="Inscription plaque at the Witches Well memorial on Castlehill, Edinburgh. " width="629" height="337" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1635" class="wp-caption-text">Inscription plaque at the Witches Well memorial on Castlehill, Edinburgh. Pic by (Lila), CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons</p></div>
<h2><b><span data-contrast="auto">The issue of memorialisation</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">For centuries after the Scottish witch trials, sympathy for the accused was often seen as sympathy for the Devil and as such, there was not much research into the lives of those who were charged with the crime of witchcraft. Whilst modern attitudes have shifted to a more empathetic approach, the issue of memorialisation is still one of great controversy. </span><span data-contrast="none">The only memorial which stands in Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh is the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witches%27_Well,_Edinburgh">Witches’ Well</a> on Castle Hill, which is hidden away and has a problematic inscription that has been criticised for its historical inaccuracy and contention that while ‘<em>some used their exceptional knowledge for evil purposes while others were misunderstood and wished their kind nothing but good</em>‘. This assumption that those accused did indeed have supernatural abilities and that the brutality of the Scottish witch hunts was in any way justifiable is extremely harmful to the memory of the innocent people (85% of whom were women) that possessed no such powers but who were tortured and executed for being ‘witches’. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">The <a href="https://www.witchesofscotland.com/">Witches of Scotland</a> campaign group have long been advocating for a national memorial to the accused which would honour the victims in an appropriate way, and have even created a new, highly symbolic </span><a href="https://www.witchesofscotland.com/tartan"><span data-contrast="none">Tartan </span></a><span data-contrast="none"> pattern to honour the victims and act as a living memorial to them. (They also released a </span><a href="https://www.witchesofscotland.com/book"><span data-contrast="none">Book</span></a><span data-contrast="none"> called </span><i><span data-contrast="none">How to Kill a Witch: A Guide to the Patriarchy </span></i><span data-contrast="none">which is a brilliant read and mentions the University’s </span><a href="https://witches.hca.ed.ac.uk/"><span data-contrast="none">The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft</span></a><span data-contrast="auto"> – I highly recommend putting it at the top of your reading list). In our consultations with various organisations, the issue of appropriately memorialising the accused was one which was met with much interest and enthusiasm, and it seems that a place to go and pay our solemn respects to those whose lives were unjustly taken is something that would largely be supported and welcomed in Edinburgh.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><b><span data-contrast="auto">Final Thoughts</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Although there is much more work to be done in ensuring that the stories of the individuals who were accused of witchcraft are understood and remembered with accuracy and empathy, an appetite undoubtably exists for promoting these stories and memorialising these individuals in an appropriate and meaningful way. It is within this context that we will be submitting our bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund with the aim of establishing an open license, publicly accessible resource containing all known information on Scotland’s accused witches that can be used by researchers, historians, authors, artists, teachers, students and so many other groups to support work in and beyond the education and heritage sectors. Alongside this, we plan to run a programme of public engagement events to facilitate the public’s active participation with the data and stories of the accused. Further than simply historical education, we will encourage cultural reflection on themes such as women’s rights and the scapegoating of marginalised groups that permeate not just our past, but also our present. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">There is much we as a society can learn from this dark period of Scottish history, and I am hopeful that our bid, if successful, will support future research and work on the Scottish witch trials and bring awareness to the real stories behind the 3837 Scottish people, mostly women, who were accused of and in many cases executed for crimes they simply did not commit. I have been greatly moved by not just the deaths, but the lives of these individuals and am so grateful to have played a role this summer in preserving their memory for generations to come. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<div id="attachment_1636" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Woodcut.jpg"><img decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1636" class="size-large wp-image-1636" src="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Woodcut-1024x747.jpg" alt="Woodcut from the Newes of Scotland pamphlet depicting suspected witches from North Berwick as they are threatened with a beating as they appear before two Scottish magistrates." width="629" height="459" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1636" class="wp-caption-text">Woodcut on display at the National Museum of Scotland from the Newes of Scotland pamphlet depicting suspected witches from North Berwick as they are threatened with a beating as they appear before two Scottish magistrates. Pic by Ewan McAndrew, CC-BY-SA</p></div>
<p><strong>NB: Dervla has done so well over the last twelve weeks that she is continuing in post (part-time) during her studies this year.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Ps. You can catch the Edinburgh Book festival talk, <a href="https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on/claire-mitchell-and-zoe-venditozzi-women-not-witches"><em>Women not Witches</em>,</a> by Claire and Zoe of the Witches of Scotland at the Book Festival website.</strong></p>
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<time datetime="2025-10-07" itemprop="dateModified">Oct 7, 2025</time>
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<title>Preserving Scottish Heritage: The Accused Witches of Scotland</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/preserving-scottish-heritage-the-accused-witches-of-scotland/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/preserving-scottish-heritage-the-accused-witches-of-scotland/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ewan McAndrew]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 18:23:19 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Internship]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[access]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[accessibility]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[data science]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[data skills]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dervla craig]]></category>
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<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
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<category><![CDATA[emma carroll]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[environment]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[heritage]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[history]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[inclusion]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[julian goodare]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[national lottery]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[open access]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
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<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
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<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
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<category><![CDATA[wikipedia]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[witch trials]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witchcraft]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=471</guid>
<description><![CDATA[This post was written by LLB student Dervla Craig on her first month as Information and Data Literacy intern this Summer. My name is Dervla and I am going into my second year of the Graduate LLB at the University of Edinburgh. This summer I am doing a 12-week internship with the University’s Information Services […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>This post was written by LLB student Dervla Craig on her first month as Information and Data Literacy intern this Summer.</strong></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">My name is Dervla and I am going into my second year of the Graduate LLB at the University of Edinburgh. This summer I am doing a 12-week internship with the University’s <a href="https://information-services.ed.ac.uk/">Information Services Group (ISG)</a> on one of the most fascinating projects I have ever had the opportunity to be a part of: <a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/">the Accused Witches of Scotland project</a>.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">I am one of a long line of interns who has been involved in this project each year since 2019, which aims to commemorate and spread awareness about those who were persecuted as witches in Scotland during the 16th to 18th centuries. While previous interns have primarily been focused on processing and importing data from the University’s landmark </span><a href="https://witches.hca.ed.ac.uk/faq/"><span data-contrast="none">The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft</span></a><span data-contrast="auto"> database (2003) into <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_Scotland%27s_Accused_Witches">Wikidata</a> and created our </span><a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/"><span data-contrast="none">witches</span></a><span data-contrast="auto"> website with new map and timeline visualisations, this year my role looks a bit different.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">My remit for the 12 weeks is to prepare a bid to the <a href="https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/">National Lottery Heritage Fund</a> to secure funding for what we hope can be the next phase of the project. Our goal is to preserve the accused witches’ data in the long-term and ensure that people can connect with and participate in this heritage now and in the future. As it has come to the end of my first month, I wanted to join the tradition of blogging about my internship experience so far.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<h3><span data-contrast="none">Getting to know the individual stories of the accused</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"335559738":160,"335559739":80}"> </span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">My first week was spent diving down the rabbit hole to explore all there is to learn about the Scottish witch trials. If you had asked me to describe an accused witch before this week, I would’ve told you they wore a pointy hat and flew around on a broomstick. I couldn’t have been more wrong! Now when I picture these women, they look like my mother, or my grandmother, or me. They were ordinary people who suffered an egregious injustice, and I was extremely moved when learning about their stories.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Some of the most valuable tools for my research included </span><a href="https://witches.hca.ed.ac.uk/faq/"><span data-contrast="none">The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">, created by Julian Goodare, a history professor at the University of Edinburgh, and his team in the late 90’s, and the <a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/">interactive </a></span><span data-contrast="none">witches</span><span data-contrast="auto"> map resource created by Emma Carroll, a geography student and our former Data Visualisation intern, and our late developer colleague Richard Lawson in September 2019. The Survey made use of the historic records of all the accused witches in Scotland between 1563 – 1736 and organised the details into a MS Access 1997 database, and our new 2019 map brings this data to life in a new and engaging way through importing the data into Wikipedia’s sister project, Wikidata, as linked open machine-readable data.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Learning about the great work that has been done previously definitely made me realise I have a lot to live up to but also motivated me to give it my all in the next twelve weeks and hopefully produce an end result that meets the standards of my predecessors.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<h3><span data-contrast="none">Writing a National Lottery Heritage Fund bid</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"335559738":160,"335559739":80}"> </span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The next thing to familiarise myself with before I could dive into my writing was the bid itself. I spent a few days combing through the NLHF website to understand what it is they are looking for and how our project fits those needs. By getting to know my audience, I could ensure that my writing was intriguing, evidence-based and persuasive. I quickly found out that before submitting the 10,000-word application, I must submit a 1000-word ‘Expression of Interest’. This EoI asks questions about the heritage of the project, what our project aims to achieve, and why it is needed now. At this point, I felt I could write a dissertation for each of these questions, so the tight word count was my biggest enemy. I had lots of help from some lovely colleagues who offered their feedback and advice, including the Project Director of the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft, Professor Julian Goodare. After many tweaks and a few redrafts, I am happy to say at the end of week four that the EoI is pretty much ready to go.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<h3><span data-contrast="none">Exploring avenues for community engagement</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"335559738":160,"335559739":80}"> </span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Alongside writing, writing and more writing, I have also been brainstorming ideas for the community engagement side of our project. There have been so many great ideas by the team which have led to interesting and helpful discussions with different people and organisations, including the National Museum of Scotland, Reforesting Scotland, and some really talented artists. Excitingly, most of the responses we have received have been positive and enthusiastic. In the upcoming weeks, I hope to visit some of these places and see firsthand the primary sources from the witch trials.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<h4><span data-contrast="none">Workshops and all-staff events</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"335559738":160,"335559739":80}"> </span></h4>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Another educational and fun aspect of my experience so far, outside of my bid writing role, has been the plethora of events hosted by ISG. In the past month I have taken part in ‘intern welcome’ socials, Wikipedia writing workshops and even a workshop on an introduction to blogging! Alongside these, I have also attended two all-staff events, one for all Information Services Group (ISG) staff and one for the Learning, Teaching and Web (LTW) division. Not only have I learned so much about the behind-the-scenes and the people who have made my studies possible for the past five years, but these events have also been an opportunity to get to know more of my colleagues and socialise with other interns. At ISG there is a strong emphasis on having a healthy work-life balance and making sure that you and those around you have what you need to produce your best work.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<div id="attachment_473" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-473" class="size-medium wp-image-473" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2025/07/Window-300x234.png" alt="View of Edinburgh Castle from Floor K, Argyle House." width="300" height="234" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2025/07/Window-300x234.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2025/07/Window.png 363w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-473" class="wp-caption-text">View of Edinburgh Castle from Floor K, Argyle House. CC-BY-SA by Dervla Craig.</p></div>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In conclusion, I have had an amazing first month as an intern with the University of Edinburgh. I have learned a lot, met new people, and pushed myself outside of my comfort zone. Plus the amazing view of Edinburgh Castle from Floor K has been a real motivator to work from the office and not from home! I am nothing but hopeful that the next eight weeks will be even more exciting and productive, and that I can blog again soon with positive updates!</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">P.S. If you haven’t already, definitely visit <a href="https://witches.hca.ed.ac.uk/">The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft</a> and the <a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/">Map of Accused Witches in Scotland</a> websites! They are both amazing (and important) educational resources that I could browse for hours (and have).</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
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<time datetime="2025-07-11" itemprop="dateModified">Jul 11, 2025</time>
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<title>The Final Countdown: New Features and Nuxt 3 Upgrade</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/the-final-countdown/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/the-final-countdown/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Thu, 03 Oct 2024 10:03:55 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Student]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikimania]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=455</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Since I last wrote after I returned from Wikimania, I have been working on getting version 2.0 of the website up to scratch! The new version of the website is set to launch this October, which meant there was a lot to get done before then.Firstly, the website framework was due for an upgrade from […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Since I last wrote after I returned from Wikimania, I have been working on getting version 2.0 of the website up to scratch! The new version of the website is set to launch this October, which meant there was a lot to get done before then.<br />Firstly, the website framework was due for an upgrade from Nuxt 2 to Nuxt 3. Nuxt is a javascript web development framework based on Vue.js, designed to make it easier to build fast and dynamic websites by handling much of the configuration and setup for developers. This upgrade was crucial for the website’s longevity and security, making it a top priority. This was something I had never done before, so I was a bit apprehensive. This did end up being quite a long challenging task as lots of the packages used in the website were not compatible with Nuxt 3 meaning I had to do quite a lot of problem solving and research to find new packages which could provide the same functionality and have a similar user interface. I learnt a lot from this process and had to be quite patient because at times I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to get everything working, – for example the clustering of markers on the map – but after lots of trial and error and research I found a solution and felt proud of myself.</p>
<p><br />We also worked on some exciting new pages:</p>
<p><br /><strong>Map of Memorials & Sites of Interest:</strong> This is an interactive map showcasing memorials across Scotland dedicated to those who suffered during the witch trials, along with other sites of interest such as execution sites, prisons, meeting places, and museums with witchcraft displays. The purpose of this map is to document how the witch trials have been memorialised over time, and increasingly in recent years, and to provide people interested in the Scottish witch trials with locations they can visit.</p>
<p><br />This project involved an initial research period carried out by Ewan McAndrew, Ellie Whitehead and myself. We sought to identify memorial locations to include by reading books, searching the internet, and having discussions with Professor Julian Goodare. During these discussions, it became clear that several monuments are not based on actual historical events. For example, the Maggie Wall monument in Dunning—there is no evidence that Maggie Wall existed or was executed as a witch. However, we still found locations like this of interest in understanding how stories of witchcraft have been passed down through generations.</p>
<p><br />To differentiate between various types of sites, we created three categories: memorials, sites of interest, and tourist attractions. This allowed us to classify each location appropriately. After the research stage, we created Wikidata items for each location, adding any available images from Wikimedia Commons, coordinate locations, links to external websites, and street addresses. This data was then used to query and display these locations on a new webpage, where they are plotted on a map. <br />To provide further information to users, Ellie Whitehead wrote descriptions for each location in the database, explaining how the site is connected to the Scottish Witch Trials and addressing any misconceptions about historic fact vs folklore.<br /><br />Once we had collated all the information needed and created all Wikidata items I developed the website page and Stewart Cromar created new icons from the same woodcut of the North Berwick witches that the original icons are from.<br /><br /></p>
<div id="attachment_458" style="width: 321px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-458" class=" wp-image-458" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/intro-300x241.jpg" alt="North Berwick Witches Woodcut- Newes from Scotland" width="311" height="250" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/intro-300x241.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/intro.jpg 747w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 311px) 100vw, 311px" /><p id="caption-attachment-458" class="wp-caption-text">North Berwick Witches Woodcut – Newes from Scotland</p></div>
<p><br />This was a particularly rewarding page to create, as it involved multiple stages, including research, brainstorming ideas, designing the interface, and development. The result is a page I believe users will love, and that I feel proud of, as I believe it helps represents how the injustice of the Scottish Witch Trials has been commemorated across Scotland.</p>
<div id="attachment_459" style="width: 484px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-459" class=" wp-image-459" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-300x136.png" alt="Current Design of Memorials Page" width="474" height="215" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-300x136.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-1024x463.png 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-768x347.png 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-1536x694.png 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-1440x651.png 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page.png 1917w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px" /><p id="caption-attachment-459" class="wp-caption-text">Memorials Page</p></div>
<p><br /><strong>Further Reading:</strong> A list of books, journals, and articles recommended by Professor Julian Goodare (director of the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft) and Ellie Whitehead for those who wanted to learn more about the Scottish witch trials. Links are provided on where they can be accessed.</p>
<p><br /><strong>Glossary:</strong> A glossary containing terms used across the website, along with their meanings, was created to help users understand specialized vocabulary, as the filter lists may include terms that are not commonly known. We wanted users to have an easy way to discover the contextual meanings to get the most out of the website. Ellie Whitehead used the glossary from the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft as a base, then added any additional terms from the filters that might not have an obvious meaning. After she compiled the list of terms and definitions, I created the web page. We decided it would be helpful if the list could be sorted either alphabetically or by category, making it easier for users to find terms.</p>
<div id="attachment_460" style="width: 445px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-460" class=" wp-image-460" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-300x133.png" alt="Glossary Page" width="435" height="193" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-300x133.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-1024x455.png 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-768x341.png 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-1536x682.png 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-1440x640.png 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary.png 1916w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 435px) 100vw, 435px" /><p id="caption-attachment-460" class="wp-caption-text">Glossary Page</p></div>
<p><br /><strong>Introduction to Scottish Witchcraft:</strong> A page offering contextual information on the Scottish witchcraft trials to help users understand the historical background and significance of these events. We decided to include a video of Professor Julian Goodare for users who find it easier to learn from video content or those looking for more information, and who better to learn from than the creator of the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft himself!<br />Initially, we planned to create a short, 5-minute general introduction to Scottish witchcraft. However, but given Julian’s incredible wealth of knowledge, we asked him additional questions we thought people would be most interested in, resulting in more videos about the Scottish Witch Trials and the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft to add to the website.<br />We recorded these videos in the University of Edinburgh’s Media Studio at Argyle House. I thoroughly enjoyed using this space, as it allowed us to create professional-quality videos. The studio is fully equipped with tools like a teleprompter, TV backdrop, light boxes, a microphone, and, of course, a camera.</p>
<div id="attachment_461" style="width: 410px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-461" class=" wp-image-461" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-300x135.jpeg" alt="Media Studio" width="400" height="180" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-300x135.jpeg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-1024x461.jpeg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-768x346.jpeg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-1536x692.jpeg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-1440x649.jpeg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media.jpeg 2016w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /><p id="caption-attachment-461" class="wp-caption-text">Media Studio</p></div>
<p><br />Currently these new pages and upgrade are getting reviewed by web developer Andrew Millington before getting deployed to the site in order to make sure that the code is maintainable, working as intended, and a user friendly interface. Once these have been reviewed and all issues that come up resolved then the website will be ready for it’s version 2 launch!! <span data-teams="true"><span class="ui-provider a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak" dir="ltr">I’m really excited for this to go live so everyone can see all the work mentioned (above) that I’ve been working on for the last year and all the previous interns’ work too!</span></span></p>
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<time datetime="2024-10-03" itemprop="dateModified">Oct 3, 2024</time>
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<title>Wikimania 2024: A Conference of Collaboration, Learning and Culture</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/#comments</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 19 Aug 2024 09:34:24 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Conference]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Student]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikimania]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=424</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ On July 15th I returned as ‘Witchfinder General’ – Data Visualisation Intern for another 3 months of working on the Map of Scottish Accused Witches of Project. We are now 4 weeks in and I have lots to share.I went to my first ever conference – Wikimania! Wikimania is an annual conference hosted by […]]]></description>
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<p>On July 15th I returned as ‘Witchfinder General’ – Data Visualisation Intern for another 3 months of working on the Map of Scottish Accused Witches of Project. We are now 4 weeks in and I have lots to share.<br /><br />I went to my first ever conference – <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikimania">Wikimania</a>! Wikimania is an annual conference hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, including presentations and discussions on Wikimedia projects such as Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons. This year it was held in Katowice, Poland. I went with my manager Ewan McAndrew to give a presentation on Student engagement with openness. Ewan spoke about examples of all the Wikimedia related student projects he has run at the University of Edinburgh and then I spoke about the work we have done on this project.<br /><br /><a href="https://wikimania.eventyay.com/2024/talk/FALUVE/">Find out more about our presentation here!</a> <br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/wLgxZTcjhjY?si=POQvnW26tqevogTD&t=7920">Watch the presentation here.</a> <br /><br />Before going, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the conference. In my mind, a conference seemed like a very formal event, which I thought might make me feel a bit out of place. However, as soon as I arrived, I found a relaxed and open atmosphere with a diverse group of people. From volunteers to software developers, people who work for the Wikimedia Foundation to those who edit Wikipedia in their free time, there was a wide range of interests, passions, careers, ages, and nationalities present. This diversity created a warm and accepting environment that made open discussion comfortable. I was initially apprehensive about my presentation, as public speaking is something that scares me a little, but that made the achievement feel even greater.<br /><br />Along with giving the presentation I also got to attend lots of interesting talks and panel discussions. These covered lots of topics including the future of AI within the Wikipedia movement, facing the gender imbalance on Wikipedia, open data and the climate crisis, Wikipedia in education and even more. I think the standout for me was some of the AI discussions, thinking about how the Wikimedia movement could use AI but also the risks that would come along with them. Each session was really interesting and eye opening and great to hear views from people from all over the world. Throughout the conference I got to hear about all the different work that goes on in the Wikimedia movement.</p>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/wikimania_katowice_2024_-_opening_ceremony_wikimedian_of_the_year_awards_32/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="200" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Wikimania_Katowice_2024_-_Opening_Ceremony_Wikimedian_of_the_Year_Awards_32-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Marching Band at Wikimania Opening Ceremony" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Wikimania_Katowice_2024_-_Opening_Ceremony_Wikimedian_of_the_Year_Awards_32-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Wikimania_Katowice_2024_-_Opening_Ceremony_Wikimedian_of_the_Year_Awards_32-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Wikimania_Katowice_2024_-_Opening_Ceremony_Wikimedian_of_the_Year_Awards_32-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Wikimania_Katowice_2024_-_Opening_Ceremony_Wikimedian_of_the_Year_Awards_32.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/1024px-wikimania_katowice_2024_ksp_005/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="200" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/1024px-Wikimania_Katowice_2024_KsP_005-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Wikimania Entrance" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/1024px-Wikimania_Katowice_2024_KsP_005-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/1024px-Wikimania_Katowice_2024_KsP_005-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/1024px-Wikimania_Katowice_2024_KsP_005.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="201" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c-e1724058923544-300x201.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Wikimania Opening Ceremony" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c-e1724058923544-300x201.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c-e1724058923544-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c-e1724058923544-768x513.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c-e1724058923544.jpg 1306w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6316/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Pottery Painting at Wikimania" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6326/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Traditional Polish Choir" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6565/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Lighting Talk at Wikimania" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<p><br /><br />Not only were there many interesting sessions, the conference also included lots of entertainment – an opening ceremony with a Polish marching band and awards for the standout Wikimedians presented by Jimmy Wales (the founder of Wikipedia), a pottery painting class where we got to paint our own mug. I really enjoyed this activity. It was a lovely calming moment in a busy conference. There was also a performance from a traditional Polish choir, and a closing ceremony with a performance from the Wiki Orchestra , a group of talented musicians from the Wikimedia community playing a beautiful piece by Chopin. Then to finish a closing party in the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra with Wikimedians mingling and dancing to celebrate the end of a successful 4 day conference full of collaboration, learning, and cultural exchange.</p>
<p><br />During my free time, I also explored Katowice. I visited the Silesian Museum (An old mine that had since been repurposed), walked around appreciating the city’s architecture, and tried local cuisine such as Polish dumplings (called pierogies). They were delicious! On my way back, I flew out of Krakow, so I got to see some of that city as well, taking a walk around the old town, visiting the castle, strolling along the river, and exploring the Jewish quarter. It was exciting being able to explore and learn about both these cities that I hadn’t visited before.</p>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6400/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Silesian Museum" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6518/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Panteon Górnośląski w Katowicach" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6544/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Garrison Church" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6552/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Buildings in Katowice on Juliusxa Slowackiego" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6609/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Horse and Carriage in Krakow" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6621/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="St Mary's Basilica, Krakow" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<p><br /><br />Now back in Edinburgh with lots of work to continue, I’m reflecting on what was an enriching experience for which I am very grateful. I’m proud to have presented at an international conference, which will definitely boost my confidence. It was inspiring to see the variety of work happening within the Wikimedia community, such as the resilience of the Ukrainian community during the ongoing war. The conference felt like a community that was excited to meet and learn from one another and I’m glad to have been part of it.<br /><br /></p>
<div id="attachment_450" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-450" class="wp-image-450 size-large" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media-1024x1024.jpeg" alt="Wikimania 2024 Group Photo" width="740" height="740" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media-1024x1024.jpeg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media-300x300.jpeg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media-150x150.jpeg 150w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media-768x768.jpeg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media.jpeg 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><p id="caption-attachment-450" class="wp-caption-text">Wikimania 2024 Group Photo</p></div>
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area">
<time datetime="2024-08-19" itemprop="dateModified">Aug 19, 2024</time>
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<title>Remembering Scotland’s Accused Witches: Books, Plays and Memorials</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/internship-wrap-up/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/internship-wrap-up/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 25 Aug 2023 15:55:59 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[internfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=402</guid>
<description><![CDATA[I am writing this blog post on the final day of my internship. The 12 weeks have flown by! Over this period, a lot of progress has been made to the new version of the site. This has consisted of:• Quality checking the data by comparing the data from the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft to […]]]></description>
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<p style="text-align: left">I am writing this blog post on the final day of my internship. The 12 weeks have flown by! Over this period, a lot of progress has been made to the new version of the site.</p>
<p style="text-align: left"><br />This has consisted of:<br />• Quality checking the data by comparing the data from the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft to the data on Wikidata.<br />• Making improvements and getting rid of bugs on the website .<br />• User testing sessions.</p>
<p style="text-align: left"><br />You can read more about these in the previous blog posts. However, there is still progress to be made so I am going to continue to work on this project one day a week when I return to university in September! This will allow us to make sure we are fully confident with the data being used and the happy with the content of the website before releasing the new version of the website. The new version of the website includes lots of exciting new information and features such as accusations of shapeshifting and ritual objects plotted on a filterable map, custom timeline searches, a <a href="http://www.histropedia.com/">Histropedia</a> timeline where you can do name searches and filtering by age of accused and a new historic map layer using <a href="https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=10.6&lat=55.91496&lon=-3.36726&layers=125140579&b=1">the 1750 Dorret georeferenced map from National Library of Scotland</a>.</p>
<p>If you want to find out more about what I’ve been working on watch this video below:</p>
<iframe loading="lazy" src="about:blank" data-bs-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DKwfk7mgxk0?feature=oembed" width="660" height="544" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Over the past 2 weeks I’ve had the opportunity to attend interesting witch related events at the Edinburgh festivals. I went to a talk at Edinburgh International Book Festival with the authors Mairi Kidd (<a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/we-are-all-witches/mairi-kidd/9781785304132">We Are All Witches</a> ) and Allyson Shaw (<a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/ashes-and-stones/allyson-shaw/9781529395457">Ashes and Stone</a>) who have written books about the accused witches of Scotland which they discussed in this talk. “We Are All Witches” tells fictionalised accounts of 16 of the accused witches based on the information available and “Ashes and Stones” follows the authors journey visiting memorials of the accused witches around Scotland. This highlighted the importance and relevance of telling the individual stories and the memorialisation of those who suffered.</p>
<p>With my manager I also went to see a play at the fringe called <a href="https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/prick">Prick</a>, which told the stories of some of the executed women accused of witchcraft including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isobel_Gowdie">Issobell Gowdie</a>. These were both really inspiring, emotional and evocative events. I think after spending so long working with the data you begin to forget that these were real people and not just entries on a database, I was really reminded of how horrific, unjust and inhumane the trials and sufferings these women went through really were, which enforced in my mind the importance of sharing their stories. Also, both the authors at the book talk and the playwright of Prick used the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft as one of their primary resources when researching the Scottish witch trials which was a reminder of how valuable the data we are working with is.</p>
<div id="attachment_405" style="width: 349px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-405" class=" wp-image-405" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/booktalk-e1692977642502-225x300.jpg" alt="Mairi Kidd & Allyson Shaw: Who Are the Real Witches? - Book Festival Talk" width="339" height="452" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/booktalk-e1692977642502-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/booktalk-e1692977642502.jpg 480w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 339px) 100vw, 339px" /><p id="caption-attachment-405" class="wp-caption-text">Mairi Kidd & Allyson Shaw: Who Are the Real Witches? – Book Festival Talk</p></div>
<p>After going to both events it was really in our minds how important it is to remember and learn from these people’s stories and the there is a lot of interest in how they are memorialised. This has lead us to decide we will begin working on the idea we had to create a map of memorials for the accused witches. So people can see in one place the memorials that local areas have dedicated to the accused witches that were subject to the trials, torture and executions. We have started researching this by borrowing the book <a href="https://beul-aithris-publishing.onlineweb.shop/Witch_Memorials_of_Scotland/p6366266_20228504.aspx"><em>Witch Memorials of Scotland</em> by Gregor Stewart</a> from the University library. We also met with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Goodare">Professor Julian Goodare</a> to update him on the progress that has been made, ask him for advice, make use of his expertise and discuss our future ideas going forward such as the map of memorials.</p>
<div id="attachment_406" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-406" class="size-medium wp-image-406" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/MicrosoftTeams-image-300x157.jpg" alt="Ruby and Professor Julian Goodare" width="300" height="157" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/MicrosoftTeams-image-300x157.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/MicrosoftTeams-image-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/MicrosoftTeams-image-768x402.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/MicrosoftTeams-image.jpg 1440w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-406" class="wp-caption-text">Ruby and Professor Julian Goodare</p></div>
<p><br />Overall, this internship has been a great experience because not only have I learnt lots of new technical skills (programming in R, Vue JavaScript framework, Wikidata, Sparql queries, user testing and user interface design) and professional skills (communication, teamwork and time management) I have also got to learn lots about this dark period of Scottish history through lots of different mediums. I’ve been inspired to learn more in my own time and have read <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/hex/jenni-fagan/9781846976223">Hex</a> by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenni_Fagan">Jenni Fagan</a> which tells an imagining of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geillis_Duncan">Geillis Duncan</a>‘s last night. This has made me passionate about working on this project as I’ve realised the real world value and impact of helping people to understand the stories and individuals behind this data. I’m looking forward to continuing this work and launching the new version of the site which hopefully further shares these individual stories as best we can.</p>
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<time datetime="2023-08-25" itemprop="dateModified">Aug 25, 2023</time>
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<title>From Witches to Widgets: A Witchfinder Intern’s Update</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/from-witches-to-widgets-a-witchfinder-interns-update/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/from-witches-to-widgets-a-witchfinder-interns-update/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Aug 2023 09:14:50 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Internship]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[internfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=383</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Hello, It’s been a while since my last blog post so it’s time for an update about my time as Witchfinder General Data Visualisation intern! Since my last post, I’ve been busy as ever, diving into the world of data quality assuring, tinkering with our website, and getting some insights from users and lots of […]]]></description>
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<p>Hello, It’s been a while since my last blog post so it’s time for an update about my time as Witchfinder General Data Visualisation intern! Since my last post, I’ve been busy as ever, diving into the world of data quality assuring, tinkering with our website, and getting some insights from users and lots of other fun and interesting experiences.</p>
<div id="attachment_389" style="width: 298px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-389" class=" wp-image-389" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal-225x300.jpg" alt="Photo of Me Working on the Website" width="288" height="384" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal.jpg 1500w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 288px) 100vw, 288px" /><p id="caption-attachment-389" class="wp-caption-text">Working on the Website in Argyle House</p></div>
<p><br />My role in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of our data continues. With the aim of making sure our users get the most reliable insights and facts meanwhile respecting the original work of Survey of Scottish Witchcraft. I have now compared lots of fields including place of detention, primary & secondary case characteristics, cause of death, manner of death and lots more. From this I have been able to see that some information has been discovered since the Survey and added to Wikidata. I have made sure that all this information is referenced to trustworthy verifiable sources, ensuring that our website has the most accurate and up to date information possible. You can keep track of my progress <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_Scotland%27s_Accused_Witches/To_do">on our Wikidata project page here</a>.</p>
<div id="attachment_386" style="width: 495px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-386" class=" wp-image-386" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-300x143.png" alt="New Feature on the Website which allows you to see historic version of Map" width="485" height="231" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-300x143.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-1024x489.png 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-768x367.png 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-1536x734.png 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-1440x688.png 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919.png 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 485px) 100vw, 485px" /><p id="caption-attachment-386" class="wp-caption-text">New Historic Map Fearure</p></div>
<p><br />I’ve added some cool features to our website! You can now travel back in time with our historical map layer. After discussing different map layers with <span class="ui-provider fz b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak" dir="ltr">Chris Fleet at National Library of Scotland we selected <a href="https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=12.2&lat=55.92314&lon=-3.22392&layers=125140579&b=1">the 1750 georeferenced James Dorret map</a>. </span>This lets you see how things looked closer to the time of the accused witches. Plus, we’ve made it easier for users to pick and choose what they want to see with the select and deselect buttons and changing the list of filters to alphabetical order. And I’ve been on a bug-hunting mission to get rid of them and make sure everything runs smoothly to make the website easier to navigate. We have had several other ideas of how we can make our website more engaging and informative, one of these ideas was to add some illustrations to the website to help users understand what information is being displayed to them. So I talked to one of the other interns Ally who is working on an interactive colouring in book. She came out with some initial ideas that could be used as icons for the accusations of Shapeshifting and the Ritual Objects supposed used and they turned out great! However, we have some concerns relating to including modern illustrations on our website. We are worried it could distract from the academic historical work or misrepresent some of these historical ideas (e.g. Shapeshifting) that we are referring to.</p>
<div id="attachment_398" style="width: 325px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-398" class=" wp-image-398" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-300x155.jpg" alt="Concept Illustrations for Website" width="315" height="163" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-300x155.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-1024x527.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-768x396.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-1536x791.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-1440x742.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 315px) 100vw, 315px" /><p id="caption-attachment-398" class="wp-caption-text">Concept Illustrations for Website</p></div>
<p>I also ran 7 user testing sessions with support from the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/user-experience">User Experience team</a> who’s aim is to deliver user-centred products. I initially met with members of the team and they informed me that the best way to improve the user experience of the website would be to find out what needs improving by conducting user testing. They gave me lots of advice on how to go about these sessions and for one of my first sessions helped me take notes. We decided to test on users who were experts on history and some people with very little previous knowledge on witches! So I reached out to <span class="ui-provider fz b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak" dir="ltr">Assistant Professor Mikki Brock, Witches of Scotland podcasters, Dr. Chris Langley and other interns to see if they would be interested in participating, and they all were! </span>This range of knowledge was really useful to see how the different types of users interacted with the website, this is important as these are both user groups that our website in intended for. I would give the users tasks to complete on the site and watch them complete them, taking notes and then ask them questions to hear their thoughts and advice. Their feedback will help guide us towards the best version of the website possible. I’ve shared their insights with the team, and together we’re deciding what we came take from it to make improvements to the site.</p>
<p><br />As part of my internship, I’ve also had some pretty cool experiences beyond the screen. A trip to <a href="https://www.stcecilias.ed.ac.uk/whats-on/">St Celias Hall</a>, a musical instrument museum, was a really interesting experience that I learnt lots of new information from. I’ve also dabbled in Wikipedia writing after attending a Wikipedia training session, I researched and wrote a page about the accused witch <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Issobell_Fergussone">Issobelle Fergesoune</a>. It’s great to be able to write about the accused witches individual stories as this humanizes them and helps people understand what they really went through. Also, I have attended several team meetings, where coffee and cake were involved!</p>
<div id="attachment_392" style="width: 297px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-392" class=" wp-image-392" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-225x300.jpg" alt="Musical Instruments in St Celia's Hall" width="287" height="383" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 287px) 100vw, 287px" /><p id="caption-attachment-392" class="wp-caption-text">Musical Instruments in St Celia’s Hall</p></div>
<p>So, what’s next? I have two quite big challenges to focus on, one being making sure the website is mobile responsive and the other being trying to reduce the load time when opening the website. Currently, the website can takes some time to load because there is huge amounts of data being pulled. This will be quite technically difficult to solve. Our approach is going to be separating the queries pulling the data into smaller queries so less data is being pulled at once. The load time is very important to user experience and something that was mentioned several times in the user testing sessions. Hopefully after these improvements the new version of the website will be one step closer to being released!</p>
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<time datetime="2023-08-08" itemprop="dateModified">Aug 8, 2023</time>
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<title>Weeks 2 and 3 – Unravelling Anomalies and Starting the Website Transformation</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/weeks-2-and-3-unravelling-anomalies-and-starting-the-website-transformation/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/weeks-2-and-3-unravelling-anomalies-and-starting-the-website-transformation/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jun 2023 06:31:51 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[internfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=377</guid>
<description><![CDATA[I am now coming the end of my third week as the Witchfinder General – Data Visualisation intern and time has flown by. Over the past 2 weeks I have begun on the journey of Quality Assuring the data and improving the website. This process began by dealing with the anomalies between the names and […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span data-contrast="auto">I am now coming the end of my third week as the Witchfinder General – Data Visualisation intern and time has flown by. Over the past 2 weeks I have begun on the journey of Quality Assuring the data and improving the website. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">This process began by dealing with the anomalies between the names and gender of accused witches that the previous intern, Claire had found and then after consulting with<a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/history-classics-archaeology/about-us/staff-profiles/profile_tab5_academic.php?uun=jgoodare&search=2¶ms="> Professor Julian Goodare</a> about these differences making the corresponding necessary changes in wikidata. Then I began with looking at different properties, starting with social class and occupation. From this I discovered there was some differences with the wording of some of the values used in the Survey and in Wikidata. This was because there are some very Survey-specific terms related to witch hunts in 16th century Scotland and a 21st century platform like Wikidata has items of data that are of more general use with often more modern definitions of terms as a community knowledgebase of open linked data. It is also because language changes over time and the definitions and use of terms and placenames has changed since the 16th century. Where possible it is better to use a common language of terms so that the data can be explored and parsed more easily. However, if there are stark differences then it is better to make sure that Wikidata has terms suitable for explaining the specific nature of terms of the information contained within the Survey so that there is no loss of meaning or misrepresentation creeping in. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><div id="attachment_380" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-380" class="wp-image-380 size-medium" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/wordTable-300x224.png" alt="Anomalies in Value Labels between Wikidata and the Survey" width="300" height="224" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/wordTable-300x224.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/wordTable.png 463w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-380" class="wp-caption-text">Anomalies in Value Labels between Wikidata and the Survey</p></div></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In most cases Professor Julian Goodare, lecturer in History and project Director of the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft database (2003), approved of these cases but he suggested that </span><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54128"><b><span data-contrast="auto">domestic worker</span></b></a><span data-contrast="auto"> did not give appropriate meaning and that adding a new value <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q119574553"><strong>servant</strong> </a>would represent the work they did more accurately so I changed every accused witch on Wikidata that was down a domestic worker to servant using <a href="https://quickstatements.toolforge.org/#/">Quickstatements</a>. Once we had confirmed that the rest of the terms being used in Wikidata were suitable, there was no anomalies left for social class but there was some for occupation. There were some witches in Wikidata where some additional occupations had been added that were not mentioned in the survey. We sent these to Prof. Julian Goodare and he looked through his resources and verified whether these occupations were accurate and provided us with a reference that could be added to Wikidata. This is part of the benefit of working with open linked data where multiple values can be added by a community of users if it aids and augments the data. It does need to be verifiable however so adding a reference to back up statements being added is key.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Looking at residence property was my next hurdle and it proved to be a more difficult and time consuming task than the previous properties. This was because in the Survey there were numerous columns of locations for each accused witch – settlement, parish, presbytery, county and burgh – and on Wikidata different locations have been chosen depending on which residence Emma.. ( the first student intern to work on this project) was able to find. Emma worked with georeferenced historic maps from the National Library of Scotland and placename books to try and identify which placename listed in the five columns of data in the Survey could be geolocated on a map to be the most specific place of residence for each accused witch we could approximate a co-ordinate location for. This means there is a lot of differences between the survey data and Wikidata to look through, so this is something I am still working on , as there are 820 locations to look at.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">I have also began working on the website improvements. This began by creating a list of all the things we would like to change/add and categorising them into bugs, new features, and navigation improvements. And we also had a meeting with Prof. Julian Goodare to discuss potential additions with him. Lots of great ideas came out of this meeting such as filming an explainer video for the ‘About’ webpage that would give an introduction this project, the background of the survey of Scottish witchcraft and a guide to the website. Once we had completed a categorised list, I had a meeting with the web development team, Andrew and Richard, and we played ‘scrum poker’, a method for each of us guesstimating how long each development task might take. The next stage was to start working through these tasks and prioritising any bugs.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The navigation and user interface of the test site of the website is something that needs improved before making this version available to the public. We reached out to the ISG’s User Experience (UX) Service to see if they could provide us with any support on this side of things. We had a meeting with them to give them an introduction the project and website, give our ideas, answer their questions and gauge the kind of support they could give us. I think the main goal of the site is to make a good resource for people interested in witches but also those with no prior knowledge. Since the website was first released loads of visualisations were added to the test site of version 2 by Maggie and Josep, our student interns in Summer 2022. These have provided great new insights but have caused for the navigational layout of the site to become slightly unorganised. It is often hard to find what you are looking for or understand what you are looking at. Ahead of the meeting with the UX team, I created some mock ups showing how we could change the navigation so that all the maps of accused witches are in the same place (discoverable in the left hand menu pictured below) and you can explore the map with different filters and read contextual text explaining each visualisation. This way people are more likely to view and understand more of the information. We are soon to have a follow up meeting with them to discuss things further.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><div id="attachment_378" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-378" class="wp-image-378 size-medium" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web1-300x131.png" alt="Mock-up of Web Improvements" width="300" height="131" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web1-300x131.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web1.png 683w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-378" class="wp-caption-text">Mock-up of Web Improvements</p></div></p>
<p><div id="attachment_379" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-379" class="wp-image-379 size-medium" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web2-300x136.png" alt="Mock-up of Web Improvements" width="300" height="136" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web2-300x136.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web2.png 681w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-379" class="wp-caption-text">Mock-up of Web Improvements</p></div></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Overall, I have really enjoyed my first few weeks. I have been able to work on a variation of tasks including web development, data assurance and Wikidata. This has kept things interesting and exciting and I have learnt so much already from new technical skills to greater historical knowledge of what happened to these accused witches. have had meetings with lots of interesting people all providing valuable ideas to the project. I have also met lots of other interns and staff at various events such as the welcome lunch, home baking morning and the all staff BBQ. I am excited to continue the work I have done so far.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span><br />
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area"><br />
<time datetime="2023-06-28" itemprop="dateModified">Jun 28, 2023</time><br />
</span></p>
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<title>A Witchfinder’s Quest : Ensuring Data Accuracy & Enhancing the Website</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/witchfinders-data-accuracy-website/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/witchfinders-data-accuracy-website/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 12 Jun 2023 09:05:50 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Internship]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[internfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=366</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Hi! I’m Ruby and I’m a 3rd year undergraduate at the University of Edinburgh studying Computer Science. And I am the new Witchfinder General – Data Visualisation Intern and I am going to be continuing with the great work of the previous interns that have worked on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft project. So far, […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi! I’m Ruby and I’m a 3<sup>rd</sup> year undergraduate at the University of Edinburgh studying Computer Science. And I am the new Witchfinder General – Data Visualisation Intern and I am going to be continuing with the great work of the previous interns that have worked on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft project. So far, many amazing visualisations have been created and added to the website that make it a great educational resource that everyone can access.</p>
<p>These visualisations have been based on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft Database created by academics in the early 2000’s. Key information from this database has been uploaded to <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Main_Page">Wikidata</a>, allowing for this data to be more accessible to a large community, and has allowed editing and augmentation by members of the Wikidata community. Most visualisations on the website are creating using the data from Wikidata. Wikidata is part of the Wikimedia family, and is a free and open knowledge base composed of structured data that is used in Wikipedia and projects such as this one.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><div id="attachment_367" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-367" class="size-medium wp-image-367" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-300x225.jpg" alt="Familiarizing myself with the datasets and the current website" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-300x225.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-768x576.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1.jpg 2016w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-367" class="wp-caption-text">Familiarizing myself with the datasets and the current website</p></div></p>
<p><strong>My Goals for Working on this Project</strong></p>
<p>Since the data has been uploaded to Wikidata, it means there may be differences between the Wikidata and the orginal survey data due to the possibility of import errors and other users editing the data. It is important that we check that the data is all this accurate in order to prevent the spread of misinformation and to respect the original historical record, the historical events, what happened to these women, and the work of the researchers on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft. The intern previous to me, Claire Panella, developed a method using R Studio to find the entries that don’t match between Wikidata and the original Survey of Scottish Witches databases. She first completed checking the gender and then the names of the accused witches matched the Survey, from this it was discovered there was several anomalies. One of my roles while pursuing this internship is to continue this work of quality assuring the linked open data used in our website. This will be approached by using Claire’s methodology to check all the different variables displayed in the visualisations, then verifying what changes need made by consulting with academic expert colleagues before making any of the changes. This way we will know the information we are displaying is the most accurate version possible. Although, because this is historical data there are omissions and inexactitudes that by opening up the data to a public audience we hope to be able to further scrutinise and improve on what we know about this dark period of Scottish history.</p>
<p>Along with quality assuring the data I will be working on improving the <a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/">website</a> in order, with the aim of users being able to gain as much from the website as possible. This will in involve making some changes to the user interface in order to make it more accessible and usable by making it more user friendly and easier to navigate. Furthermore, adding any visualisations that we believe will provide insightful information to users of the website. For example, I had the idea of creating a heatmap to show the distribution of the accused witches across Scotland. Whilst working on the website, we will gather ideas and opinions from experts in all things Wiki and Witches!</p>
<p><strong>My First Week</strong></p>
<p>During my first week on this project, I dedicated my time to familiarizing myself with the datasets, which comprise a substantial database with over 3,000 entries. This extensive collection contains a wealth of information about each accused witch, their respective witch trials, and the overarching investigations into witchcraft. Consequently, there were many aspects to consider, and this gave me a lot to think about.</p>
<p>In order for me to effectively use <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Main_Page">Wikidata</a>, a platform I had limited knowledge about before starting this project, I engaged with various members of the Wikidata community. These individuals offered valuable advice and guidance as I begin navigate this project. In order to make the most of Wikidata’s capabilities, I devoted time to learning how to effectively utilize Sparql (a query language for databases) and Openrefine (an open-source tool specifically designed for working with untidy datasets).</p>
<p>Furthermore, this project has required the development of new skills to effectively manipulate the databases and improve the website. In this pursuit, I acquainted myself with R Studio, a programming language I had not previously worked with. I discovered that R Studio offers a user-friendly interface along with robust statistical and data analysis functionalities, making it a suitable choice of software for the project’s requirements. Additionally, I followed tutorials on Vue.js, the JavaScript framework employed for constructing the website.</p>
<p>Over the past year, interns previous to me have worked on a version 2 of the website with some changes made and extra visualisations added to the website. This version currently has not been made public. Over the course of my internship we hope to get this version to a completed stage and make this version public. To kickstart the process, I engaged in brainstorming sessions to generate ideas for the website. Subsequently, I organized and prioritized these ideas, ensuring a clear direction for the project.</p>
<p>I’m really excited to work on this project. As a Computer Science student, I have some experience with working with large datasets and creating data visualizations and working on web applications, and I am excited to be able to develop these skills. Meanwhile, getting to learn to learn a lot about this historic event and work on a great resource that can educate people on one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in Scottish History.<br />
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area"><br />
<time datetime="2023-06-12" itemprop="dateModified">Jun 12, 2023</time><br />
</span></p>
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<item>
<title>Finding Impossible Witches: Part One The Search Begins</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/finding-impossible-witches-part-one/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/finding-impossible-witches-part-one/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[cpanella]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 Apr 2023 15:38:47 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[claire panella]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[internfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[open data]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=351</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Inheriting the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft Project Hi! I’m Claire, a 4th year undergraduate studying International Relations with Quantitative Methods at the University of Edinburgh, and the latest in a long line of interns and others who’ve worked on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft project. The data involved in this project was originally compiled in […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><b><span data-contrast="none">Inheriting the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft Project</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">Hi! I’m Claire, a 4</span><span data-contrast="none">th</span><span data-contrast="none"> year undergraduate studying International Relations with Quantitative Methods at the University of Edinburgh, and the latest in a long line of interns and others who’ve worked on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft project. The data involved in this project was originally compiled in a Microsoft Access Database by academics in the early 2000’s. Since then, key information from the database has been added to Wikidata, allowing for greater accessibility as well as editing and augmentation by members of the Wikidata community. People have done lots of great things with this data, including </span><a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/"><span data-contrast="none">all the visualisations</span></a><span data-contrast="none"> put together by the previous data visualisation interns, but now that the data is stored across several different platforms, it’s important to make sure that these versions are reconciled. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">My role is to find the ‘Impossible Witches’; those entries which don’t m</span><span data-contrast="none">atch between Wikidata and the original Access database.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><div id="attachment_353" style="width: 566px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-353" class="wp-image-353" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/VideoCapture_20230405-124408-300x219.jpg" alt="" width="556" height="406" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/VideoCapture_20230405-124408-300x219.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/VideoCapture_20230405-124408-1024x747.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/VideoCapture_20230405-124408-768x560.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/VideoCapture_20230405-124408.jpg 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 556px) 100vw, 556px" /><p id="caption-attachment-353" class="wp-caption-text">Working away making my first comparisons in R. By Claire Panella, Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0</p></div></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none"> </span><b><span data-contrast="none">Checking against the database item by item</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">My initial approach to this was to use R to compare between csv files exported from the Access database, and csv files accessed by querying Wikidata. This required downloading both files, checking to make sure variable labels matched, combining the datasets, and isolating the cases where the information didn’t match iso I could look through and see where the issues were.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">For some features, like gender, a lot of information h</span><span data-contrast="none">as been added to Wikidata that isn’t present in the survey, but there are very few cases where </span><span data-contrast="none">Wikidata and the survey have conflicting information.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><div id="attachment_354" style="width: 554px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-354" class="wp-image-354" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/gender-anomalies-300x169.png" alt="" width="544" height="306" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/gender-anomalies-300x169.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/gender-anomalies.png 602w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px" /><p id="caption-attachment-354" class="wp-caption-text">Anomalies in Gender between Wikidata and the Survey</p></div></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">In others, like Name, the situation is a bit more complicated. Sometimes the spellings vary between Wikidata and the Survey – this could be for a few reasons, and to add to the complications, both data sources have multiple name categories – the survey includes both modern and historical first and last names, while Wikidata includes both an Item Identifier and aliases. I’ve also looked for exact matches between the text from each source, so some inconsistencies just have to do with capitalisation and spacing. Really, it’s impressive there are only 23 anomalies!</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><div id="attachment_352" style="width: 543px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-352" class="wp-image-352" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/name-anomalies-300x170.png" alt="" width="533" height="302" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/name-anomalies-300x170.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/name-anomalies.png 602w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px" /><p id="caption-attachment-352" class="wp-caption-text">Anomalies in Name between Wikidata and the Survey</p></div></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">My goal now is to come up with a solid procedure to check wikidata entri</span><span data-contrast="none">es against the survey so we can be sure we’re consistent and accurate in which data changes we keep. After that, I’ll work on a methodology to pass on to whomever the next ‘Witchfinder General’ is so that we can keep track of data changes as the project continues to grow and evolve. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">As I look for a method to continuously check for differences between the original survey data and the most up to date version of Wikidata, I’ve turned to the Wikidata community for help. Ewan reached out to his contacts, and I reached out via <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Project_chat">Project Chat</a> as well as a Slack channel for <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_LD4_Wikidata_Affinity_Group">libraries using Wikidata</a>. Different users have responded with various suggestions. One Wikidata user suggested a library I could use to efficiently link R with SPARQL queries, and some of Ewan’s contacts gave suggestions for the general workflow I could follow in creating a shareable methodology. One of the most helpful suggestions was that I use a tool called prompter, which would allow me to compare the results of a SPARQL query to a stable csv and store anomalies as a table on the Wikidata project page. While this looks like a great idea, it has led us to run into another of the common problems involved in working with Wikidata – not all of the tools are maintained. The </span><a href="https://prompter.toolforge.org/prompter"><span data-contrast="none">Prompter</span></a><span data-contrast="none"> tool was designed by the Every Politician Project, which was placed on indefinite pause in June 2019. This means that while the documentation for the tool still exists, it no longer works as a template in Wikidata. For me, this has been a valuable lesson on the pros and cons of working with a platform run and maintained by volunteers. Still, we are continuing to get great advice from Wikimedians around the world. A new goal of mine for the end of this project is to create a workable and well documented method that I can easily share, so I have something to give back to the community that has helped me so much throughout this project. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span><br />
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area"><br />
<time datetime="2023-04-05" itemprop="dateModified">Apr 5, 2023</time><br />
</span></p>
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<title>Weeks 9 and 10 – Sweeping the Cobwebs(ite)</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/weeks-9-and-10-cleaning-the-cobwebsite/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/weeks-9-and-10-cleaning-the-cobwebsite/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[jgarcia7]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 12 Aug 2022 15:44:34 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=330</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Site re-development – Filtering Witchcraft Hi, this is Josep again! We are currently in Week 10 of our internship, and time is starting to become a limiting factor. Since my last blog post in Week 4 a lot of things have been going on, and in this post I am going to be explaining how […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Site re-development – Filtering Witchcraft</h2>
<p>Hi, this is Josep again! We are currently in Week 10 of our internship, and time is starting to become a limiting factor. Since my last blog post in Week 4 a lot of things have been going on, and in this post I am going to be explaining how the plans I had back then have turned out, what I have managed to accomplish, and the things I still have left to do in the two remaining weeks.</p>
<p>In week 5, I implemented the new filtering algorithm, and everything went rather smoothly – although I had to change the whole data structure. I think this was a significant improvement, as things ran a bit faster, we only had to keep one copy of the array we use to plot, and the code was neater.</p>
<p>However, after that I then spent quite a few days implementing a way to share filter status data across pages, so that when the user changed pages they would have the same filters on as they had in the previous page. Nevertheless, in order to do this without a backend I had to hardcode the filters array into something called Vue Store (so that its state could be accessed from all pages).</p>
<p>The nature of this array meant that it had to change if the data in the database changed, so I would also need a dynamic check, and I thought it was fine because the data is not likely to change, and I had a dynamic check implement just in case it did. But when I pushed the code over for review, the rest of the team felt it was not ideal to have something both static and dynamic at the same time, which in hindsight I agreed with.</p>
<p>Then I thought I could build the list dynamically and then enter it into the Vue Store, but once I had that implemented I realised that that didn’t work because of caching we were doing (which is quite important because of loading time issues). Therefore, in the end we decided we would just not have the filters share across pages until we had a backend. Back then it was a bit difficult as I felt I had wasted quite a lot of time, but at the same time it was a valuable learning experience!</p>
<p>With the new filtering functionality done, I then started changing the filtering user interface to move it to the left of the page, and with the help of the rest of the team I think we managed to get a pretty neat, professional looking design. This is what it is looking like now:</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-332 aligncenter" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-2022-08-12-at-13.34.59-300x175.png" alt="" width="566" height="331" /></p>
<p>This was the last thing I did before leaving to Spain for holidays for a week.Right now, I have been back from holidays for a bit less than two weeks. In the time that I have been back, I have been working on developing a responsive timeline for the Leaflet Map pages and refactoring the code in order to be able to add more map pages with more filters very easy once Maggie has finished adding all the new data on to WikiData, which should be any time now.</p>
<p>Other than doing these two things, I was hoping to have time to add a backend in Python to process all the data after querying WikiData (as of now there is no backend and we do it in the front-end’s JavaScript) since we will have quite a lot of new data to process, and we are afraid the loading time will significantly increase. However, in the end it has been decided that I shouldn’t do the back end in Python since the team say that they can’t maintain a Python backend in the long term once I’m gone, as they work in PHP. I will try and have time to do the backend in PHP, but I would have to learn it from scratch and there are a lot more other bits and pieces that need doing!</p>
<h2>The Data Side of Things</h2>
<p>I was off for most of last week as I was in Turkey holidaying for a couple of days, but was back on Thursday for more data work! I finished processing the <strong>witches’ meeting places</strong> and <strong>what went down</strong> in these meetings, as well as the <strong>calendar customs </strong>that were mentioned in the witchcraft investigations. Looking at <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q112321273">Agnes Sampson’s investigation</a> page, you can see all the juicy new details we’ve fitted into the Wikidata data model from the Survey and processed using OpenRefine.</p>
<p>Speaking of OpenRefine, I am currently planning and scripting a little tutorial for users of the software or even future interns as I have really enjoyed how intuitive and helpful it’s been for this project. This should be recorded in the next week so keep your eyes peeled…</p>
<p>This week, I started off with doing some data cleaning. Previously, before we created case items for each witchcraft investigation, the <strong>shapeshifting</strong> and <strong>ritual objects</strong> data was added to the accused witches’ items. Some helpful Wikidatans saw this duplication and started deleting statements, so we decided we needed to clean this up to not cause confusion.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-336 aligncenter" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-300x111.png" alt="" width="586" height="217" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-300x111.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-1024x379.png 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-768x284.png 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-1536x568.png 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-1440x533.png 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339.png 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 586px) 100vw, 586px" /></p>
<p>Using the same Google sheet that was used to add the shapeshifting information, I used the handy “<em>Export to QuickStatements</em>” option to get all the edits into QuickStatements syntax. I did this as with QuickStatements, it’s easy to remove specific statements by <strong>prefixing</strong> a line with a <strong>minus sign. </strong></p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-337 aligncenter" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-113-e1660312198357-300x154.png" alt="" width="399" height="205" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-113-e1660312198357-300x154.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-113-e1660312198357-1024x526.png 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-113-e1660312198357-768x394.png 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-113-e1660312198357.png 1430w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 399px) 100vw, 399px" /></p>
<p>After this, I started to think about extracting the data added to Wikidata using the Wikidata Query Service. We have been in contact with Navino Evans, one of the co-founders of <a href="http://www.histropedia.com/">Histropedia</a>, to help us with the complex SPARQL query. <a href="https://query.wikidata.org/#SELECT%20distinct%20%3Fitem%20%3FitemLabel%20%3FinvestigationDate%0A%3FresidenceLabel%20%3FresidenceCoords%20%3FsexLabel%20%3Flink%20%3FoccupationLabel%20%3FsocialClassificationLabel%0A%3FplaceOfDeathLabel%20%3FplaceOfDeathCoords%20%3FmannerOfDeathLabel%20%3FdetentionLocationLabel%20%3FdetentionLocationCoords%0A%0A%23Newly%20added%0A%3Finvestigation%20%3FinvestigationStart%20%3FinvestigationEnd%0A%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FqualityWithQualifier%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3Fqualities%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FchargeWithQualifier%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3Fcharges%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FritualObjectLabel%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3FritualObjects%29%0A%0AWHERE%0A%7B%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP4478%20%3Fwitch%20.%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP551%20%3Fresidence%20.%0A%20%20%3Fresidence%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FresidenceCoords%20.%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP4478%20%3Flink%20.%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP21%20%3Fsex%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP106%20%3Foccupation%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP3716%20%3FsocialClassification%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP20%20%3FplaceOfDeath%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3FplaceOfDeath%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FplaceOfDeathCoords%20.%0A%20%20%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP1196%20%3FmannerOfDeath%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP2632%20%3FdetentionLocation%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3FdetentionLocation%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FdetentionLocationCoords%20.%0A%20%20%7D%0A%20%0A%20%20%23%20INVESTIGATION%0A%20%0A%20%20%23OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP793%20%3Finvestigation%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20wdt%3AP31%20wd%3AQ66458810%20%3B%20%23%20Tip%3A%20Use%20%3B%20to%20repeat%20%3Finvestigation%20again%20without%20having%20to%20write%20it%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20wdt%3AP580%7Cwdt%3AP585%20%3FinvestigationStart%20%3B%20%23%20Tip%3A%20Use%20%7C%20symbol%20to%20mean%20%22OR%22%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Finvestigation%20wdt%3AP582%20%3FinvestigationEnd%20%7D%0A%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Quality%20%28COPY%20THIS%20FOR%20MULTIPLE%20VALUE%2C%20WITH%20qualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20p%3AP1552%20%3FhasQualityNode%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20ps%3AP1552%20%3FhasQuality%20.%20%23%20main%20value%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%20%23%20%22including%22%20qualifier%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20pq%3AP1012%20%3FqualityIncluding%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FqualityIncluding%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FqualityIncludingLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FqualityIncludingLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQuality%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FhasQualityLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20BIND%28IF%28%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20BOUND%28%3FqualityIncludingLabel%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20CONCAT%28%3FhasQualityLabel%2C%22%20%28%22%2C%20%3FqualityIncludingLabel%2C%20%22%29%22%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20as%20%3FqualityWithQualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Charge%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20p%3AP1595%20%3FchargeNode%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FchargeNode%20ps%3AP1595%20%3Fcharge%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FchargeNode%20pq%3AP4675%20%3Fform%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Fform%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FformLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FformLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Fcharge%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FchargeLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FchargeLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20BIND%28IF%28%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20BOUND%28%3FformLabel%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20CONCAT%28%3FchargeLabel%2C%22%20%28%22%2C%20%3FformLabel%2C%20%22%29%22%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FchargeLabel%29%20as%20%3FchargeWithQualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Ritual%20object%20%28COPY%20THIS%20FOR%20MULTIPLE%20VALUE%2C%20but%20WITHOUT%20qualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20wdt%3AP8706%20%3FritualObject%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FritualObject%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FritualObjectLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FritualObjectLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%23%7D%0A%20%0A%20%20SERVICE%20wikibase%3Alabel%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20bd%3AserviceParam%20wikibase%3Alanguage%20%22%5BAUTO_LANGUAGE%5D%2Cen%22.%0A%20%20%20%0A%20%20%7D%0A%7D%0A%0AGROUP%20BY%20%3Fitem%20%3FitemLabel%20%3FinvestigationDate%20%3FresidenceLabel%20%3FresidenceCoords%20%3FsexLabel%20%3Flink%0A%3FoccupationLabel%20%3FsocialClassificationLabel%20%3FplaceOfDeathLabel%20%3FplaceOfDeathCoords%20%3FmannerOfDeathLabel%0A%3FdetentionLocationLabel%20%3FdetentionLocationCoords%20%3Finvestigation%20%3FinvestigationStart%20%3FinvestigationEnd">This</a> was the working example he sent us, and I used this example to try my hand at adding <strong>calendar customs</strong> and <strong>witches’ meeting places </strong>to the query (the data I added recently), with this <a href="https://query.wikidata.org/#SELECT%20distinct%20%3Fitem%20%3FitemLabel%20%3FinvestigationDate%0A%3FresidenceLabel%20%3FresidenceCoords%20%3FsexLabel%20%3Flink%20%3FoccupationLabel%20%3FsocialClassificationLabel%0A%3FplaceOfDeathLabel%20%3FplaceOfDeathCoords%20%3FmannerOfDeathLabel%20%3FdetentionLocationLabel%20%3FdetentionLocationCoords%0A%0A%23Newly%20added%0A%3Finvestigation%20%3FinvestigationStart%20%3FinvestigationEnd%0A%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FqualityWithQualifier%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3Fqualities%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FchargeWithQualifier%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3Fcharges%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FritualObjectLabel%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3FritualObjects%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FcalendarCustomsLabel%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3FcalendarCustoms%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FqualityWithLocation%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3FmeetingPlaces%29%20%0A%0AWHERE%0A%7B%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP4478%20%3Fwitch%20.%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP551%20%3Fresidence%20.%0A%20%20%3Fresidence%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FresidenceCoords%20.%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP4478%20%3Flink%20.%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP21%20%3Fsex%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP106%20%3Foccupation%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP3716%20%3FsocialClassification%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP20%20%3FplaceOfDeath%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3FplaceOfDeath%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FplaceOfDeathCoords%20.%0A%20%20%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP1196%20%3FmannerOfDeath%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP2632%20%3FdetentionLocation%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3FdetentionLocation%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FdetentionLocationCoords%20.%0A%20%20%7D%0A%20%0A%20%20%23%20INVESTIGATION%0A%20%0A%20%20%23OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP793%20%3Finvestigation%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20wdt%3AP31%20wd%3AQ66458810%20%3B%20%23%20Tip%3A%20Use%20%3B%20to%20repeat%20%3Finvestigation%20again%20without%20having%20to%20write%20it%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20wdt%3AP580%7Cwdt%3AP585%20%3FinvestigationStart%20%3B%20%23%20Tip%3A%20Use%20%7C%20symbol%20to%20mean%20%22OR%22%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Finvestigation%20wdt%3AP582%20%3FinvestigationEnd%20%7D%0A%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Quality%20%28COPY%20THIS%20FOR%20MULTIPLE%20VALUE%2C%20WITH%20qualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20p%3AP1552%20%3FhasQualityNode%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20ps%3AP1552%20%3FhasQuality%20.%20%23%20main%20value%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%20%23%20%22including%22%20qualifier%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20pq%3AP1012%20%3FqualityIncluding%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FqualityIncluding%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FqualityIncludingLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FqualityIncludingLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQuality%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FhasQualityLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20BIND%28IF%28%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20BOUND%28%3FqualityIncludingLabel%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20CONCAT%28%3FhasQualityLabel%2C%22%20%28%22%2C%20%3FqualityIncludingLabel%2C%20%22%29%22%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20as%20%3FqualityWithQualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Location%20%28COPY%20THIS%20FOR%20MULTIPLE%20VALUE%2C%20WITH%20qualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20p%3AP1552%20%3FhasQualityNode%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20ps%3AP1552%20%3FhasQuality%20.%20%23%20main%20value%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%7B%20%20%23%20%22location%22%20qualifier%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20pq%3AP276%20%3FqualityLocation%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FqualityLocation%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FqualityLocationLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FqualityLocationLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQuality%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FhasQualityLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20BIND%28IF%28%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20BOUND%28%3FqualityLocationLabel%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20CONCAT%28%3FhasQualityLabel%2C%22%20%28%22%2C%20%3FqualityLocationLabel%2C%20%22%29%22%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20as%20%3FqualityWithLocation%29%0A%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Charge%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20p%3AP1595%20%3FchargeNode%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FchargeNode%20ps%3AP1595%20%3Fcharge%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%2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<p> </p>
<p> <br />
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area"><br />
<time datetime="2022-08-12" itemprop="dateModified">Aug 12, 2022</time><br />
</span></p>
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<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ewan McAndrew]]></dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[This post is the second written by LLB student Dervla Craig who has worked as our Information and Data Literacy intern this Summer researching and preparing a National Lottery Heritage Fund bid to preserve, and raise public engagement with, the accused witches of Scotland as an important part of Scotland’s heritage. As I sit to […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>This post is the second written by LLB student Dervla Craig who has worked as our Information and Data Literacy intern this Summer researching and preparing a National Lottery Heritage Fund bid to preserve, and raise public engagement with, the accused witches of Scotland as an important part of Scotland’s heritage.</strong></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">As I sit to write this blog post, my twelve-week internship is rapidly drawing to a close. How the time has flown! I have learned and achieved so much this summer, and it seems only appropriate that I reflect on and share what this experience has taught me through another blog post. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Since my first blog (</span><a href="https://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/preserving-scottish-heritage/"><span data-contrast="none">Preserving Scottish Heritage: The Accused Witches of Scotland</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">), my research and bid-writing have taken me down many different avenues. The more familiar I became with the past, however, the more questions arose about the present. Why is there still no appropriate memorial to the accused in Edinburgh? Does stigma still exist surrounding these persecuted individuals? How can we at the University best preserve and promote the individual stories of the accused and make sure they are not forgotten to history? Exploring these questions was extremely important for me in ensuring that I understood the context in which the bid lives and the landscape we would be entering with this project. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In my search for answers to these questions, two main areas stuck out to me as requiring more work and attention to make sure the real, human stories of those accused of witchcraft are protected and valued now and into the future: increasing awareness, education, and understanding of the Scottish witch trials, and appropriately memorialising the victims who were accused, tortured and executed. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<div id="attachment_1634" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Witches-and-Witchcraft.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1634" class="size-large wp-image-1634" src="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Witches-and-Witchcraft-941x1024.jpg" alt="Information board about "Witches and Witchcraft" at the National Museum of Scotland. Pic by Ewan McAndrew, CC-BY-SA" width="629" height="684" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1634" class="wp-caption-text">Information board about “Witches and Witchcraft” at the National Museum of Scotland. Pic by Ewan McAndrew, CC-BY-SA</p></div>
<h2><b><span data-contrast="auto">Education on the Scottish Witch Trials</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">My line manager, Ewan McAndrew, and I have spent the last few weeks consulting with various organisations in an effort to realise the full potential of our bid. One area we explored was how we at the University, as a teaching and learning institution, could help facilitate education on the Scottish witch trials and use our accused witches’ dataset to combat negative perceptions of the accused exacerbated by entertainment-driven media portrayals. I researched the </span><a href="https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/curriculum-in-scotland/"><span data-contrast="none">Curriculum in Scotland </span></a><span data-contrast="auto">for secondary schools and was surprised to find that whilst adjacent topics such as King James VI and the Protestant Reformation are covered in detail, the witch trials themselves are largely overlooked. We also spoke with Jo Spiller and Judy Robertson from the University about their work on data education in schools and how our dataset could be a valuable resource. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">A huge opportunity for progress in this area came in week eight, when we visited the National Museum of Scotland to meet with Anna Groundwater, the Principal Curator of Renaissance and Early Modern History, Scottish History and Archaeology. She showed us the current witchcraft exhibit, which has remained unchanged for the twenty-seven years it has been on display, and discussed what updates could be made to accurately reflect the research that has taken place in the years since and modern attitudes towards the study of witchcraft and the witch trials. We also had a great conversation about promoting education on this dark period of Scottish history and how we can engage a wider audience with this heritage. This was my first professional meeting, and I am happy to report that it went very well. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p>
<div id="attachment_1635" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Witches_Well.jpg"><img decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1635" class="size-large wp-image-1635" src="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Witches_Well-1024x549.jpg" alt="Inscription plaque at the Witches Well memorial on Castlehill, Edinburgh. " width="629" height="337" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1635" class="wp-caption-text">Inscription plaque at the Witches Well memorial on Castlehill, Edinburgh. Pic by (Lila), CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons</p></div>
<h2><b><span data-contrast="auto">The issue of memorialisation</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">For centuries after the Scottish witch trials, sympathy for the accused was often seen as sympathy for the Devil and as such, there was not much research into the lives of those who were charged with the crime of witchcraft. Whilst modern attitudes have shifted to a more empathetic approach, the issue of memorialisation is still one of great controversy. </span><span data-contrast="none">The only memorial which stands in Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh is the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witches%27_Well,_Edinburgh">Witches’ Well</a> on Castle Hill, which is hidden away and has a problematic inscription that has been criticised for its historical inaccuracy and contention that while ‘<em>some used their exceptional knowledge for evil purposes while others were misunderstood and wished their kind nothing but good</em>‘. This assumption that those accused did indeed have supernatural abilities and that the brutality of the Scottish witch hunts was in any way justifiable is extremely harmful to the memory of the innocent people (85% of whom were women) that possessed no such powers but who were tortured and executed for being ‘witches’. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">The <a href="https://www.witchesofscotland.com/">Witches of Scotland</a> campaign group have long been advocating for a national memorial to the accused which would honour the victims in an appropriate way, and have even created a new, highly symbolic </span><a href="https://www.witchesofscotland.com/tartan"><span data-contrast="none">Tartan </span></a><span data-contrast="none"> pattern to honour the victims and act as a living memorial to them. (They also released a </span><a href="https://www.witchesofscotland.com/book"><span data-contrast="none">Book</span></a><span data-contrast="none"> called </span><i><span data-contrast="none">How to Kill a Witch: A Guide to the Patriarchy </span></i><span data-contrast="none">which is a brilliant read and mentions the University’s </span><a href="https://witches.hca.ed.ac.uk/"><span data-contrast="none">The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft</span></a><span data-contrast="auto"> – I highly recommend putting it at the top of your reading list). In our consultations with various organisations, the issue of appropriately memorialising the accused was one which was met with much interest and enthusiasm, and it seems that a place to go and pay our solemn respects to those whose lives were unjustly taken is something that would largely be supported and welcomed in Edinburgh.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><b><span data-contrast="auto">Final Thoughts</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Although there is much more work to be done in ensuring that the stories of the individuals who were accused of witchcraft are understood and remembered with accuracy and empathy, an appetite undoubtably exists for promoting these stories and memorialising these individuals in an appropriate and meaningful way. It is within this context that we will be submitting our bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund with the aim of establishing an open license, publicly accessible resource containing all known information on Scotland’s accused witches that can be used by researchers, historians, authors, artists, teachers, students and so many other groups to support work in and beyond the education and heritage sectors. Alongside this, we plan to run a programme of public engagement events to facilitate the public’s active participation with the data and stories of the accused. Further than simply historical education, we will encourage cultural reflection on themes such as women’s rights and the scapegoating of marginalised groups that permeate not just our past, but also our present. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">There is much we as a society can learn from this dark period of Scottish history, and I am hopeful that our bid, if successful, will support future research and work on the Scottish witch trials and bring awareness to the real stories behind the 3837 Scottish people, mostly women, who were accused of and in many cases executed for crimes they simply did not commit. I have been greatly moved by not just the deaths, but the lives of these individuals and am so grateful to have played a role this summer in preserving their memory for generations to come. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<div id="attachment_1636" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Woodcut.jpg"><img decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1636" class="size-large wp-image-1636" src="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Woodcut-1024x747.jpg" alt="Woodcut from the Newes of Scotland pamphlet depicting suspected witches from North Berwick as they are threatened with a beating as they appear before two Scottish magistrates." width="629" height="459" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1636" class="wp-caption-text">Woodcut on display at the National Museum of Scotland from the Newes of Scotland pamphlet depicting suspected witches from North Berwick as they are threatened with a beating as they appear before two Scottish magistrates. Pic by Ewan McAndrew, CC-BY-SA</p></div>
<p><strong>NB: Dervla has done so well over the last twelve weeks that she is continuing in post (part-time) during her studies this year.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Ps. You can catch the Edinburgh Book festival talk, <a href="https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on/claire-mitchell-and-zoe-venditozzi-women-not-witches"><em>Women not Witches</em>,</a> by Claire and Zoe of the Witches of Scotland at the Book Festival website.</strong></p>
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area">
<time datetime="2025-10-07" itemprop="dateModified">Oct 7, 2025</time>
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<title>Preserving Scottish Heritage: The Accused Witches of Scotland</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/preserving-scottish-heritage-the-accused-witches-of-scotland/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/preserving-scottish-heritage-the-accused-witches-of-scotland/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ewan McAndrew]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 18:23:19 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Internship]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[access]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[accessibility]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[data science]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[data skills]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dervla craig]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[digital]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dsdt-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dsdtfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[emma carroll]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[environment]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[heritage]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[history]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[inclusion]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[julian goodare]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[national lottery]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[open access]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[participation]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[schools]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[sustainability]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[wikipedia]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[witch trials]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witchcraft]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=471</guid>
<description><![CDATA[This post was written by LLB student Dervla Craig on her first month as Information and Data Literacy intern this Summer. My name is Dervla and I am going into my second year of the Graduate LLB at the University of Edinburgh. This summer I am doing a 12-week internship with the University’s Information Services […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>This post was written by LLB student Dervla Craig on her first month as Information and Data Literacy intern this Summer.</strong></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">My name is Dervla and I am going into my second year of the Graduate LLB at the University of Edinburgh. This summer I am doing a 12-week internship with the University’s <a href="https://information-services.ed.ac.uk/">Information Services Group (ISG)</a> on one of the most fascinating projects I have ever had the opportunity to be a part of: <a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/">the Accused Witches of Scotland project</a>.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">I am one of a long line of interns who has been involved in this project each year since 2019, which aims to commemorate and spread awareness about those who were persecuted as witches in Scotland during the 16th to 18th centuries. While previous interns have primarily been focused on processing and importing data from the University’s landmark </span><a href="https://witches.hca.ed.ac.uk/faq/"><span data-contrast="none">The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft</span></a><span data-contrast="auto"> database (2003) into <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_Scotland%27s_Accused_Witches">Wikidata</a> and created our </span><a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/"><span data-contrast="none">witches</span></a><span data-contrast="auto"> website with new map and timeline visualisations, this year my role looks a bit different.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">My remit for the 12 weeks is to prepare a bid to the <a href="https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/">National Lottery Heritage Fund</a> to secure funding for what we hope can be the next phase of the project. Our goal is to preserve the accused witches’ data in the long-term and ensure that people can connect with and participate in this heritage now and in the future. As it has come to the end of my first month, I wanted to join the tradition of blogging about my internship experience so far.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<h3><span data-contrast="none">Getting to know the individual stories of the accused</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"335559738":160,"335559739":80}"> </span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">My first week was spent diving down the rabbit hole to explore all there is to learn about the Scottish witch trials. If you had asked me to describe an accused witch before this week, I would’ve told you they wore a pointy hat and flew around on a broomstick. I couldn’t have been more wrong! Now when I picture these women, they look like my mother, or my grandmother, or me. They were ordinary people who suffered an egregious injustice, and I was extremely moved when learning about their stories.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Some of the most valuable tools for my research included </span><a href="https://witches.hca.ed.ac.uk/faq/"><span data-contrast="none">The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">, created by Julian Goodare, a history professor at the University of Edinburgh, and his team in the late 90’s, and the <a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/">interactive </a></span><span data-contrast="none">witches</span><span data-contrast="auto"> map resource created by Emma Carroll, a geography student and our former Data Visualisation intern, and our late developer colleague Richard Lawson in September 2019. The Survey made use of the historic records of all the accused witches in Scotland between 1563 – 1736 and organised the details into a MS Access 1997 database, and our new 2019 map brings this data to life in a new and engaging way through importing the data into Wikipedia’s sister project, Wikidata, as linked open machine-readable data.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Learning about the great work that has been done previously definitely made me realise I have a lot to live up to but also motivated me to give it my all in the next twelve weeks and hopefully produce an end result that meets the standards of my predecessors.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<h3><span data-contrast="none">Writing a National Lottery Heritage Fund bid</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"335559738":160,"335559739":80}"> </span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The next thing to familiarise myself with before I could dive into my writing was the bid itself. I spent a few days combing through the NLHF website to understand what it is they are looking for and how our project fits those needs. By getting to know my audience, I could ensure that my writing was intriguing, evidence-based and persuasive. I quickly found out that before submitting the 10,000-word application, I must submit a 1000-word ‘Expression of Interest’. This EoI asks questions about the heritage of the project, what our project aims to achieve, and why it is needed now. At this point, I felt I could write a dissertation for each of these questions, so the tight word count was my biggest enemy. I had lots of help from some lovely colleagues who offered their feedback and advice, including the Project Director of the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft, Professor Julian Goodare. After many tweaks and a few redrafts, I am happy to say at the end of week four that the EoI is pretty much ready to go.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<h3><span data-contrast="none">Exploring avenues for community engagement</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"335559738":160,"335559739":80}"> </span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Alongside writing, writing and more writing, I have also been brainstorming ideas for the community engagement side of our project. There have been so many great ideas by the team which have led to interesting and helpful discussions with different people and organisations, including the National Museum of Scotland, Reforesting Scotland, and some really talented artists. Excitingly, most of the responses we have received have been positive and enthusiastic. In the upcoming weeks, I hope to visit some of these places and see firsthand the primary sources from the witch trials.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<h4><span data-contrast="none">Workshops and all-staff events</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"335559738":160,"335559739":80}"> </span></h4>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Another educational and fun aspect of my experience so far, outside of my bid writing role, has been the plethora of events hosted by ISG. In the past month I have taken part in ‘intern welcome’ socials, Wikipedia writing workshops and even a workshop on an introduction to blogging! Alongside these, I have also attended two all-staff events, one for all Information Services Group (ISG) staff and one for the Learning, Teaching and Web (LTW) division. Not only have I learned so much about the behind-the-scenes and the people who have made my studies possible for the past five years, but these events have also been an opportunity to get to know more of my colleagues and socialise with other interns. At ISG there is a strong emphasis on having a healthy work-life balance and making sure that you and those around you have what you need to produce your best work.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<div id="attachment_473" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-473" class="size-medium wp-image-473" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2025/07/Window-300x234.png" alt="View of Edinburgh Castle from Floor K, Argyle House." width="300" height="234" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2025/07/Window-300x234.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2025/07/Window.png 363w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-473" class="wp-caption-text">View of Edinburgh Castle from Floor K, Argyle House. CC-BY-SA by Dervla Craig.</p></div>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In conclusion, I have had an amazing first month as an intern with the University of Edinburgh. I have learned a lot, met new people, and pushed myself outside of my comfort zone. Plus the amazing view of Edinburgh Castle from Floor K has been a real motivator to work from the office and not from home! I am nothing but hopeful that the next eight weeks will be even more exciting and productive, and that I can blog again soon with positive updates!</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">P.S. If you haven’t already, definitely visit <a href="https://witches.hca.ed.ac.uk/">The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft</a> and the <a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/">Map of Accused Witches in Scotland</a> websites! They are both amazing (and important) educational resources that I could browse for hours (and have).</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
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<time datetime="2025-07-11" itemprop="dateModified">Jul 11, 2025</time>
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<title>The Final Countdown: New Features and Nuxt 3 Upgrade</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/the-final-countdown/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/the-final-countdown/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Thu, 03 Oct 2024 10:03:55 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Student]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikimania]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=455</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Since I last wrote after I returned from Wikimania, I have been working on getting version 2.0 of the website up to scratch! The new version of the website is set to launch this October, which meant there was a lot to get done before then.Firstly, the website framework was due for an upgrade from […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Since I last wrote after I returned from Wikimania, I have been working on getting version 2.0 of the website up to scratch! The new version of the website is set to launch this October, which meant there was a lot to get done before then.<br />Firstly, the website framework was due for an upgrade from Nuxt 2 to Nuxt 3. Nuxt is a javascript web development framework based on Vue.js, designed to make it easier to build fast and dynamic websites by handling much of the configuration and setup for developers. This upgrade was crucial for the website’s longevity and security, making it a top priority. This was something I had never done before, so I was a bit apprehensive. This did end up being quite a long challenging task as lots of the packages used in the website were not compatible with Nuxt 3 meaning I had to do quite a lot of problem solving and research to find new packages which could provide the same functionality and have a similar user interface. I learnt a lot from this process and had to be quite patient because at times I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to get everything working, – for example the clustering of markers on the map – but after lots of trial and error and research I found a solution and felt proud of myself.</p>
<p><br />We also worked on some exciting new pages:</p>
<p><br /><strong>Map of Memorials & Sites of Interest:</strong> This is an interactive map showcasing memorials across Scotland dedicated to those who suffered during the witch trials, along with other sites of interest such as execution sites, prisons, meeting places, and museums with witchcraft displays. The purpose of this map is to document how the witch trials have been memorialised over time, and increasingly in recent years, and to provide people interested in the Scottish witch trials with locations they can visit.</p>
<p><br />This project involved an initial research period carried out by Ewan McAndrew, Ellie Whitehead and myself. We sought to identify memorial locations to include by reading books, searching the internet, and having discussions with Professor Julian Goodare. During these discussions, it became clear that several monuments are not based on actual historical events. For example, the Maggie Wall monument in Dunning—there is no evidence that Maggie Wall existed or was executed as a witch. However, we still found locations like this of interest in understanding how stories of witchcraft have been passed down through generations.</p>
<p><br />To differentiate between various types of sites, we created three categories: memorials, sites of interest, and tourist attractions. This allowed us to classify each location appropriately. After the research stage, we created Wikidata items for each location, adding any available images from Wikimedia Commons, coordinate locations, links to external websites, and street addresses. This data was then used to query and display these locations on a new webpage, where they are plotted on a map. <br />To provide further information to users, Ellie Whitehead wrote descriptions for each location in the database, explaining how the site is connected to the Scottish Witch Trials and addressing any misconceptions about historic fact vs folklore.<br /><br />Once we had collated all the information needed and created all Wikidata items I developed the website page and Stewart Cromar created new icons from the same woodcut of the North Berwick witches that the original icons are from.<br /><br /></p>
<div id="attachment_458" style="width: 321px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-458" class=" wp-image-458" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/intro-300x241.jpg" alt="North Berwick Witches Woodcut- Newes from Scotland" width="311" height="250" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/intro-300x241.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/intro.jpg 747w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 311px) 100vw, 311px" /><p id="caption-attachment-458" class="wp-caption-text">North Berwick Witches Woodcut – Newes from Scotland</p></div>
<p><br />This was a particularly rewarding page to create, as it involved multiple stages, including research, brainstorming ideas, designing the interface, and development. The result is a page I believe users will love, and that I feel proud of, as I believe it helps represents how the injustice of the Scottish Witch Trials has been commemorated across Scotland.</p>
<div id="attachment_459" style="width: 484px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-459" class=" wp-image-459" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-300x136.png" alt="Current Design of Memorials Page" width="474" height="215" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-300x136.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-1024x463.png 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-768x347.png 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-1536x694.png 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-1440x651.png 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page.png 1917w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px" /><p id="caption-attachment-459" class="wp-caption-text">Memorials Page</p></div>
<p><br /><strong>Further Reading:</strong> A list of books, journals, and articles recommended by Professor Julian Goodare (director of the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft) and Ellie Whitehead for those who wanted to learn more about the Scottish witch trials. Links are provided on where they can be accessed.</p>
<p><br /><strong>Glossary:</strong> A glossary containing terms used across the website, along with their meanings, was created to help users understand specialized vocabulary, as the filter lists may include terms that are not commonly known. We wanted users to have an easy way to discover the contextual meanings to get the most out of the website. Ellie Whitehead used the glossary from the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft as a base, then added any additional terms from the filters that might not have an obvious meaning. After she compiled the list of terms and definitions, I created the web page. We decided it would be helpful if the list could be sorted either alphabetically or by category, making it easier for users to find terms.</p>
<div id="attachment_460" style="width: 445px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-460" class=" wp-image-460" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-300x133.png" alt="Glossary Page" width="435" height="193" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-300x133.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-1024x455.png 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-768x341.png 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-1536x682.png 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-1440x640.png 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary.png 1916w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 435px) 100vw, 435px" /><p id="caption-attachment-460" class="wp-caption-text">Glossary Page</p></div>
<p><br /><strong>Introduction to Scottish Witchcraft:</strong> A page offering contextual information on the Scottish witchcraft trials to help users understand the historical background and significance of these events. We decided to include a video of Professor Julian Goodare for users who find it easier to learn from video content or those looking for more information, and who better to learn from than the creator of the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft himself!<br />Initially, we planned to create a short, 5-minute general introduction to Scottish witchcraft. However, but given Julian’s incredible wealth of knowledge, we asked him additional questions we thought people would be most interested in, resulting in more videos about the Scottish Witch Trials and the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft to add to the website.<br />We recorded these videos in the University of Edinburgh’s Media Studio at Argyle House. I thoroughly enjoyed using this space, as it allowed us to create professional-quality videos. The studio is fully equipped with tools like a teleprompter, TV backdrop, light boxes, a microphone, and, of course, a camera.</p>
<div id="attachment_461" style="width: 410px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-461" class=" wp-image-461" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-300x135.jpeg" alt="Media Studio" width="400" height="180" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-300x135.jpeg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-1024x461.jpeg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-768x346.jpeg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-1536x692.jpeg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-1440x649.jpeg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media.jpeg 2016w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /><p id="caption-attachment-461" class="wp-caption-text">Media Studio</p></div>
<p><br />Currently these new pages and upgrade are getting reviewed by web developer Andrew Millington before getting deployed to the site in order to make sure that the code is maintainable, working as intended, and a user friendly interface. Once these have been reviewed and all issues that come up resolved then the website will be ready for it’s version 2 launch!! <span data-teams="true"><span class="ui-provider a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak" dir="ltr">I’m really excited for this to go live so everyone can see all the work mentioned (above) that I’ve been working on for the last year and all the previous interns’ work too!</span></span></p>
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<time datetime="2024-10-03" itemprop="dateModified">Oct 3, 2024</time>
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<title>Wikimania 2024: A Conference of Collaboration, Learning and Culture</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/#comments</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 19 Aug 2024 09:34:24 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Conference]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Student]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikimania]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=424</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ On July 15th I returned as ‘Witchfinder General’ – Data Visualisation Intern for another 3 months of working on the Map of Scottish Accused Witches of Project. We are now 4 weeks in and I have lots to share.I went to my first ever conference – Wikimania! Wikimania is an annual conference hosted by […]]]></description>
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<p>On July 15th I returned as ‘Witchfinder General’ – Data Visualisation Intern for another 3 months of working on the Map of Scottish Accused Witches of Project. We are now 4 weeks in and I have lots to share.<br /><br />I went to my first ever conference – <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikimania">Wikimania</a>! Wikimania is an annual conference hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, including presentations and discussions on Wikimedia projects such as Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons. This year it was held in Katowice, Poland. I went with my manager Ewan McAndrew to give a presentation on Student engagement with openness. Ewan spoke about examples of all the Wikimedia related student projects he has run at the University of Edinburgh and then I spoke about the work we have done on this project.<br /><br /><a href="https://wikimania.eventyay.com/2024/talk/FALUVE/">Find out more about our presentation here!</a> <br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/wLgxZTcjhjY?si=POQvnW26tqevogTD&t=7920">Watch the presentation here.</a> <br /><br />Before going, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the conference. In my mind, a conference seemed like a very formal event, which I thought might make me feel a bit out of place. However, as soon as I arrived, I found a relaxed and open atmosphere with a diverse group of people. From volunteers to software developers, people who work for the Wikimedia Foundation to those who edit Wikipedia in their free time, there was a wide range of interests, passions, careers, ages, and nationalities present. This diversity created a warm and accepting environment that made open discussion comfortable. I was initially apprehensive about my presentation, as public speaking is something that scares me a little, but that made the achievement feel even greater.<br /><br />Along with giving the presentation I also got to attend lots of interesting talks and panel discussions. These covered lots of topics including the future of AI within the Wikipedia movement, facing the gender imbalance on Wikipedia, open data and the climate crisis, Wikipedia in education and even more. I think the standout for me was some of the AI discussions, thinking about how the Wikimedia movement could use AI but also the risks that would come along with them. Each session was really interesting and eye opening and great to hear views from people from all over the world. Throughout the conference I got to hear about all the different work that goes on in the Wikimedia movement.</p>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/wikimania_katowice_2024_-_opening_ceremony_wikimedian_of_the_year_awards_32/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="200" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Wikimania_Katowice_2024_-_Opening_Ceremony_Wikimedian_of_the_Year_Awards_32-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Marching Band at Wikimania Opening Ceremony" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Wikimania_Katowice_2024_-_Opening_Ceremony_Wikimedian_of_the_Year_Awards_32-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Wikimania_Katowice_2024_-_Opening_Ceremony_Wikimedian_of_the_Year_Awards_32-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Wikimania_Katowice_2024_-_Opening_Ceremony_Wikimedian_of_the_Year_Awards_32-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Wikimania_Katowice_2024_-_Opening_Ceremony_Wikimedian_of_the_Year_Awards_32.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/1024px-wikimania_katowice_2024_ksp_005/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="200" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/1024px-Wikimania_Katowice_2024_KsP_005-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Wikimania Entrance" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/1024px-Wikimania_Katowice_2024_KsP_005-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/1024px-Wikimania_Katowice_2024_KsP_005-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/1024px-Wikimania_Katowice_2024_KsP_005.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="201" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c-e1724058923544-300x201.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Wikimania Opening Ceremony" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c-e1724058923544-300x201.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c-e1724058923544-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c-e1724058923544-768x513.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c-e1724058923544.jpg 1306w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6316/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Pottery Painting at Wikimania" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6326/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Traditional Polish Choir" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6565/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Lighting Talk at Wikimania" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<p><br /><br />Not only were there many interesting sessions, the conference also included lots of entertainment – an opening ceremony with a Polish marching band and awards for the standout Wikimedians presented by Jimmy Wales (the founder of Wikipedia), a pottery painting class where we got to paint our own mug. I really enjoyed this activity. It was a lovely calming moment in a busy conference. There was also a performance from a traditional Polish choir, and a closing ceremony with a performance from the Wiki Orchestra , a group of talented musicians from the Wikimedia community playing a beautiful piece by Chopin. Then to finish a closing party in the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra with Wikimedians mingling and dancing to celebrate the end of a successful 4 day conference full of collaboration, learning, and cultural exchange.</p>
<p><br />During my free time, I also explored Katowice. I visited the Silesian Museum (An old mine that had since been repurposed), walked around appreciating the city’s architecture, and tried local cuisine such as Polish dumplings (called pierogies). They were delicious! On my way back, I flew out of Krakow, so I got to see some of that city as well, taking a walk around the old town, visiting the castle, strolling along the river, and exploring the Jewish quarter. It was exciting being able to explore and learn about both these cities that I hadn’t visited before.</p>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6400/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Silesian Museum" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6518/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Panteon Górnośląski w Katowicach" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6544/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Garrison Church" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6552/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Buildings in Katowice on Juliusxa Slowackiego" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6609/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Horse and Carriage in Krakow" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6621/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="St Mary's Basilica, Krakow" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<p><br /><br />Now back in Edinburgh with lots of work to continue, I’m reflecting on what was an enriching experience for which I am very grateful. I’m proud to have presented at an international conference, which will definitely boost my confidence. It was inspiring to see the variety of work happening within the Wikimedia community, such as the resilience of the Ukrainian community during the ongoing war. The conference felt like a community that was excited to meet and learn from one another and I’m glad to have been part of it.<br /><br /></p>
<div id="attachment_450" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-450" class="wp-image-450 size-large" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media-1024x1024.jpeg" alt="Wikimania 2024 Group Photo" width="740" height="740" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media-1024x1024.jpeg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media-300x300.jpeg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media-150x150.jpeg 150w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media-768x768.jpeg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media.jpeg 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><p id="caption-attachment-450" class="wp-caption-text">Wikimania 2024 Group Photo</p></div>
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<time datetime="2024-08-19" itemprop="dateModified">Aug 19, 2024</time>
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<title>Remembering Scotland’s Accused Witches: Books, Plays and Memorials</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/internship-wrap-up/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/internship-wrap-up/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 25 Aug 2023 15:55:59 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[internfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=402</guid>
<description><![CDATA[I am writing this blog post on the final day of my internship. The 12 weeks have flown by! Over this period, a lot of progress has been made to the new version of the site. This has consisted of:• Quality checking the data by comparing the data from the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft to […]]]></description>
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<p style="text-align: left">I am writing this blog post on the final day of my internship. The 12 weeks have flown by! Over this period, a lot of progress has been made to the new version of the site.</p>
<p style="text-align: left"><br />This has consisted of:<br />• Quality checking the data by comparing the data from the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft to the data on Wikidata.<br />• Making improvements and getting rid of bugs on the website .<br />• User testing sessions.</p>
<p style="text-align: left"><br />You can read more about these in the previous blog posts. However, there is still progress to be made so I am going to continue to work on this project one day a week when I return to university in September! This will allow us to make sure we are fully confident with the data being used and the happy with the content of the website before releasing the new version of the website. The new version of the website includes lots of exciting new information and features such as accusations of shapeshifting and ritual objects plotted on a filterable map, custom timeline searches, a <a href="http://www.histropedia.com/">Histropedia</a> timeline where you can do name searches and filtering by age of accused and a new historic map layer using <a href="https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=10.6&lat=55.91496&lon=-3.36726&layers=125140579&b=1">the 1750 Dorret georeferenced map from National Library of Scotland</a>.</p>
<p>If you want to find out more about what I’ve been working on watch this video below:</p>
<iframe loading="lazy" src="about:blank" data-bs-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DKwfk7mgxk0?feature=oembed" width="660" height="544" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Over the past 2 weeks I’ve had the opportunity to attend interesting witch related events at the Edinburgh festivals. I went to a talk at Edinburgh International Book Festival with the authors Mairi Kidd (<a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/we-are-all-witches/mairi-kidd/9781785304132">We Are All Witches</a> ) and Allyson Shaw (<a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/ashes-and-stones/allyson-shaw/9781529395457">Ashes and Stone</a>) who have written books about the accused witches of Scotland which they discussed in this talk. “We Are All Witches” tells fictionalised accounts of 16 of the accused witches based on the information available and “Ashes and Stones” follows the authors journey visiting memorials of the accused witches around Scotland. This highlighted the importance and relevance of telling the individual stories and the memorialisation of those who suffered.</p>
<p>With my manager I also went to see a play at the fringe called <a href="https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/prick">Prick</a>, which told the stories of some of the executed women accused of witchcraft including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isobel_Gowdie">Issobell Gowdie</a>. These were both really inspiring, emotional and evocative events. I think after spending so long working with the data you begin to forget that these were real people and not just entries on a database, I was really reminded of how horrific, unjust and inhumane the trials and sufferings these women went through really were, which enforced in my mind the importance of sharing their stories. Also, both the authors at the book talk and the playwright of Prick used the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft as one of their primary resources when researching the Scottish witch trials which was a reminder of how valuable the data we are working with is.</p>
<div id="attachment_405" style="width: 349px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-405" class=" wp-image-405" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/booktalk-e1692977642502-225x300.jpg" alt="Mairi Kidd & Allyson Shaw: Who Are the Real Witches? - Book Festival Talk" width="339" height="452" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/booktalk-e1692977642502-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/booktalk-e1692977642502.jpg 480w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 339px) 100vw, 339px" /><p id="caption-attachment-405" class="wp-caption-text">Mairi Kidd & Allyson Shaw: Who Are the Real Witches? – Book Festival Talk</p></div>
<p>After going to both events it was really in our minds how important it is to remember and learn from these people’s stories and the there is a lot of interest in how they are memorialised. This has lead us to decide we will begin working on the idea we had to create a map of memorials for the accused witches. So people can see in one place the memorials that local areas have dedicated to the accused witches that were subject to the trials, torture and executions. We have started researching this by borrowing the book <a href="https://beul-aithris-publishing.onlineweb.shop/Witch_Memorials_of_Scotland/p6366266_20228504.aspx"><em>Witch Memorials of Scotland</em> by Gregor Stewart</a> from the University library. We also met with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Goodare">Professor Julian Goodare</a> to update him on the progress that has been made, ask him for advice, make use of his expertise and discuss our future ideas going forward such as the map of memorials.</p>
<div id="attachment_406" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-406" class="size-medium wp-image-406" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/MicrosoftTeams-image-300x157.jpg" alt="Ruby and Professor Julian Goodare" width="300" height="157" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/MicrosoftTeams-image-300x157.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/MicrosoftTeams-image-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/MicrosoftTeams-image-768x402.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/MicrosoftTeams-image.jpg 1440w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-406" class="wp-caption-text">Ruby and Professor Julian Goodare</p></div>
<p><br />Overall, this internship has been a great experience because not only have I learnt lots of new technical skills (programming in R, Vue JavaScript framework, Wikidata, Sparql queries, user testing and user interface design) and professional skills (communication, teamwork and time management) I have also got to learn lots about this dark period of Scottish history through lots of different mediums. I’ve been inspired to learn more in my own time and have read <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/hex/jenni-fagan/9781846976223">Hex</a> by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenni_Fagan">Jenni Fagan</a> which tells an imagining of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geillis_Duncan">Geillis Duncan</a>‘s last night. This has made me passionate about working on this project as I’ve realised the real world value and impact of helping people to understand the stories and individuals behind this data. I’m looking forward to continuing this work and launching the new version of the site which hopefully further shares these individual stories as best we can.</p>
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area">
<time datetime="2023-08-25" itemprop="dateModified">Aug 25, 2023</time>
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<title>From Witches to Widgets: A Witchfinder Intern’s Update</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/from-witches-to-widgets-a-witchfinder-interns-update/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/from-witches-to-widgets-a-witchfinder-interns-update/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Aug 2023 09:14:50 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Internship]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[internfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=383</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Hello, It’s been a while since my last blog post so it’s time for an update about my time as Witchfinder General Data Visualisation intern! Since my last post, I’ve been busy as ever, diving into the world of data quality assuring, tinkering with our website, and getting some insights from users and lots of […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Hello, It’s been a while since my last blog post so it’s time for an update about my time as Witchfinder General Data Visualisation intern! Since my last post, I’ve been busy as ever, diving into the world of data quality assuring, tinkering with our website, and getting some insights from users and lots of other fun and interesting experiences.</p>
<div id="attachment_389" style="width: 298px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-389" class=" wp-image-389" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal-225x300.jpg" alt="Photo of Me Working on the Website" width="288" height="384" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal.jpg 1500w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 288px) 100vw, 288px" /><p id="caption-attachment-389" class="wp-caption-text">Working on the Website in Argyle House</p></div>
<p><br />My role in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of our data continues. With the aim of making sure our users get the most reliable insights and facts meanwhile respecting the original work of Survey of Scottish Witchcraft. I have now compared lots of fields including place of detention, primary & secondary case characteristics, cause of death, manner of death and lots more. From this I have been able to see that some information has been discovered since the Survey and added to Wikidata. I have made sure that all this information is referenced to trustworthy verifiable sources, ensuring that our website has the most accurate and up to date information possible. You can keep track of my progress <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_Scotland%27s_Accused_Witches/To_do">on our Wikidata project page here</a>.</p>
<div id="attachment_386" style="width: 495px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-386" class=" wp-image-386" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-300x143.png" alt="New Feature on the Website which allows you to see historic version of Map" width="485" height="231" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-300x143.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-1024x489.png 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-768x367.png 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-1536x734.png 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-1440x688.png 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919.png 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 485px) 100vw, 485px" /><p id="caption-attachment-386" class="wp-caption-text">New Historic Map Fearure</p></div>
<p><br />I’ve added some cool features to our website! You can now travel back in time with our historical map layer. After discussing different map layers with <span class="ui-provider fz b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak" dir="ltr">Chris Fleet at National Library of Scotland we selected <a href="https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=12.2&lat=55.92314&lon=-3.22392&layers=125140579&b=1">the 1750 georeferenced James Dorret map</a>. </span>This lets you see how things looked closer to the time of the accused witches. Plus, we’ve made it easier for users to pick and choose what they want to see with the select and deselect buttons and changing the list of filters to alphabetical order. And I’ve been on a bug-hunting mission to get rid of them and make sure everything runs smoothly to make the website easier to navigate. We have had several other ideas of how we can make our website more engaging and informative, one of these ideas was to add some illustrations to the website to help users understand what information is being displayed to them. So I talked to one of the other interns Ally who is working on an interactive colouring in book. She came out with some initial ideas that could be used as icons for the accusations of Shapeshifting and the Ritual Objects supposed used and they turned out great! However, we have some concerns relating to including modern illustrations on our website. We are worried it could distract from the academic historical work or misrepresent some of these historical ideas (e.g. Shapeshifting) that we are referring to.</p>
<div id="attachment_398" style="width: 325px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-398" class=" wp-image-398" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-300x155.jpg" alt="Concept Illustrations for Website" width="315" height="163" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-300x155.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-1024x527.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-768x396.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-1536x791.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-1440x742.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 315px) 100vw, 315px" /><p id="caption-attachment-398" class="wp-caption-text">Concept Illustrations for Website</p></div>
<p>I also ran 7 user testing sessions with support from the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/user-experience">User Experience team</a> who’s aim is to deliver user-centred products. I initially met with members of the team and they informed me that the best way to improve the user experience of the website would be to find out what needs improving by conducting user testing. They gave me lots of advice on how to go about these sessions and for one of my first sessions helped me take notes. We decided to test on users who were experts on history and some people with very little previous knowledge on witches! So I reached out to <span class="ui-provider fz b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak" dir="ltr">Assistant Professor Mikki Brock, Witches of Scotland podcasters, Dr. Chris Langley and other interns to see if they would be interested in participating, and they all were! </span>This range of knowledge was really useful to see how the different types of users interacted with the website, this is important as these are both user groups that our website in intended for. I would give the users tasks to complete on the site and watch them complete them, taking notes and then ask them questions to hear their thoughts and advice. Their feedback will help guide us towards the best version of the website possible. I’ve shared their insights with the team, and together we’re deciding what we came take from it to make improvements to the site.</p>
<p><br />As part of my internship, I’ve also had some pretty cool experiences beyond the screen. A trip to <a href="https://www.stcecilias.ed.ac.uk/whats-on/">St Celias Hall</a>, a musical instrument museum, was a really interesting experience that I learnt lots of new information from. I’ve also dabbled in Wikipedia writing after attending a Wikipedia training session, I researched and wrote a page about the accused witch <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Issobell_Fergussone">Issobelle Fergesoune</a>. It’s great to be able to write about the accused witches individual stories as this humanizes them and helps people understand what they really went through. Also, I have attended several team meetings, where coffee and cake were involved!</p>
<div id="attachment_392" style="width: 297px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-392" class=" wp-image-392" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-225x300.jpg" alt="Musical Instruments in St Celia's Hall" width="287" height="383" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 287px) 100vw, 287px" /><p id="caption-attachment-392" class="wp-caption-text">Musical Instruments in St Celia’s Hall</p></div>
<p>So, what’s next? I have two quite big challenges to focus on, one being making sure the website is mobile responsive and the other being trying to reduce the load time when opening the website. Currently, the website can takes some time to load because there is huge amounts of data being pulled. This will be quite technically difficult to solve. Our approach is going to be separating the queries pulling the data into smaller queries so less data is being pulled at once. The load time is very important to user experience and something that was mentioned several times in the user testing sessions. Hopefully after these improvements the new version of the website will be one step closer to being released!</p>
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area">
<time datetime="2023-08-08" itemprop="dateModified">Aug 8, 2023</time>
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<title>Weeks 2 and 3 – Unravelling Anomalies and Starting the Website Transformation</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/weeks-2-and-3-unravelling-anomalies-and-starting-the-website-transformation/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/weeks-2-and-3-unravelling-anomalies-and-starting-the-website-transformation/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jun 2023 06:31:51 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[internfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=377</guid>
<description><![CDATA[I am now coming the end of my third week as the Witchfinder General – Data Visualisation intern and time has flown by. Over the past 2 weeks I have begun on the journey of Quality Assuring the data and improving the website. This process began by dealing with the anomalies between the names and […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span data-contrast="auto">I am now coming the end of my third week as the Witchfinder General – Data Visualisation intern and time has flown by. Over the past 2 weeks I have begun on the journey of Quality Assuring the data and improving the website. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">This process began by dealing with the anomalies between the names and gender of accused witches that the previous intern, Claire had found and then after consulting with<a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/history-classics-archaeology/about-us/staff-profiles/profile_tab5_academic.php?uun=jgoodare&search=2¶ms="> Professor Julian Goodare</a> about these differences making the corresponding necessary changes in wikidata. Then I began with looking at different properties, starting with social class and occupation. From this I discovered there was some differences with the wording of some of the values used in the Survey and in Wikidata. This was because there are some very Survey-specific terms related to witch hunts in 16th century Scotland and a 21st century platform like Wikidata has items of data that are of more general use with often more modern definitions of terms as a community knowledgebase of open linked data. It is also because language changes over time and the definitions and use of terms and placenames has changed since the 16th century. Where possible it is better to use a common language of terms so that the data can be explored and parsed more easily. However, if there are stark differences then it is better to make sure that Wikidata has terms suitable for explaining the specific nature of terms of the information contained within the Survey so that there is no loss of meaning or misrepresentation creeping in. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><div id="attachment_380" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-380" class="wp-image-380 size-medium" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/wordTable-300x224.png" alt="Anomalies in Value Labels between Wikidata and the Survey" width="300" height="224" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/wordTable-300x224.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/wordTable.png 463w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-380" class="wp-caption-text">Anomalies in Value Labels between Wikidata and the Survey</p></div></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In most cases Professor Julian Goodare, lecturer in History and project Director of the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft database (2003), approved of these cases but he suggested that </span><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54128"><b><span data-contrast="auto">domestic worker</span></b></a><span data-contrast="auto"> did not give appropriate meaning and that adding a new value <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q119574553"><strong>servant</strong> </a>would represent the work they did more accurately so I changed every accused witch on Wikidata that was down a domestic worker to servant using <a href="https://quickstatements.toolforge.org/#/">Quickstatements</a>. Once we had confirmed that the rest of the terms being used in Wikidata were suitable, there was no anomalies left for social class but there was some for occupation. There were some witches in Wikidata where some additional occupations had been added that were not mentioned in the survey. We sent these to Prof. Julian Goodare and he looked through his resources and verified whether these occupations were accurate and provided us with a reference that could be added to Wikidata. This is part of the benefit of working with open linked data where multiple values can be added by a community of users if it aids and augments the data. It does need to be verifiable however so adding a reference to back up statements being added is key.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Looking at residence property was my next hurdle and it proved to be a more difficult and time consuming task than the previous properties. This was because in the Survey there were numerous columns of locations for each accused witch – settlement, parish, presbytery, county and burgh – and on Wikidata different locations have been chosen depending on which residence Emma.. ( the first student intern to work on this project) was able to find. Emma worked with georeferenced historic maps from the National Library of Scotland and placename books to try and identify which placename listed in the five columns of data in the Survey could be geolocated on a map to be the most specific place of residence for each accused witch we could approximate a co-ordinate location for. This means there is a lot of differences between the survey data and Wikidata to look through, so this is something I am still working on , as there are 820 locations to look at.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">I have also began working on the website improvements. This began by creating a list of all the things we would like to change/add and categorising them into bugs, new features, and navigation improvements. And we also had a meeting with Prof. Julian Goodare to discuss potential additions with him. Lots of great ideas came out of this meeting such as filming an explainer video for the ‘About’ webpage that would give an introduction this project, the background of the survey of Scottish witchcraft and a guide to the website. Once we had completed a categorised list, I had a meeting with the web development team, Andrew and Richard, and we played ‘scrum poker’, a method for each of us guesstimating how long each development task might take. The next stage was to start working through these tasks and prioritising any bugs.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The navigation and user interface of the test site of the website is something that needs improved before making this version available to the public. We reached out to the ISG’s User Experience (UX) Service to see if they could provide us with any support on this side of things. We had a meeting with them to give them an introduction the project and website, give our ideas, answer their questions and gauge the kind of support they could give us. I think the main goal of the site is to make a good resource for people interested in witches but also those with no prior knowledge. Since the website was first released loads of visualisations were added to the test site of version 2 by Maggie and Josep, our student interns in Summer 2022. These have provided great new insights but have caused for the navigational layout of the site to become slightly unorganised. It is often hard to find what you are looking for or understand what you are looking at. Ahead of the meeting with the UX team, I created some mock ups showing how we could change the navigation so that all the maps of accused witches are in the same place (discoverable in the left hand menu pictured below) and you can explore the map with different filters and read contextual text explaining each visualisation. This way people are more likely to view and understand more of the information. We are soon to have a follow up meeting with them to discuss things further.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><div id="attachment_378" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-378" class="wp-image-378 size-medium" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web1-300x131.png" alt="Mock-up of Web Improvements" width="300" height="131" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web1-300x131.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web1.png 683w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-378" class="wp-caption-text">Mock-up of Web Improvements</p></div></p>
<p><div id="attachment_379" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-379" class="wp-image-379 size-medium" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web2-300x136.png" alt="Mock-up of Web Improvements" width="300" height="136" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web2-300x136.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web2.png 681w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-379" class="wp-caption-text">Mock-up of Web Improvements</p></div></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Overall, I have really enjoyed my first few weeks. I have been able to work on a variation of tasks including web development, data assurance and Wikidata. This has kept things interesting and exciting and I have learnt so much already from new technical skills to greater historical knowledge of what happened to these accused witches. have had meetings with lots of interesting people all providing valuable ideas to the project. I have also met lots of other interns and staff at various events such as the welcome lunch, home baking morning and the all staff BBQ. I am excited to continue the work I have done so far.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span><br />
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area"><br />
<time datetime="2023-06-28" itemprop="dateModified">Jun 28, 2023</time><br />
</span></p>
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<title>A Witchfinder’s Quest : Ensuring Data Accuracy & Enhancing the Website</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/witchfinders-data-accuracy-website/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/witchfinders-data-accuracy-website/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 12 Jun 2023 09:05:50 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Internship]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[internfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=366</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Hi! I’m Ruby and I’m a 3rd year undergraduate at the University of Edinburgh studying Computer Science. And I am the new Witchfinder General – Data Visualisation Intern and I am going to be continuing with the great work of the previous interns that have worked on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft project. So far, […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi! I’m Ruby and I’m a 3<sup>rd</sup> year undergraduate at the University of Edinburgh studying Computer Science. And I am the new Witchfinder General – Data Visualisation Intern and I am going to be continuing with the great work of the previous interns that have worked on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft project. So far, many amazing visualisations have been created and added to the website that make it a great educational resource that everyone can access.</p>
<p>These visualisations have been based on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft Database created by academics in the early 2000’s. Key information from this database has been uploaded to <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Main_Page">Wikidata</a>, allowing for this data to be more accessible to a large community, and has allowed editing and augmentation by members of the Wikidata community. Most visualisations on the website are creating using the data from Wikidata. Wikidata is part of the Wikimedia family, and is a free and open knowledge base composed of structured data that is used in Wikipedia and projects such as this one.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><div id="attachment_367" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-367" class="size-medium wp-image-367" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-300x225.jpg" alt="Familiarizing myself with the datasets and the current website" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-300x225.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-768x576.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1.jpg 2016w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-367" class="wp-caption-text">Familiarizing myself with the datasets and the current website</p></div></p>
<p><strong>My Goals for Working on this Project</strong></p>
<p>Since the data has been uploaded to Wikidata, it means there may be differences between the Wikidata and the orginal survey data due to the possibility of import errors and other users editing the data. It is important that we check that the data is all this accurate in order to prevent the spread of misinformation and to respect the original historical record, the historical events, what happened to these women, and the work of the researchers on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft. The intern previous to me, Claire Panella, developed a method using R Studio to find the entries that don’t match between Wikidata and the original Survey of Scottish Witches databases. She first completed checking the gender and then the names of the accused witches matched the Survey, from this it was discovered there was several anomalies. One of my roles while pursuing this internship is to continue this work of quality assuring the linked open data used in our website. This will be approached by using Claire’s methodology to check all the different variables displayed in the visualisations, then verifying what changes need made by consulting with academic expert colleagues before making any of the changes. This way we will know the information we are displaying is the most accurate version possible. Although, because this is historical data there are omissions and inexactitudes that by opening up the data to a public audience we hope to be able to further scrutinise and improve on what we know about this dark period of Scottish history.</p>
<p>Along with quality assuring the data I will be working on improving the <a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/">website</a> in order, with the aim of users being able to gain as much from the website as possible. This will in involve making some changes to the user interface in order to make it more accessible and usable by making it more user friendly and easier to navigate. Furthermore, adding any visualisations that we believe will provide insightful information to users of the website. For example, I had the idea of creating a heatmap to show the distribution of the accused witches across Scotland. Whilst working on the website, we will gather ideas and opinions from experts in all things Wiki and Witches!</p>
<p><strong>My First Week</strong></p>
<p>During my first week on this project, I dedicated my time to familiarizing myself with the datasets, which comprise a substantial database with over 3,000 entries. This extensive collection contains a wealth of information about each accused witch, their respective witch trials, and the overarching investigations into witchcraft. Consequently, there were many aspects to consider, and this gave me a lot to think about.</p>
<p>In order for me to effectively use <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Main_Page">Wikidata</a>, a platform I had limited knowledge about before starting this project, I engaged with various members of the Wikidata community. These individuals offered valuable advice and guidance as I begin navigate this project. In order to make the most of Wikidata’s capabilities, I devoted time to learning how to effectively utilize Sparql (a query language for databases) and Openrefine (an open-source tool specifically designed for working with untidy datasets).</p>
<p>Furthermore, this project has required the development of new skills to effectively manipulate the databases and improve the website. In this pursuit, I acquainted myself with R Studio, a programming language I had not previously worked with. I discovered that R Studio offers a user-friendly interface along with robust statistical and data analysis functionalities, making it a suitable choice of software for the project’s requirements. Additionally, I followed tutorials on Vue.js, the JavaScript framework employed for constructing the website.</p>
<p>Over the past year, interns previous to me have worked on a version 2 of the website with some changes made and extra visualisations added to the website. This version currently has not been made public. Over the course of my internship we hope to get this version to a completed stage and make this version public. To kickstart the process, I engaged in brainstorming sessions to generate ideas for the website. Subsequently, I organized and prioritized these ideas, ensuring a clear direction for the project.</p>
<p>I’m really excited to work on this project. As a Computer Science student, I have some experience with working with large datasets and creating data visualizations and working on web applications, and I am excited to be able to develop these skills. Meanwhile, getting to learn to learn a lot about this historic event and work on a great resource that can educate people on one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in Scottish History.<br />
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area"><br />
<time datetime="2023-06-12" itemprop="dateModified">Jun 12, 2023</time><br />
</span></p>
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<item>
<title>Finding Impossible Witches: Part One The Search Begins</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/finding-impossible-witches-part-one/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/finding-impossible-witches-part-one/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[cpanella]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 Apr 2023 15:38:47 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[claire panella]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[internfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[open data]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=351</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Inheriting the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft Project Hi! I’m Claire, a 4th year undergraduate studying International Relations with Quantitative Methods at the University of Edinburgh, and the latest in a long line of interns and others who’ve worked on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft project. The data involved in this project was originally compiled in […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><b><span data-contrast="none">Inheriting the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft Project</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">Hi! I’m Claire, a 4</span><span data-contrast="none">th</span><span data-contrast="none"> year undergraduate studying International Relations with Quantitative Methods at the University of Edinburgh, and the latest in a long line of interns and others who’ve worked on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft project. The data involved in this project was originally compiled in a Microsoft Access Database by academics in the early 2000’s. Since then, key information from the database has been added to Wikidata, allowing for greater accessibility as well as editing and augmentation by members of the Wikidata community. People have done lots of great things with this data, including </span><a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/"><span data-contrast="none">all the visualisations</span></a><span data-contrast="none"> put together by the previous data visualisation interns, but now that the data is stored across several different platforms, it’s important to make sure that these versions are reconciled. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">My role is to find the ‘Impossible Witches’; those entries which don’t m</span><span data-contrast="none">atch between Wikidata and the original Access database.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><div id="attachment_353" style="width: 566px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-353" class="wp-image-353" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/VideoCapture_20230405-124408-300x219.jpg" alt="" width="556" height="406" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/VideoCapture_20230405-124408-300x219.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/VideoCapture_20230405-124408-1024x747.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/VideoCapture_20230405-124408-768x560.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/VideoCapture_20230405-124408.jpg 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 556px) 100vw, 556px" /><p id="caption-attachment-353" class="wp-caption-text">Working away making my first comparisons in R. By Claire Panella, Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0</p></div></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none"> </span><b><span data-contrast="none">Checking against the database item by item</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">My initial approach to this was to use R to compare between csv files exported from the Access database, and csv files accessed by querying Wikidata. This required downloading both files, checking to make sure variable labels matched, combining the datasets, and isolating the cases where the information didn’t match iso I could look through and see where the issues were.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">For some features, like gender, a lot of information h</span><span data-contrast="none">as been added to Wikidata that isn’t present in the survey, but there are very few cases where </span><span data-contrast="none">Wikidata and the survey have conflicting information.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><div id="attachment_354" style="width: 554px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-354" class="wp-image-354" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/gender-anomalies-300x169.png" alt="" width="544" height="306" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/gender-anomalies-300x169.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/gender-anomalies.png 602w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px" /><p id="caption-attachment-354" class="wp-caption-text">Anomalies in Gender between Wikidata and the Survey</p></div></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">In others, like Name, the situation is a bit more complicated. Sometimes the spellings vary between Wikidata and the Survey – this could be for a few reasons, and to add to the complications, both data sources have multiple name categories – the survey includes both modern and historical first and last names, while Wikidata includes both an Item Identifier and aliases. I’ve also looked for exact matches between the text from each source, so some inconsistencies just have to do with capitalisation and spacing. Really, it’s impressive there are only 23 anomalies!</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><div id="attachment_352" style="width: 543px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-352" class="wp-image-352" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/name-anomalies-300x170.png" alt="" width="533" height="302" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/name-anomalies-300x170.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/name-anomalies.png 602w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px" /><p id="caption-attachment-352" class="wp-caption-text">Anomalies in Name between Wikidata and the Survey</p></div></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">My goal now is to come up with a solid procedure to check wikidata entri</span><span data-contrast="none">es against the survey so we can be sure we’re consistent and accurate in which data changes we keep. After that, I’ll work on a methodology to pass on to whomever the next ‘Witchfinder General’ is so that we can keep track of data changes as the project continues to grow and evolve. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">As I look for a method to continuously check for differences between the original survey data and the most up to date version of Wikidata, I’ve turned to the Wikidata community for help. Ewan reached out to his contacts, and I reached out via <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Project_chat">Project Chat</a> as well as a Slack channel for <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_LD4_Wikidata_Affinity_Group">libraries using Wikidata</a>. Different users have responded with various suggestions. One Wikidata user suggested a library I could use to efficiently link R with SPARQL queries, and some of Ewan’s contacts gave suggestions for the general workflow I could follow in creating a shareable methodology. One of the most helpful suggestions was that I use a tool called prompter, which would allow me to compare the results of a SPARQL query to a stable csv and store anomalies as a table on the Wikidata project page. While this looks like a great idea, it has led us to run into another of the common problems involved in working with Wikidata – not all of the tools are maintained. The </span><a href="https://prompter.toolforge.org/prompter"><span data-contrast="none">Prompter</span></a><span data-contrast="none"> tool was designed by the Every Politician Project, which was placed on indefinite pause in June 2019. This means that while the documentation for the tool still exists, it no longer works as a template in Wikidata. For me, this has been a valuable lesson on the pros and cons of working with a platform run and maintained by volunteers. Still, we are continuing to get great advice from Wikimedians around the world. A new goal of mine for the end of this project is to create a workable and well documented method that I can easily share, so I have something to give back to the community that has helped me so much throughout this project. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span><br />
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area"><br />
<time datetime="2023-04-05" itemprop="dateModified">Apr 5, 2023</time><br />
</span></p>
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<title>Weeks 9 and 10 – Sweeping the Cobwebs(ite)</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/weeks-9-and-10-cleaning-the-cobwebsite/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/weeks-9-and-10-cleaning-the-cobwebsite/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[jgarcia7]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 12 Aug 2022 15:44:34 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=330</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Site re-development – Filtering Witchcraft Hi, this is Josep again! We are currently in Week 10 of our internship, and time is starting to become a limiting factor. Since my last blog post in Week 4 a lot of things have been going on, and in this post I am going to be explaining how […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Site re-development – Filtering Witchcraft</h2>
<p>Hi, this is Josep again! We are currently in Week 10 of our internship, and time is starting to become a limiting factor. Since my last blog post in Week 4 a lot of things have been going on, and in this post I am going to be explaining how the plans I had back then have turned out, what I have managed to accomplish, and the things I still have left to do in the two remaining weeks.</p>
<p>In week 5, I implemented the new filtering algorithm, and everything went rather smoothly – although I had to change the whole data structure. I think this was a significant improvement, as things ran a bit faster, we only had to keep one copy of the array we use to plot, and the code was neater.</p>
<p>However, after that I then spent quite a few days implementing a way to share filter status data across pages, so that when the user changed pages they would have the same filters on as they had in the previous page. Nevertheless, in order to do this without a backend I had to hardcode the filters array into something called Vue Store (so that its state could be accessed from all pages).</p>
<p>The nature of this array meant that it had to change if the data in the database changed, so I would also need a dynamic check, and I thought it was fine because the data is not likely to change, and I had a dynamic check implement just in case it did. But when I pushed the code over for review, the rest of the team felt it was not ideal to have something both static and dynamic at the same time, which in hindsight I agreed with.</p>
<p>Then I thought I could build the list dynamically and then enter it into the Vue Store, but once I had that implemented I realised that that didn’t work because of caching we were doing (which is quite important because of loading time issues). Therefore, in the end we decided we would just not have the filters share across pages until we had a backend. Back then it was a bit difficult as I felt I had wasted quite a lot of time, but at the same time it was a valuable learning experience!</p>
<p>With the new filtering functionality done, I then started changing the filtering user interface to move it to the left of the page, and with the help of the rest of the team I think we managed to get a pretty neat, professional looking design. This is what it is looking like now:</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-332 aligncenter" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-2022-08-12-at-13.34.59-300x175.png" alt="" width="566" height="331" /></p>
<p>This was the last thing I did before leaving to Spain for holidays for a week.Right now, I have been back from holidays for a bit less than two weeks. In the time that I have been back, I have been working on developing a responsive timeline for the Leaflet Map pages and refactoring the code in order to be able to add more map pages with more filters very easy once Maggie has finished adding all the new data on to WikiData, which should be any time now.</p>
<p>Other than doing these two things, I was hoping to have time to add a backend in Python to process all the data after querying WikiData (as of now there is no backend and we do it in the front-end’s JavaScript) since we will have quite a lot of new data to process, and we are afraid the loading time will significantly increase. However, in the end it has been decided that I shouldn’t do the back end in Python since the team say that they can’t maintain a Python backend in the long term once I’m gone, as they work in PHP. I will try and have time to do the backend in PHP, but I would have to learn it from scratch and there are a lot more other bits and pieces that need doing!</p>
<h2>The Data Side of Things</h2>
<p>I was off for most of last week as I was in Turkey holidaying for a couple of days, but was back on Thursday for more data work! I finished processing the <strong>witches’ meeting places</strong> and <strong>what went down</strong> in these meetings, as well as the <strong>calendar customs </strong>that were mentioned in the witchcraft investigations. Looking at <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q112321273">Agnes Sampson’s investigation</a> page, you can see all the juicy new details we’ve fitted into the Wikidata data model from the Survey and processed using OpenRefine.</p>
<p>Speaking of OpenRefine, I am currently planning and scripting a little tutorial for users of the software or even future interns as I have really enjoyed how intuitive and helpful it’s been for this project. This should be recorded in the next week so keep your eyes peeled…</p>
<p>This week, I started off with doing some data cleaning. Previously, before we created case items for each witchcraft investigation, the <strong>shapeshifting</strong> and <strong>ritual objects</strong> data was added to the accused witches’ items. Some helpful Wikidatans saw this duplication and started deleting statements, so we decided we needed to clean this up to not cause confusion.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-336 aligncenter" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-300x111.png" alt="" width="586" height="217" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-300x111.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-1024x379.png 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-768x284.png 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-1536x568.png 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-1440x533.png 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339.png 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 586px) 100vw, 586px" /></p>
<p>Using the same Google sheet that was used to add the shapeshifting information, I used the handy “<em>Export to QuickStatements</em>” option to get all the edits into QuickStatements syntax. I did this as with QuickStatements, it’s easy to remove specific statements by <strong>prefixing</strong> a line with a <strong>minus sign. </strong></p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-337 aligncenter" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-113-e1660312198357-300x154.png" alt="" width="399" height="205" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-113-e1660312198357-300x154.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-113-e1660312198357-1024x526.png 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-113-e1660312198357-768x394.png 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-113-e1660312198357.png 1430w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 399px) 100vw, 399px" /></p>
<p>After this, I started to think about extracting the data added to Wikidata using the Wikidata Query Service. We have been in contact with Navino Evans, one of the co-founders of <a href="http://www.histropedia.com/">Histropedia</a>, to help us with the complex SPARQL query. <a href="https://query.wikidata.org/#SELECT%20distinct%20%3Fitem%20%3FitemLabel%20%3FinvestigationDate%0A%3FresidenceLabel%20%3FresidenceCoords%20%3FsexLabel%20%3Flink%20%3FoccupationLabel%20%3FsocialClassificationLabel%0A%3FplaceOfDeathLabel%20%3FplaceOfDeathCoords%20%3FmannerOfDeathLabel%20%3FdetentionLocationLabel%20%3FdetentionLocationCoords%0A%0A%23Newly%20added%0A%3Finvestigation%20%3FinvestigationStart%20%3FinvestigationEnd%0A%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FqualityWithQualifier%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3Fqualities%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FchargeWithQualifier%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3Fcharges%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FritualObjectLabel%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3FritualObjects%29%0A%0AWHERE%0A%7B%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP4478%20%3Fwitch%20.%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP551%20%3Fresidence%20.%0A%20%20%3Fresidence%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FresidenceCoords%20.%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP4478%20%3Flink%20.%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP21%20%3Fsex%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP106%20%3Foccupation%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP3716%20%3FsocialClassification%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP20%20%3FplaceOfDeath%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3FplaceOfDeath%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FplaceOfDeathCoords%20.%0A%20%20%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP1196%20%3FmannerOfDeath%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP2632%20%3FdetentionLocation%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3FdetentionLocation%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FdetentionLocationCoords%20.%0A%20%20%7D%0A%20%0A%20%20%23%20INVESTIGATION%0A%20%0A%20%20%23OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP793%20%3Finvestigation%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20wdt%3AP31%20wd%3AQ66458810%20%3B%20%23%20Tip%3A%20Use%20%3B%20to%20repeat%20%3Finvestigation%20again%20without%20having%20to%20write%20it%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20wdt%3AP580%7Cwdt%3AP585%20%3FinvestigationStart%20%3B%20%23%20Tip%3A%20Use%20%7C%20symbol%20to%20mean%20%22OR%22%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Finvestigation%20wdt%3AP582%20%3FinvestigationEnd%20%7D%0A%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Quality%20%28COPY%20THIS%20FOR%20MULTIPLE%20VALUE%2C%20WITH%20qualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20p%3AP1552%20%3FhasQualityNode%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20ps%3AP1552%20%3FhasQuality%20.%20%23%20main%20value%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%20%23%20%22including%22%20qualifier%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20pq%3AP1012%20%3FqualityIncluding%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FqualityIncluding%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FqualityIncludingLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FqualityIncludingLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQuality%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FhasQualityLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20BIND%28IF%28%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20BOUND%28%3FqualityIncludingLabel%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20CONCAT%28%3FhasQualityLabel%2C%22%20%28%22%2C%20%3FqualityIncludingLabel%2C%20%22%29%22%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20as%20%3FqualityWithQualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Charge%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20p%3AP1595%20%3FchargeNode%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FchargeNode%20ps%3AP1595%20%3Fcharge%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FchargeNode%20pq%3AP4675%20%3Fform%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Fform%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FformLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FformLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Fcharge%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FchargeLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FchargeLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20BIND%28IF%28%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20BOUND%28%3FformLabel%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20CONCAT%28%3FchargeLabel%2C%22%20%28%22%2C%20%3FformLabel%2C%20%22%29%22%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FchargeLabel%29%20as%20%3FchargeWithQualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Ritual%20object%20%28COPY%20THIS%20FOR%20MULTIPLE%20VALUE%2C%20but%20WITHOUT%20qualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20wdt%3AP8706%20%3FritualObject%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FritualObject%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FritualObjectLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FritualObjectLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%23%7D%0A%20%0A%20%20SERVICE%20wikibase%3Alabel%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20bd%3AserviceParam%20wikibase%3Alanguage%20%22%5BAUTO_LANGUAGE%5D%2Cen%22.%0A%20%20%20%0A%20%20%7D%0A%7D%0A%0AGROUP%20BY%20%3Fitem%20%3FitemLabel%20%3FinvestigationDate%20%3FresidenceLabel%20%3FresidenceCoords%20%3FsexLabel%20%3Flink%0A%3FoccupationLabel%20%3FsocialClassificationLabel%20%3FplaceOfDeathLabel%20%3FplaceOfDeathCoords%20%3FmannerOfDeathLabel%0A%3FdetentionLocationLabel%20%3FdetentionLocationCoords%20%3Finvestigation%20%3FinvestigationStart%20%3FinvestigationEnd">This</a> was the working example he sent us, and I used this example to try my hand at adding <strong>calendar customs</strong> and <strong>witches’ meeting places </strong>to the query (the data I added recently), with this <a href="https://query.wikidata.org/#SELECT%20distinct%20%3Fitem%20%3FitemLabel%20%3FinvestigationDate%0A%3FresidenceLabel%20%3FresidenceCoords%20%3FsexLabel%20%3Flink%20%3FoccupationLabel%20%3FsocialClassificationLabel%0A%3FplaceOfDeathLabel%20%3FplaceOfDeathCoords%20%3FmannerOfDeathLabel%20%3FdetentionLocationLabel%20%3FdetentionLocationCoords%0A%0A%23Newly%20added%0A%3Finvestigation%20%3FinvestigationStart%20%3FinvestigationEnd%0A%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FqualityWithQualifier%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3Fqualities%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FchargeWithQualifier%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3Fcharges%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FritualObjectLabel%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3FritualObjects%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FcalendarCustomsLabel%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3FcalendarCustoms%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FqualityWithLocation%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3FmeetingPlaces%29%20%0A%0AWHERE%0A%7B%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP4478%20%3Fwitch%20.%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP551%20%3Fresidence%20.%0A%20%20%3Fresidence%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FresidenceCoords%20.%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP4478%20%3Flink%20.%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP21%20%3Fsex%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP106%20%3Foccupation%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP3716%20%3FsocialClassification%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP20%20%3FplaceOfDeath%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3FplaceOfDeath%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FplaceOfDeathCoords%20.%0A%20%20%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP1196%20%3FmannerOfDeath%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP2632%20%3FdetentionLocation%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3FdetentionLocation%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FdetentionLocationCoords%20.%0A%20%20%7D%0A%20%0A%20%20%23%20INVESTIGATION%0A%20%0A%20%20%23OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP793%20%3Finvestigation%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20wdt%3AP31%20wd%3AQ66458810%20%3B%20%23%20Tip%3A%20Use%20%3B%20to%20repeat%20%3Finvestigation%20again%20without%20having%20to%20write%20it%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20wdt%3AP580%7Cwdt%3AP585%20%3FinvestigationStart%20%3B%20%23%20Tip%3A%20Use%20%7C%20symbol%20to%20mean%20%22OR%22%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Finvestigation%20wdt%3AP582%20%3FinvestigationEnd%20%7D%0A%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Quality%20%28COPY%20THIS%20FOR%20MULTIPLE%20VALUE%2C%20WITH%20qualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20p%3AP1552%20%3FhasQualityNode%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20ps%3AP1552%20%3FhasQuality%20.%20%23%20main%20value%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%20%23%20%22including%22%20qualifier%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20pq%3AP1012%20%3FqualityIncluding%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FqualityIncluding%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FqualityIncludingLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FqualityIncludingLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQuality%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FhasQualityLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20BIND%28IF%28%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20BOUND%28%3FqualityIncludingLabel%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20CONCAT%28%3FhasQualityLabel%2C%22%20%28%22%2C%20%3FqualityIncludingLabel%2C%20%22%29%22%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20as%20%3FqualityWithQualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Location%20%28COPY%20THIS%20FOR%20MULTIPLE%20VALUE%2C%20WITH%20qualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20p%3AP1552%20%3FhasQualityNode%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20ps%3AP1552%20%3FhasQuality%20.%20%23%20main%20value%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%7B%20%20%23%20%22location%22%20qualifier%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20pq%3AP276%20%3FqualityLocation%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FqualityLocation%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FqualityLocationLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FqualityLocationLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQuality%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FhasQualityLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20BIND%28IF%28%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20BOUND%28%3FqualityLocationLabel%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20CONCAT%28%3FhasQualityLabel%2C%22%20%28%22%2C%20%3FqualityLocationLabel%2C%20%22%29%22%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20as%20%3FqualityWithLocation%29%0A%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Charge%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20p%3AP1595%20%3FchargeNode%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FchargeNode%20ps%3AP1595%20%3Fcharge%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%2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<p> </p>
<p> <br />
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area"><br />
<time datetime="2022-08-12" itemprop="dateModified">Aug 12, 2022</time><br />
</span></p>
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<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ewan McAndrew]]></dc:creator>
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<description><![CDATA[This post is the second written by LLB student Dervla Craig who has worked as our Information and Data Literacy intern this Summer researching and preparing a National Lottery Heritage Fund bid to preserve, and raise public engagement with, the accused witches of Scotland as an important part of Scotland’s heritage. As I sit to […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>This post is the second written by LLB student Dervla Craig who has worked as our Information and Data Literacy intern this Summer researching and preparing a National Lottery Heritage Fund bid to preserve, and raise public engagement with, the accused witches of Scotland as an important part of Scotland’s heritage.</strong></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">As I sit to write this blog post, my twelve-week internship is rapidly drawing to a close. How the time has flown! I have learned and achieved so much this summer, and it seems only appropriate that I reflect on and share what this experience has taught me through another blog post. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Since my first blog (</span><a href="https://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/preserving-scottish-heritage/"><span data-contrast="none">Preserving Scottish Heritage: The Accused Witches of Scotland</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">), my research and bid-writing have taken me down many different avenues. The more familiar I became with the past, however, the more questions arose about the present. Why is there still no appropriate memorial to the accused in Edinburgh? Does stigma still exist surrounding these persecuted individuals? How can we at the University best preserve and promote the individual stories of the accused and make sure they are not forgotten to history? Exploring these questions was extremely important for me in ensuring that I understood the context in which the bid lives and the landscape we would be entering with this project. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In my search for answers to these questions, two main areas stuck out to me as requiring more work and attention to make sure the real, human stories of those accused of witchcraft are protected and valued now and into the future: increasing awareness, education, and understanding of the Scottish witch trials, and appropriately memorialising the victims who were accused, tortured and executed. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<div id="attachment_1634" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Witches-and-Witchcraft.jpg"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1634" class="size-large wp-image-1634" src="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Witches-and-Witchcraft-941x1024.jpg" alt="Information board about "Witches and Witchcraft" at the National Museum of Scotland. Pic by Ewan McAndrew, CC-BY-SA" width="629" height="684" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1634" class="wp-caption-text">Information board about “Witches and Witchcraft” at the National Museum of Scotland. Pic by Ewan McAndrew, CC-BY-SA</p></div>
<h2><b><span data-contrast="auto">Education on the Scottish Witch Trials</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">My line manager, Ewan McAndrew, and I have spent the last few weeks consulting with various organisations in an effort to realise the full potential of our bid. One area we explored was how we at the University, as a teaching and learning institution, could help facilitate education on the Scottish witch trials and use our accused witches’ dataset to combat negative perceptions of the accused exacerbated by entertainment-driven media portrayals. I researched the </span><a href="https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/curriculum-in-scotland/"><span data-contrast="none">Curriculum in Scotland </span></a><span data-contrast="auto">for secondary schools and was surprised to find that whilst adjacent topics such as King James VI and the Protestant Reformation are covered in detail, the witch trials themselves are largely overlooked. We also spoke with Jo Spiller and Judy Robertson from the University about their work on data education in schools and how our dataset could be a valuable resource. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">A huge opportunity for progress in this area came in week eight, when we visited the National Museum of Scotland to meet with Anna Groundwater, the Principal Curator of Renaissance and Early Modern History, Scottish History and Archaeology. She showed us the current witchcraft exhibit, which has remained unchanged for the twenty-seven years it has been on display, and discussed what updates could be made to accurately reflect the research that has taken place in the years since and modern attitudes towards the study of witchcraft and the witch trials. We also had a great conversation about promoting education on this dark period of Scottish history and how we can engage a wider audience with this heritage. This was my first professional meeting, and I am happy to report that it went very well. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p>
<div id="attachment_1635" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Witches_Well.jpg"><img decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1635" class="size-large wp-image-1635" src="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Witches_Well-1024x549.jpg" alt="Inscription plaque at the Witches Well memorial on Castlehill, Edinburgh. " width="629" height="337" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1635" class="wp-caption-text">Inscription plaque at the Witches Well memorial on Castlehill, Edinburgh. Pic by (Lila), CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons</p></div>
<h2><b><span data-contrast="auto">The issue of memorialisation</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></h2>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">For centuries after the Scottish witch trials, sympathy for the accused was often seen as sympathy for the Devil and as such, there was not much research into the lives of those who were charged with the crime of witchcraft. Whilst modern attitudes have shifted to a more empathetic approach, the issue of memorialisation is still one of great controversy. </span><span data-contrast="none">The only memorial which stands in Scotland’s capital city of Edinburgh is the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witches%27_Well,_Edinburgh">Witches’ Well</a> on Castle Hill, which is hidden away and has a problematic inscription that has been criticised for its historical inaccuracy and contention that while ‘<em>some used their exceptional knowledge for evil purposes while others were misunderstood and wished their kind nothing but good</em>‘. This assumption that those accused did indeed have supernatural abilities and that the brutality of the Scottish witch hunts was in any way justifiable is extremely harmful to the memory of the innocent people (85% of whom were women) that possessed no such powers but who were tortured and executed for being ‘witches’. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">The <a href="https://www.witchesofscotland.com/">Witches of Scotland</a> campaign group have long been advocating for a national memorial to the accused which would honour the victims in an appropriate way, and have even created a new, highly symbolic </span><a href="https://www.witchesofscotland.com/tartan"><span data-contrast="none">Tartan </span></a><span data-contrast="none"> pattern to honour the victims and act as a living memorial to them. (They also released a </span><a href="https://www.witchesofscotland.com/book"><span data-contrast="none">Book</span></a><span data-contrast="none"> called </span><i><span data-contrast="none">How to Kill a Witch: A Guide to the Patriarchy </span></i><span data-contrast="none">which is a brilliant read and mentions the University’s </span><a href="https://witches.hca.ed.ac.uk/"><span data-contrast="none">The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft</span></a><span data-contrast="auto"> – I highly recommend putting it at the top of your reading list). In our consultations with various organisations, the issue of appropriately memorialising the accused was one which was met with much interest and enthusiasm, and it seems that a place to go and pay our solemn respects to those whose lives were unjustly taken is something that would largely be supported and welcomed in Edinburgh.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><b><span data-contrast="auto">Final Thoughts</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Although there is much more work to be done in ensuring that the stories of the individuals who were accused of witchcraft are understood and remembered with accuracy and empathy, an appetite undoubtably exists for promoting these stories and memorialising these individuals in an appropriate and meaningful way. It is within this context that we will be submitting our bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund with the aim of establishing an open license, publicly accessible resource containing all known information on Scotland’s accused witches that can be used by researchers, historians, authors, artists, teachers, students and so many other groups to support work in and beyond the education and heritage sectors. Alongside this, we plan to run a programme of public engagement events to facilitate the public’s active participation with the data and stories of the accused. Further than simply historical education, we will encourage cultural reflection on themes such as women’s rights and the scapegoating of marginalised groups that permeate not just our past, but also our present. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":279}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">There is much we as a society can learn from this dark period of Scottish history, and I am hopeful that our bid, if successful, will support future research and work on the Scottish witch trials and bring awareness to the real stories behind the 3837 Scottish people, mostly women, who were accused of and in many cases executed for crimes they simply did not commit. I have been greatly moved by not just the deaths, but the lives of these individuals and am so grateful to have played a role this summer in preserving their memory for generations to come. </span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<div id="attachment_1636" style="width: 639px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Woodcut.jpg"><img decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1636" class="size-large wp-image-1636" src="http://thinking.is.ed.ac.uk/wir/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2025/10/Woodcut-1024x747.jpg" alt="Woodcut from the Newes of Scotland pamphlet depicting suspected witches from North Berwick as they are threatened with a beating as they appear before two Scottish magistrates." width="629" height="459" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-1636" class="wp-caption-text">Woodcut on display at the National Museum of Scotland from the Newes of Scotland pamphlet depicting suspected witches from North Berwick as they are threatened with a beating as they appear before two Scottish magistrates. Pic by Ewan McAndrew, CC-BY-SA</p></div>
<p><strong>NB: Dervla has done so well over the last twelve weeks that she is continuing in post (part-time) during her studies this year.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Ps. You can catch the Edinburgh Book festival talk, <a href="https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on/claire-mitchell-and-zoe-venditozzi-women-not-witches"><em>Women not Witches</em>,</a> by Claire and Zoe of the Witches of Scotland at the Book Festival website.</strong></p>
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area">
<time datetime="2025-10-07" itemprop="dateModified">Oct 7, 2025</time>
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<title>Preserving Scottish Heritage: The Accused Witches of Scotland</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/preserving-scottish-heritage-the-accused-witches-of-scotland/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/preserving-scottish-heritage-the-accused-witches-of-scotland/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ewan McAndrew]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 11 Jul 2025 18:23:19 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Internship]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[access]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[accessibility]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[data science]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[data skills]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dervla craig]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[digital]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dsdt-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dsdtfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[emma carroll]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[environment]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[heritage]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[history]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[inclusion]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[julian goodare]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[national lottery]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[open access]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[participation]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[schools]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[sustainability]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[wikipedia]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[witch trials]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witchcraft]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=471</guid>
<description><![CDATA[This post was written by LLB student Dervla Craig on her first month as Information and Data Literacy intern this Summer. My name is Dervla and I am going into my second year of the Graduate LLB at the University of Edinburgh. This summer I am doing a 12-week internship with the University’s Information Services […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>This post was written by LLB student Dervla Craig on her first month as Information and Data Literacy intern this Summer.</strong></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">My name is Dervla and I am going into my second year of the Graduate LLB at the University of Edinburgh. This summer I am doing a 12-week internship with the University’s <a href="https://information-services.ed.ac.uk/">Information Services Group (ISG)</a> on one of the most fascinating projects I have ever had the opportunity to be a part of: <a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/">the Accused Witches of Scotland project</a>.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">I am one of a long line of interns who has been involved in this project each year since 2019, which aims to commemorate and spread awareness about those who were persecuted as witches in Scotland during the 16th to 18th centuries. While previous interns have primarily been focused on processing and importing data from the University’s landmark </span><a href="https://witches.hca.ed.ac.uk/faq/"><span data-contrast="none">The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft</span></a><span data-contrast="auto"> database (2003) into <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_Scotland%27s_Accused_Witches">Wikidata</a> and created our </span><a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/"><span data-contrast="none">witches</span></a><span data-contrast="auto"> website with new map and timeline visualisations, this year my role looks a bit different.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">My remit for the 12 weeks is to prepare a bid to the <a href="https://www.heritagefund.org.uk/">National Lottery Heritage Fund</a> to secure funding for what we hope can be the next phase of the project. Our goal is to preserve the accused witches’ data in the long-term and ensure that people can connect with and participate in this heritage now and in the future. As it has come to the end of my first month, I wanted to join the tradition of blogging about my internship experience so far.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<h3><span data-contrast="none">Getting to know the individual stories of the accused</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"335559738":160,"335559739":80}"> </span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">My first week was spent diving down the rabbit hole to explore all there is to learn about the Scottish witch trials. If you had asked me to describe an accused witch before this week, I would’ve told you they wore a pointy hat and flew around on a broomstick. I couldn’t have been more wrong! Now when I picture these women, they look like my mother, or my grandmother, or me. They were ordinary people who suffered an egregious injustice, and I was extremely moved when learning about their stories.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Some of the most valuable tools for my research included </span><a href="https://witches.hca.ed.ac.uk/faq/"><span data-contrast="none">The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft</span></a><span data-contrast="auto">, created by Julian Goodare, a history professor at the University of Edinburgh, and his team in the late 90’s, and the <a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/">interactive </a></span><span data-contrast="none">witches</span><span data-contrast="auto"> map resource created by Emma Carroll, a geography student and our former Data Visualisation intern, and our late developer colleague Richard Lawson in September 2019. The Survey made use of the historic records of all the accused witches in Scotland between 1563 – 1736 and organised the details into a MS Access 1997 database, and our new 2019 map brings this data to life in a new and engaging way through importing the data into Wikipedia’s sister project, Wikidata, as linked open machine-readable data.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Learning about the great work that has been done previously definitely made me realise I have a lot to live up to but also motivated me to give it my all in the next twelve weeks and hopefully produce an end result that meets the standards of my predecessors.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<h3><span data-contrast="none">Writing a National Lottery Heritage Fund bid</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"335559738":160,"335559739":80}"> </span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The next thing to familiarise myself with before I could dive into my writing was the bid itself. I spent a few days combing through the NLHF website to understand what it is they are looking for and how our project fits those needs. By getting to know my audience, I could ensure that my writing was intriguing, evidence-based and persuasive. I quickly found out that before submitting the 10,000-word application, I must submit a 1000-word ‘Expression of Interest’. This EoI asks questions about the heritage of the project, what our project aims to achieve, and why it is needed now. At this point, I felt I could write a dissertation for each of these questions, so the tight word count was my biggest enemy. I had lots of help from some lovely colleagues who offered their feedback and advice, including the Project Director of the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft, Professor Julian Goodare. After many tweaks and a few redrafts, I am happy to say at the end of week four that the EoI is pretty much ready to go.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<h3><span data-contrast="none">Exploring avenues for community engagement</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"335559738":160,"335559739":80}"> </span></h3>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Alongside writing, writing and more writing, I have also been brainstorming ideas for the community engagement side of our project. There have been so many great ideas by the team which have led to interesting and helpful discussions with different people and organisations, including the National Museum of Scotland, Reforesting Scotland, and some really talented artists. Excitingly, most of the responses we have received have been positive and enthusiastic. In the upcoming weeks, I hope to visit some of these places and see firsthand the primary sources from the witch trials.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<h4><span data-contrast="none">Workshops and all-staff events</span><span data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"134245529":true,"335559738":160,"335559739":80}"> </span></h4>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Another educational and fun aspect of my experience so far, outside of my bid writing role, has been the plethora of events hosted by ISG. In the past month I have taken part in ‘intern welcome’ socials, Wikipedia writing workshops and even a workshop on an introduction to blogging! Alongside these, I have also attended two all-staff events, one for all Information Services Group (ISG) staff and one for the Learning, Teaching and Web (LTW) division. Not only have I learned so much about the behind-the-scenes and the people who have made my studies possible for the past five years, but these events have also been an opportunity to get to know more of my colleagues and socialise with other interns. At ISG there is a strong emphasis on having a healthy work-life balance and making sure that you and those around you have what you need to produce your best work.</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<div id="attachment_473" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-473" class="size-medium wp-image-473" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2025/07/Window-300x234.png" alt="View of Edinburgh Castle from Floor K, Argyle House." width="300" height="234" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2025/07/Window-300x234.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2025/07/Window.png 363w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-473" class="wp-caption-text">View of Edinburgh Castle from Floor K, Argyle House. CC-BY-SA by Dervla Craig.</p></div>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In conclusion, I have had an amazing first month as an intern with the University of Edinburgh. I have learned a lot, met new people, and pushed myself outside of my comfort zone. Plus the amazing view of Edinburgh Castle from Floor K has been a real motivator to work from the office and not from home! I am nothing but hopeful that the next eight weeks will be even more exciting and productive, and that I can blog again soon with positive updates!</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">P.S. If you haven’t already, definitely visit <a href="https://witches.hca.ed.ac.uk/">The Survey of Scottish Witchcraft</a> and the <a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/">Map of Accused Witches in Scotland</a> websites! They are both amazing (and important) educational resources that I could browse for hours (and have).</span><span data-ccp-props="{}"> </span></p>
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<time datetime="2025-07-11" itemprop="dateModified">Jul 11, 2025</time>
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<title>The Final Countdown: New Features and Nuxt 3 Upgrade</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/the-final-countdown/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/the-final-countdown/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Thu, 03 Oct 2024 10:03:55 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Student]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikimania]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=455</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Since I last wrote after I returned from Wikimania, I have been working on getting version 2.0 of the website up to scratch! The new version of the website is set to launch this October, which meant there was a lot to get done before then.Firstly, the website framework was due for an upgrade from […]]]></description>
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<p>Since I last wrote after I returned from Wikimania, I have been working on getting version 2.0 of the website up to scratch! The new version of the website is set to launch this October, which meant there was a lot to get done before then.<br />Firstly, the website framework was due for an upgrade from Nuxt 2 to Nuxt 3. Nuxt is a javascript web development framework based on Vue.js, designed to make it easier to build fast and dynamic websites by handling much of the configuration and setup for developers. This upgrade was crucial for the website’s longevity and security, making it a top priority. This was something I had never done before, so I was a bit apprehensive. This did end up being quite a long challenging task as lots of the packages used in the website were not compatible with Nuxt 3 meaning I had to do quite a lot of problem solving and research to find new packages which could provide the same functionality and have a similar user interface. I learnt a lot from this process and had to be quite patient because at times I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to get everything working, – for example the clustering of markers on the map – but after lots of trial and error and research I found a solution and felt proud of myself.</p>
<p><br />We also worked on some exciting new pages:</p>
<p><br /><strong>Map of Memorials & Sites of Interest:</strong> This is an interactive map showcasing memorials across Scotland dedicated to those who suffered during the witch trials, along with other sites of interest such as execution sites, prisons, meeting places, and museums with witchcraft displays. The purpose of this map is to document how the witch trials have been memorialised over time, and increasingly in recent years, and to provide people interested in the Scottish witch trials with locations they can visit.</p>
<p><br />This project involved an initial research period carried out by Ewan McAndrew, Ellie Whitehead and myself. We sought to identify memorial locations to include by reading books, searching the internet, and having discussions with Professor Julian Goodare. During these discussions, it became clear that several monuments are not based on actual historical events. For example, the Maggie Wall monument in Dunning—there is no evidence that Maggie Wall existed or was executed as a witch. However, we still found locations like this of interest in understanding how stories of witchcraft have been passed down through generations.</p>
<p><br />To differentiate between various types of sites, we created three categories: memorials, sites of interest, and tourist attractions. This allowed us to classify each location appropriately. After the research stage, we created Wikidata items for each location, adding any available images from Wikimedia Commons, coordinate locations, links to external websites, and street addresses. This data was then used to query and display these locations on a new webpage, where they are plotted on a map. <br />To provide further information to users, Ellie Whitehead wrote descriptions for each location in the database, explaining how the site is connected to the Scottish Witch Trials and addressing any misconceptions about historic fact vs folklore.<br /><br />Once we had collated all the information needed and created all Wikidata items I developed the website page and Stewart Cromar created new icons from the same woodcut of the North Berwick witches that the original icons are from.<br /><br /></p>
<div id="attachment_458" style="width: 321px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-458" class=" wp-image-458" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/intro-300x241.jpg" alt="North Berwick Witches Woodcut- Newes from Scotland" width="311" height="250" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/intro-300x241.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/intro.jpg 747w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 311px) 100vw, 311px" /><p id="caption-attachment-458" class="wp-caption-text">North Berwick Witches Woodcut – Newes from Scotland</p></div>
<p><br />This was a particularly rewarding page to create, as it involved multiple stages, including research, brainstorming ideas, designing the interface, and development. The result is a page I believe users will love, and that I feel proud of, as I believe it helps represents how the injustice of the Scottish Witch Trials has been commemorated across Scotland.</p>
<div id="attachment_459" style="width: 484px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-459" class=" wp-image-459" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-300x136.png" alt="Current Design of Memorials Page" width="474" height="215" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-300x136.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-1024x463.png 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-768x347.png 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-1536x694.png 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page-1440x651.png 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/memorials-page.png 1917w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px" /><p id="caption-attachment-459" class="wp-caption-text">Memorials Page</p></div>
<p><br /><strong>Further Reading:</strong> A list of books, journals, and articles recommended by Professor Julian Goodare (director of the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft) and Ellie Whitehead for those who wanted to learn more about the Scottish witch trials. Links are provided on where they can be accessed.</p>
<p><br /><strong>Glossary:</strong> A glossary containing terms used across the website, along with their meanings, was created to help users understand specialized vocabulary, as the filter lists may include terms that are not commonly known. We wanted users to have an easy way to discover the contextual meanings to get the most out of the website. Ellie Whitehead used the glossary from the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft as a base, then added any additional terms from the filters that might not have an obvious meaning. After she compiled the list of terms and definitions, I created the web page. We decided it would be helpful if the list could be sorted either alphabetically or by category, making it easier for users to find terms.</p>
<div id="attachment_460" style="width: 445px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-460" class=" wp-image-460" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-300x133.png" alt="Glossary Page" width="435" height="193" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-300x133.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-1024x455.png 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-768x341.png 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-1536x682.png 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary-1440x640.png 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/glossary.png 1916w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 435px) 100vw, 435px" /><p id="caption-attachment-460" class="wp-caption-text">Glossary Page</p></div>
<p><br /><strong>Introduction to Scottish Witchcraft:</strong> A page offering contextual information on the Scottish witchcraft trials to help users understand the historical background and significance of these events. We decided to include a video of Professor Julian Goodare for users who find it easier to learn from video content or those looking for more information, and who better to learn from than the creator of the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft himself!<br />Initially, we planned to create a short, 5-minute general introduction to Scottish witchcraft. However, but given Julian’s incredible wealth of knowledge, we asked him additional questions we thought people would be most interested in, resulting in more videos about the Scottish Witch Trials and the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft to add to the website.<br />We recorded these videos in the University of Edinburgh’s Media Studio at Argyle House. I thoroughly enjoyed using this space, as it allowed us to create professional-quality videos. The studio is fully equipped with tools like a teleprompter, TV backdrop, light boxes, a microphone, and, of course, a camera.</p>
<div id="attachment_461" style="width: 410px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-461" class=" wp-image-461" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-300x135.jpeg" alt="Media Studio" width="400" height="180" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-300x135.jpeg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-1024x461.jpeg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-768x346.jpeg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-1536x692.jpeg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media-1440x649.jpeg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/10/Media.jpeg 2016w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /><p id="caption-attachment-461" class="wp-caption-text">Media Studio</p></div>
<p><br />Currently these new pages and upgrade are getting reviewed by web developer Andrew Millington before getting deployed to the site in order to make sure that the code is maintainable, working as intended, and a user friendly interface. Once these have been reviewed and all issues that come up resolved then the website will be ready for it’s version 2 launch!! <span data-teams="true"><span class="ui-provider a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak" dir="ltr">I’m really excited for this to go live so everyone can see all the work mentioned (above) that I’ve been working on for the last year and all the previous interns’ work too!</span></span></p>
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area">
<time datetime="2024-10-03" itemprop="dateModified">Oct 3, 2024</time>
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<title>Wikimania 2024: A Conference of Collaboration, Learning and Culture</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/#comments</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 19 Aug 2024 09:34:24 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Conference]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Student]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikimania]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=424</guid>
<description><![CDATA[ On July 15th I returned as ‘Witchfinder General’ – Data Visualisation Intern for another 3 months of working on the Map of Scottish Accused Witches of Project. We are now 4 weeks in and I have lots to share.I went to my first ever conference – Wikimania! Wikimania is an annual conference hosted by […]]]></description>
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<p>On July 15th I returned as ‘Witchfinder General’ – Data Visualisation Intern for another 3 months of working on the Map of Scottish Accused Witches of Project. We are now 4 weeks in and I have lots to share.<br /><br />I went to my first ever conference – <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikimania">Wikimania</a>! Wikimania is an annual conference hosted by the Wikimedia Foundation, including presentations and discussions on Wikimedia projects such as Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons. This year it was held in Katowice, Poland. I went with my manager Ewan McAndrew to give a presentation on Student engagement with openness. Ewan spoke about examples of all the Wikimedia related student projects he has run at the University of Edinburgh and then I spoke about the work we have done on this project.<br /><br /><a href="https://wikimania.eventyay.com/2024/talk/FALUVE/">Find out more about our presentation here!</a> <br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/wLgxZTcjhjY?si=POQvnW26tqevogTD&t=7920">Watch the presentation here.</a> <br /><br />Before going, I wasn’t sure what to expect from the conference. In my mind, a conference seemed like a very formal event, which I thought might make me feel a bit out of place. However, as soon as I arrived, I found a relaxed and open atmosphere with a diverse group of people. From volunteers to software developers, people who work for the Wikimedia Foundation to those who edit Wikipedia in their free time, there was a wide range of interests, passions, careers, ages, and nationalities present. This diversity created a warm and accepting environment that made open discussion comfortable. I was initially apprehensive about my presentation, as public speaking is something that scares me a little, but that made the achievement feel even greater.<br /><br />Along with giving the presentation I also got to attend lots of interesting talks and panel discussions. These covered lots of topics including the future of AI within the Wikipedia movement, facing the gender imbalance on Wikipedia, open data and the climate crisis, Wikipedia in education and even more. I think the standout for me was some of the AI discussions, thinking about how the Wikimedia movement could use AI but also the risks that would come along with them. Each session was really interesting and eye opening and great to hear views from people from all over the world. Throughout the conference I got to hear about all the different work that goes on in the Wikimedia movement.</p>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/wikimania_katowice_2024_-_opening_ceremony_wikimedian_of_the_year_awards_32/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="200" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Wikimania_Katowice_2024_-_Opening_Ceremony_Wikimedian_of_the_Year_Awards_32-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Marching Band at Wikimania Opening Ceremony" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Wikimania_Katowice_2024_-_Opening_Ceremony_Wikimedian_of_the_Year_Awards_32-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Wikimania_Katowice_2024_-_Opening_Ceremony_Wikimedian_of_the_Year_Awards_32-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Wikimania_Katowice_2024_-_Opening_Ceremony_Wikimedian_of_the_Year_Awards_32-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Wikimania_Katowice_2024_-_Opening_Ceremony_Wikimedian_of_the_Year_Awards_32.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/1024px-wikimania_katowice_2024_ksp_005/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="200" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/1024px-Wikimania_Katowice_2024_KsP_005-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Wikimania Entrance" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/1024px-Wikimania_Katowice_2024_KsP_005-300x200.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/1024px-Wikimania_Katowice_2024_KsP_005-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/1024px-Wikimania_Katowice_2024_KsP_005.jpg 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="201" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c-e1724058923544-300x201.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Wikimania Opening Ceremony" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c-e1724058923544-300x201.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c-e1724058923544-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c-e1724058923544-768x513.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/c907a818-a6ad-4279-82f7-414c4f367a0c-e1724058923544.jpg 1306w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6316/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Pottery Painting at Wikimania" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6316-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6326/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Traditional Polish Choir" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6326-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6565/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Lighting Talk at Wikimania" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6565-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<p><br /><br />Not only were there many interesting sessions, the conference also included lots of entertainment – an opening ceremony with a Polish marching band and awards for the standout Wikimedians presented by Jimmy Wales (the founder of Wikipedia), a pottery painting class where we got to paint our own mug. I really enjoyed this activity. It was a lovely calming moment in a busy conference. There was also a performance from a traditional Polish choir, and a closing ceremony with a performance from the Wiki Orchestra , a group of talented musicians from the Wikimedia community playing a beautiful piece by Chopin. Then to finish a closing party in the National Polish Radio Symphony Orchestra with Wikimedians mingling and dancing to celebrate the end of a successful 4 day conference full of collaboration, learning, and cultural exchange.</p>
<p><br />During my free time, I also explored Katowice. I visited the Silesian Museum (An old mine that had since been repurposed), walked around appreciating the city’s architecture, and tried local cuisine such as Polish dumplings (called pierogies). They were delicious! On my way back, I flew out of Krakow, so I got to see some of that city as well, taking a walk around the old town, visiting the castle, strolling along the river, and exploring the Jewish quarter. It was exciting being able to explore and learn about both these cities that I hadn’t visited before.</p>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6400/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Silesian Museum" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6400-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6518/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Panteon Górnośląski w Katowicach" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6518-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6544/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Garrison Church" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6544-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6552/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Buildings in Katowice on Juliusxa Slowackiego" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6552-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6609/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="Horse and Carriage in Krakow" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6609-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<a href='https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wikimania-2024-a-conference-of-collaboration-learning-and-culture/img_6621/'><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="225" height="300" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-225x300.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium" alt="St Mary's Basilica, Krakow" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/IMG_6621-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></a>
<p><br /><br />Now back in Edinburgh with lots of work to continue, I’m reflecting on what was an enriching experience for which I am very grateful. I’m proud to have presented at an international conference, which will definitely boost my confidence. It was inspiring to see the variety of work happening within the Wikimedia community, such as the resilience of the Ukrainian community during the ongoing war. The conference felt like a community that was excited to meet and learn from one another and I’m glad to have been part of it.<br /><br /></p>
<div id="attachment_450" style="width: 750px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-450" class="wp-image-450 size-large" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media-1024x1024.jpeg" alt="Wikimania 2024 Group Photo" width="740" height="740" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media-1024x1024.jpeg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media-300x300.jpeg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media-150x150.jpeg 150w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media-768x768.jpeg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2024/08/Media.jpeg 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px" /><p id="caption-attachment-450" class="wp-caption-text">Wikimania 2024 Group Photo</p></div>
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<time datetime="2024-08-19" itemprop="dateModified">Aug 19, 2024</time>
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<title>Remembering Scotland’s Accused Witches: Books, Plays and Memorials</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/internship-wrap-up/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/internship-wrap-up/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 25 Aug 2023 15:55:59 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[internfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=402</guid>
<description><![CDATA[I am writing this blog post on the final day of my internship. The 12 weeks have flown by! Over this period, a lot of progress has been made to the new version of the site. This has consisted of:• Quality checking the data by comparing the data from the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft to […]]]></description>
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<p style="text-align: left">I am writing this blog post on the final day of my internship. The 12 weeks have flown by! Over this period, a lot of progress has been made to the new version of the site.</p>
<p style="text-align: left"><br />This has consisted of:<br />• Quality checking the data by comparing the data from the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft to the data on Wikidata.<br />• Making improvements and getting rid of bugs on the website .<br />• User testing sessions.</p>
<p style="text-align: left"><br />You can read more about these in the previous blog posts. However, there is still progress to be made so I am going to continue to work on this project one day a week when I return to university in September! This will allow us to make sure we are fully confident with the data being used and the happy with the content of the website before releasing the new version of the website. The new version of the website includes lots of exciting new information and features such as accusations of shapeshifting and ritual objects plotted on a filterable map, custom timeline searches, a <a href="http://www.histropedia.com/">Histropedia</a> timeline where you can do name searches and filtering by age of accused and a new historic map layer using <a href="https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=10.6&lat=55.91496&lon=-3.36726&layers=125140579&b=1">the 1750 Dorret georeferenced map from National Library of Scotland</a>.</p>
<p>If you want to find out more about what I’ve been working on watch this video below:</p>
<iframe loading="lazy" src="about:blank" data-bs-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DKwfk7mgxk0?feature=oembed" width="660" height="544" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Over the past 2 weeks I’ve had the opportunity to attend interesting witch related events at the Edinburgh festivals. I went to a talk at Edinburgh International Book Festival with the authors Mairi Kidd (<a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/we-are-all-witches/mairi-kidd/9781785304132">We Are All Witches</a> ) and Allyson Shaw (<a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/ashes-and-stones/allyson-shaw/9781529395457">Ashes and Stone</a>) who have written books about the accused witches of Scotland which they discussed in this talk. “We Are All Witches” tells fictionalised accounts of 16 of the accused witches based on the information available and “Ashes and Stones” follows the authors journey visiting memorials of the accused witches around Scotland. This highlighted the importance and relevance of telling the individual stories and the memorialisation of those who suffered.</p>
<p>With my manager I also went to see a play at the fringe called <a href="https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/prick">Prick</a>, which told the stories of some of the executed women accused of witchcraft including <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isobel_Gowdie">Issobell Gowdie</a>. These were both really inspiring, emotional and evocative events. I think after spending so long working with the data you begin to forget that these were real people and not just entries on a database, I was really reminded of how horrific, unjust and inhumane the trials and sufferings these women went through really were, which enforced in my mind the importance of sharing their stories. Also, both the authors at the book talk and the playwright of Prick used the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft as one of their primary resources when researching the Scottish witch trials which was a reminder of how valuable the data we are working with is.</p>
<div id="attachment_405" style="width: 349px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-405" class=" wp-image-405" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/booktalk-e1692977642502-225x300.jpg" alt="Mairi Kidd & Allyson Shaw: Who Are the Real Witches? - Book Festival Talk" width="339" height="452" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/booktalk-e1692977642502-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/booktalk-e1692977642502.jpg 480w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 339px) 100vw, 339px" /><p id="caption-attachment-405" class="wp-caption-text">Mairi Kidd & Allyson Shaw: Who Are the Real Witches? – Book Festival Talk</p></div>
<p>After going to both events it was really in our minds how important it is to remember and learn from these people’s stories and the there is a lot of interest in how they are memorialised. This has lead us to decide we will begin working on the idea we had to create a map of memorials for the accused witches. So people can see in one place the memorials that local areas have dedicated to the accused witches that were subject to the trials, torture and executions. We have started researching this by borrowing the book <a href="https://beul-aithris-publishing.onlineweb.shop/Witch_Memorials_of_Scotland/p6366266_20228504.aspx"><em>Witch Memorials of Scotland</em> by Gregor Stewart</a> from the University library. We also met with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Goodare">Professor Julian Goodare</a> to update him on the progress that has been made, ask him for advice, make use of his expertise and discuss our future ideas going forward such as the map of memorials.</p>
<div id="attachment_406" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-406" class="size-medium wp-image-406" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/MicrosoftTeams-image-300x157.jpg" alt="Ruby and Professor Julian Goodare" width="300" height="157" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/MicrosoftTeams-image-300x157.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/MicrosoftTeams-image-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/MicrosoftTeams-image-768x402.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/MicrosoftTeams-image.jpg 1440w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-406" class="wp-caption-text">Ruby and Professor Julian Goodare</p></div>
<p><br />Overall, this internship has been a great experience because not only have I learnt lots of new technical skills (programming in R, Vue JavaScript framework, Wikidata, Sparql queries, user testing and user interface design) and professional skills (communication, teamwork and time management) I have also got to learn lots about this dark period of Scottish history through lots of different mediums. I’ve been inspired to learn more in my own time and have read <a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/hex/jenni-fagan/9781846976223">Hex</a> by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenni_Fagan">Jenni Fagan</a> which tells an imagining of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geillis_Duncan">Geillis Duncan</a>‘s last night. This has made me passionate about working on this project as I’ve realised the real world value and impact of helping people to understand the stories and individuals behind this data. I’m looking forward to continuing this work and launching the new version of the site which hopefully further shares these individual stories as best we can.</p>
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area">
<time datetime="2023-08-25" itemprop="dateModified">Aug 25, 2023</time>
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<title>From Witches to Widgets: A Witchfinder Intern’s Update</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/from-witches-to-widgets-a-witchfinder-interns-update/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/from-witches-to-widgets-a-witchfinder-interns-update/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Tue, 08 Aug 2023 09:14:50 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Internship]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[internfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=383</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Hello, It’s been a while since my last blog post so it’s time for an update about my time as Witchfinder General Data Visualisation intern! Since my last post, I’ve been busy as ever, diving into the world of data quality assuring, tinkering with our website, and getting some insights from users and lots of […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Hello, It’s been a while since my last blog post so it’s time for an update about my time as Witchfinder General Data Visualisation intern! Since my last post, I’ve been busy as ever, diving into the world of data quality assuring, tinkering with our website, and getting some insights from users and lots of other fun and interesting experiences.</p>
<div id="attachment_389" style="width: 298px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-389" class=" wp-image-389" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal-225x300.jpg" alt="Photo of Me Working on the Website" width="288" height="384" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/bereal.jpg 1500w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 288px) 100vw, 288px" /><p id="caption-attachment-389" class="wp-caption-text">Working on the Website in Argyle House</p></div>
<p><br />My role in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of our data continues. With the aim of making sure our users get the most reliable insights and facts meanwhile respecting the original work of Survey of Scottish Witchcraft. I have now compared lots of fields including place of detention, primary & secondary case characteristics, cause of death, manner of death and lots more. From this I have been able to see that some information has been discovered since the Survey and added to Wikidata. I have made sure that all this information is referenced to trustworthy verifiable sources, ensuring that our website has the most accurate and up to date information possible. You can keep track of my progress <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_Scotland%27s_Accused_Witches/To_do">on our Wikidata project page here</a>.</p>
<div id="attachment_386" style="width: 495px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-386" class=" wp-image-386" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-300x143.png" alt="New Feature on the Website which allows you to see historic version of Map" width="485" height="231" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-300x143.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-1024x489.png 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-768x367.png 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-1536x734.png 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919-1440x688.png 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/Screenshot-2023-08-08-091919.png 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 485px) 100vw, 485px" /><p id="caption-attachment-386" class="wp-caption-text">New Historic Map Fearure</p></div>
<p><br />I’ve added some cool features to our website! You can now travel back in time with our historical map layer. After discussing different map layers with <span class="ui-provider fz b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak" dir="ltr">Chris Fleet at National Library of Scotland we selected <a href="https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=12.2&lat=55.92314&lon=-3.22392&layers=125140579&b=1">the 1750 georeferenced James Dorret map</a>. </span>This lets you see how things looked closer to the time of the accused witches. Plus, we’ve made it easier for users to pick and choose what they want to see with the select and deselect buttons and changing the list of filters to alphabetical order. And I’ve been on a bug-hunting mission to get rid of them and make sure everything runs smoothly to make the website easier to navigate. We have had several other ideas of how we can make our website more engaging and informative, one of these ideas was to add some illustrations to the website to help users understand what information is being displayed to them. So I talked to one of the other interns Ally who is working on an interactive colouring in book. She came out with some initial ideas that could be used as icons for the accusations of Shapeshifting and the Ritual Objects supposed used and they turned out great! However, we have some concerns relating to including modern illustrations on our website. We are worried it could distract from the academic historical work or misrepresent some of these historical ideas (e.g. Shapeshifting) that we are referring to.</p>
<div id="attachment_398" style="width: 325px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-398" class=" wp-image-398" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-300x155.jpg" alt="Concept Illustrations for Website" width="315" height="163" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-300x155.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-1024x527.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-768x396.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-1536x791.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1-1440x742.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/blog3heading1.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 315px) 100vw, 315px" /><p id="caption-attachment-398" class="wp-caption-text">Concept Illustrations for Website</p></div>
<p>I also ran 7 user testing sessions with support from the <a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/user-experience">User Experience team</a> who’s aim is to deliver user-centred products. I initially met with members of the team and they informed me that the best way to improve the user experience of the website would be to find out what needs improving by conducting user testing. They gave me lots of advice on how to go about these sessions and for one of my first sessions helped me take notes. We decided to test on users who were experts on history and some people with very little previous knowledge on witches! So I reached out to <span class="ui-provider fz b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak" dir="ltr">Assistant Professor Mikki Brock, Witches of Scotland podcasters, Dr. Chris Langley and other interns to see if they would be interested in participating, and they all were! </span>This range of knowledge was really useful to see how the different types of users interacted with the website, this is important as these are both user groups that our website in intended for. I would give the users tasks to complete on the site and watch them complete them, taking notes and then ask them questions to hear their thoughts and advice. Their feedback will help guide us towards the best version of the website possible. I’ve shared their insights with the team, and together we’re deciding what we came take from it to make improvements to the site.</p>
<p><br />As part of my internship, I’ve also had some pretty cool experiences beyond the screen. A trip to <a href="https://www.stcecilias.ed.ac.uk/whats-on/">St Celias Hall</a>, a musical instrument museum, was a really interesting experience that I learnt lots of new information from. I’ve also dabbled in Wikipedia writing after attending a Wikipedia training session, I researched and wrote a page about the accused witch <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Issobell_Fergussone">Issobelle Fergesoune</a>. It’s great to be able to write about the accused witches individual stories as this humanizes them and helps people understand what they really went through. Also, I have attended several team meetings, where coffee and cake were involved!</p>
<div id="attachment_392" style="width: 297px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-392" class=" wp-image-392" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-225x300.jpg" alt="Musical Instruments in St Celia's Hall" width="287" height="383" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195-1440x1920.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/08/st-celias-hall-trip-scaled-e1691485923195.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 287px) 100vw, 287px" /><p id="caption-attachment-392" class="wp-caption-text">Musical Instruments in St Celia’s Hall</p></div>
<p>So, what’s next? I have two quite big challenges to focus on, one being making sure the website is mobile responsive and the other being trying to reduce the load time when opening the website. Currently, the website can takes some time to load because there is huge amounts of data being pulled. This will be quite technically difficult to solve. Our approach is going to be separating the queries pulling the data into smaller queries so less data is being pulled at once. The load time is very important to user experience and something that was mentioned several times in the user testing sessions. Hopefully after these improvements the new version of the website will be one step closer to being released!</p>
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area">
<time datetime="2023-08-08" itemprop="dateModified">Aug 8, 2023</time>
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<title>Weeks 2 and 3 – Unravelling Anomalies and Starting the Website Transformation</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/weeks-2-and-3-unravelling-anomalies-and-starting-the-website-transformation/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/weeks-2-and-3-unravelling-anomalies-and-starting-the-website-transformation/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jun 2023 06:31:51 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[internfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=377</guid>
<description><![CDATA[I am now coming the end of my third week as the Witchfinder General – Data Visualisation intern and time has flown by. Over the past 2 weeks I have begun on the journey of Quality Assuring the data and improving the website. This process began by dealing with the anomalies between the names and […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><span data-contrast="auto">I am now coming the end of my third week as the Witchfinder General – Data Visualisation intern and time has flown by. Over the past 2 weeks I have begun on the journey of Quality Assuring the data and improving the website. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">This process began by dealing with the anomalies between the names and gender of accused witches that the previous intern, Claire had found and then after consulting with<a href="https://www.ed.ac.uk/history-classics-archaeology/about-us/staff-profiles/profile_tab5_academic.php?uun=jgoodare&search=2¶ms="> Professor Julian Goodare</a> about these differences making the corresponding necessary changes in wikidata. Then I began with looking at different properties, starting with social class and occupation. From this I discovered there was some differences with the wording of some of the values used in the Survey and in Wikidata. This was because there are some very Survey-specific terms related to witch hunts in 16th century Scotland and a 21st century platform like Wikidata has items of data that are of more general use with often more modern definitions of terms as a community knowledgebase of open linked data. It is also because language changes over time and the definitions and use of terms and placenames has changed since the 16th century. Where possible it is better to use a common language of terms so that the data can be explored and parsed more easily. However, if there are stark differences then it is better to make sure that Wikidata has terms suitable for explaining the specific nature of terms of the information contained within the Survey so that there is no loss of meaning or misrepresentation creeping in. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><div id="attachment_380" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-380" class="wp-image-380 size-medium" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/wordTable-300x224.png" alt="Anomalies in Value Labels between Wikidata and the Survey" width="300" height="224" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/wordTable-300x224.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/wordTable.png 463w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-380" class="wp-caption-text">Anomalies in Value Labels between Wikidata and the Survey</p></div></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">In most cases Professor Julian Goodare, lecturer in History and project Director of the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft database (2003), approved of these cases but he suggested that </span><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q54128"><b><span data-contrast="auto">domestic worker</span></b></a><span data-contrast="auto"> did not give appropriate meaning and that adding a new value <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q119574553"><strong>servant</strong> </a>would represent the work they did more accurately so I changed every accused witch on Wikidata that was down a domestic worker to servant using <a href="https://quickstatements.toolforge.org/#/">Quickstatements</a>. Once we had confirmed that the rest of the terms being used in Wikidata were suitable, there was no anomalies left for social class but there was some for occupation. There were some witches in Wikidata where some additional occupations had been added that were not mentioned in the survey. We sent these to Prof. Julian Goodare and he looked through his resources and verified whether these occupations were accurate and provided us with a reference that could be added to Wikidata. This is part of the benefit of working with open linked data where multiple values can be added by a community of users if it aids and augments the data. It does need to be verifiable however so adding a reference to back up statements being added is key.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Looking at residence property was my next hurdle and it proved to be a more difficult and time consuming task than the previous properties. This was because in the Survey there were numerous columns of locations for each accused witch – settlement, parish, presbytery, county and burgh – and on Wikidata different locations have been chosen depending on which residence Emma.. ( the first student intern to work on this project) was able to find. Emma worked with georeferenced historic maps from the National Library of Scotland and placename books to try and identify which placename listed in the five columns of data in the Survey could be geolocated on a map to be the most specific place of residence for each accused witch we could approximate a co-ordinate location for. This means there is a lot of differences between the survey data and Wikidata to look through, so this is something I am still working on , as there are 820 locations to look at.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">I have also began working on the website improvements. This began by creating a list of all the things we would like to change/add and categorising them into bugs, new features, and navigation improvements. And we also had a meeting with Prof. Julian Goodare to discuss potential additions with him. Lots of great ideas came out of this meeting such as filming an explainer video for the ‘About’ webpage that would give an introduction this project, the background of the survey of Scottish witchcraft and a guide to the website. Once we had completed a categorised list, I had a meeting with the web development team, Andrew and Richard, and we played ‘scrum poker’, a method for each of us guesstimating how long each development task might take. The next stage was to start working through these tasks and prioritising any bugs.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The navigation and user interface of the test site of the website is something that needs improved before making this version available to the public. We reached out to the ISG’s User Experience (UX) Service to see if they could provide us with any support on this side of things. We had a meeting with them to give them an introduction the project and website, give our ideas, answer their questions and gauge the kind of support they could give us. I think the main goal of the site is to make a good resource for people interested in witches but also those with no prior knowledge. Since the website was first released loads of visualisations were added to the test site of version 2 by Maggie and Josep, our student interns in Summer 2022. These have provided great new insights but have caused for the navigational layout of the site to become slightly unorganised. It is often hard to find what you are looking for or understand what you are looking at. Ahead of the meeting with the UX team, I created some mock ups showing how we could change the navigation so that all the maps of accused witches are in the same place (discoverable in the left hand menu pictured below) and you can explore the map with different filters and read contextual text explaining each visualisation. This way people are more likely to view and understand more of the information. We are soon to have a follow up meeting with them to discuss things further.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span></p>
<p><div id="attachment_378" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-378" class="wp-image-378 size-medium" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web1-300x131.png" alt="Mock-up of Web Improvements" width="300" height="131" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web1-300x131.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web1.png 683w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-378" class="wp-caption-text">Mock-up of Web Improvements</p></div></p>
<p><div id="attachment_379" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-379" class="wp-image-379 size-medium" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web2-300x136.png" alt="Mock-up of Web Improvements" width="300" height="136" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web2-300x136.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/web2.png 681w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-379" class="wp-caption-text">Mock-up of Web Improvements</p></div></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Overall, I have really enjoyed my first few weeks. I have been able to work on a variation of tasks including web development, data assurance and Wikidata. This has kept things interesting and exciting and I have learnt so much already from new technical skills to greater historical knowledge of what happened to these accused witches. have had meetings with lots of interesting people all providing valuable ideas to the project. I have also met lots of other interns and staff at various events such as the welcome lunch, home baking morning and the all staff BBQ. I am excited to continue the work I have done so far.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span><br />
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area"><br />
<time datetime="2023-06-28" itemprop="dateModified">Jun 28, 2023</time><br />
</span></p>
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<title>A Witchfinder’s Quest : Ensuring Data Accuracy & Enhancing the Website</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/witchfinders-data-accuracy-website/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/witchfinders-data-accuracy-website/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[rimrie2]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 12 Jun 2023 09:05:50 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Internship]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[internfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[map of accused witches]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ruby imrie]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=366</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Hi! I’m Ruby and I’m a 3rd year undergraduate at the University of Edinburgh studying Computer Science. And I am the new Witchfinder General – Data Visualisation Intern and I am going to be continuing with the great work of the previous interns that have worked on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft project. So far, […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Hi! I’m Ruby and I’m a 3<sup>rd</sup> year undergraduate at the University of Edinburgh studying Computer Science. And I am the new Witchfinder General – Data Visualisation Intern and I am going to be continuing with the great work of the previous interns that have worked on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft project. So far, many amazing visualisations have been created and added to the website that make it a great educational resource that everyone can access.</p>
<p>These visualisations have been based on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft Database created by academics in the early 2000’s. Key information from this database has been uploaded to <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Main_Page">Wikidata</a>, allowing for this data to be more accessible to a large community, and has allowed editing and augmentation by members of the Wikidata community. Most visualisations on the website are creating using the data from Wikidata. Wikidata is part of the Wikimedia family, and is a free and open knowledge base composed of structured data that is used in Wikipedia and projects such as this one.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><div id="attachment_367" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-367" class="size-medium wp-image-367" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-300x225.jpg" alt="Familiarizing myself with the datasets and the current website" width="300" height="225" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-300x225.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-768x576.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/06/blog1.jpg 2016w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-367" class="wp-caption-text">Familiarizing myself with the datasets and the current website</p></div></p>
<p><strong>My Goals for Working on this Project</strong></p>
<p>Since the data has been uploaded to Wikidata, it means there may be differences between the Wikidata and the orginal survey data due to the possibility of import errors and other users editing the data. It is important that we check that the data is all this accurate in order to prevent the spread of misinformation and to respect the original historical record, the historical events, what happened to these women, and the work of the researchers on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft. The intern previous to me, Claire Panella, developed a method using R Studio to find the entries that don’t match between Wikidata and the original Survey of Scottish Witches databases. She first completed checking the gender and then the names of the accused witches matched the Survey, from this it was discovered there was several anomalies. One of my roles while pursuing this internship is to continue this work of quality assuring the linked open data used in our website. This will be approached by using Claire’s methodology to check all the different variables displayed in the visualisations, then verifying what changes need made by consulting with academic expert colleagues before making any of the changes. This way we will know the information we are displaying is the most accurate version possible. Although, because this is historical data there are omissions and inexactitudes that by opening up the data to a public audience we hope to be able to further scrutinise and improve on what we know about this dark period of Scottish history.</p>
<p>Along with quality assuring the data I will be working on improving the <a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/">website</a> in order, with the aim of users being able to gain as much from the website as possible. This will in involve making some changes to the user interface in order to make it more accessible and usable by making it more user friendly and easier to navigate. Furthermore, adding any visualisations that we believe will provide insightful information to users of the website. For example, I had the idea of creating a heatmap to show the distribution of the accused witches across Scotland. Whilst working on the website, we will gather ideas and opinions from experts in all things Wiki and Witches!</p>
<p><strong>My First Week</strong></p>
<p>During my first week on this project, I dedicated my time to familiarizing myself with the datasets, which comprise a substantial database with over 3,000 entries. This extensive collection contains a wealth of information about each accused witch, their respective witch trials, and the overarching investigations into witchcraft. Consequently, there were many aspects to consider, and this gave me a lot to think about.</p>
<p>In order for me to effectively use <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Main_Page">Wikidata</a>, a platform I had limited knowledge about before starting this project, I engaged with various members of the Wikidata community. These individuals offered valuable advice and guidance as I begin navigate this project. In order to make the most of Wikidata’s capabilities, I devoted time to learning how to effectively utilize Sparql (a query language for databases) and Openrefine (an open-source tool specifically designed for working with untidy datasets).</p>
<p>Furthermore, this project has required the development of new skills to effectively manipulate the databases and improve the website. In this pursuit, I acquainted myself with R Studio, a programming language I had not previously worked with. I discovered that R Studio offers a user-friendly interface along with robust statistical and data analysis functionalities, making it a suitable choice of software for the project’s requirements. Additionally, I followed tutorials on Vue.js, the JavaScript framework employed for constructing the website.</p>
<p>Over the past year, interns previous to me have worked on a version 2 of the website with some changes made and extra visualisations added to the website. This version currently has not been made public. Over the course of my internship we hope to get this version to a completed stage and make this version public. To kickstart the process, I engaged in brainstorming sessions to generate ideas for the website. Subsequently, I organized and prioritized these ideas, ensuring a clear direction for the project.</p>
<p>I’m really excited to work on this project. As a Computer Science student, I have some experience with working with large datasets and creating data visualizations and working on web applications, and I am excited to be able to develop these skills. Meanwhile, getting to learn to learn a lot about this historic event and work on a great resource that can educate people on one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in Scottish History.<br />
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area"><br />
<time datetime="2023-06-12" itemprop="dateModified">Jun 12, 2023</time><br />
</span></p>
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<item>
<title>Finding Impossible Witches: Part One The Search Begins</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/finding-impossible-witches-part-one/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/finding-impossible-witches-part-one/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[cpanella]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Wed, 05 Apr 2023 15:38:47 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[claire panella]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlam-feed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[dlamfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[internfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[open data]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Openedfeed]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[survey of scottish witchcraft]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Wikidata]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Witches]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=351</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Inheriting the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft Project Hi! I’m Claire, a 4th year undergraduate studying International Relations with Quantitative Methods at the University of Edinburgh, and the latest in a long line of interns and others who’ve worked on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft project. The data involved in this project was originally compiled in […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><b><span data-contrast="none">Inheriting the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft Project</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">Hi! I’m Claire, a 4</span><span data-contrast="none">th</span><span data-contrast="none"> year undergraduate studying International Relations with Quantitative Methods at the University of Edinburgh, and the latest in a long line of interns and others who’ve worked on the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft project. The data involved in this project was originally compiled in a Microsoft Access Database by academics in the early 2000’s. Since then, key information from the database has been added to Wikidata, allowing for greater accessibility as well as editing and augmentation by members of the Wikidata community. People have done lots of great things with this data, including </span><a href="https://witches.is.ed.ac.uk/"><span data-contrast="none">all the visualisations</span></a><span data-contrast="none"> put together by the previous data visualisation interns, but now that the data is stored across several different platforms, it’s important to make sure that these versions are reconciled. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">My role is to find the ‘Impossible Witches’; those entries which don’t m</span><span data-contrast="none">atch between Wikidata and the original Access database.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><div id="attachment_353" style="width: 566px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-353" class="wp-image-353" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/VideoCapture_20230405-124408-300x219.jpg" alt="" width="556" height="406" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/VideoCapture_20230405-124408-300x219.jpg 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/VideoCapture_20230405-124408-1024x747.jpg 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/VideoCapture_20230405-124408-768x560.jpg 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/VideoCapture_20230405-124408.jpg 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 556px) 100vw, 556px" /><p id="caption-attachment-353" class="wp-caption-text">Working away making my first comparisons in R. By Claire Panella, Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0</p></div></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none"> </span><b><span data-contrast="none">Checking against the database item by item</span></b><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">My initial approach to this was to use R to compare between csv files exported from the Access database, and csv files accessed by querying Wikidata. This required downloading both files, checking to make sure variable labels matched, combining the datasets, and isolating the cases where the information didn’t match iso I could look through and see where the issues were.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">For some features, like gender, a lot of information h</span><span data-contrast="none">as been added to Wikidata that isn’t present in the survey, but there are very few cases where </span><span data-contrast="none">Wikidata and the survey have conflicting information.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><div id="attachment_354" style="width: 554px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-354" class="wp-image-354" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/gender-anomalies-300x169.png" alt="" width="544" height="306" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/gender-anomalies-300x169.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/gender-anomalies.png 602w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 544px) 100vw, 544px" /><p id="caption-attachment-354" class="wp-caption-text">Anomalies in Gender between Wikidata and the Survey</p></div></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">In others, like Name, the situation is a bit more complicated. Sometimes the spellings vary between Wikidata and the Survey – this could be for a few reasons, and to add to the complications, both data sources have multiple name categories – the survey includes both modern and historical first and last names, while Wikidata includes both an Item Identifier and aliases. I’ve also looked for exact matches between the text from each source, so some inconsistencies just have to do with capitalisation and spacing. Really, it’s impressive there are only 23 anomalies!</span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><div id="attachment_352" style="width: 543px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-352" class="wp-image-352" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/name-anomalies-300x170.png" alt="" width="533" height="302" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/name-anomalies-300x170.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2023/04/name-anomalies.png 602w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 533px) 100vw, 533px" /><p id="caption-attachment-352" class="wp-caption-text">Anomalies in Name between Wikidata and the Survey</p></div></p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">My goal now is to come up with a solid procedure to check wikidata entri</span><span data-contrast="none">es against the survey so we can be sure we’re consistent and accurate in which data changes we keep. After that, I’ll work on a methodology to pass on to whomever the next ‘Witchfinder General’ is so that we can keep track of data changes as the project continues to grow and evolve. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p> </p>
<p><span data-contrast="none">As I look for a method to continuously check for differences between the original survey data and the most up to date version of Wikidata, I’ve turned to the Wikidata community for help. Ewan reached out to his contacts, and I reached out via <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:Project_chat">Project Chat</a> as well as a Slack channel for <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_LD4_Wikidata_Affinity_Group">libraries using Wikidata</a>. Different users have responded with various suggestions. One Wikidata user suggested a library I could use to efficiently link R with SPARQL queries, and some of Ewan’s contacts gave suggestions for the general workflow I could follow in creating a shareable methodology. One of the most helpful suggestions was that I use a tool called prompter, which would allow me to compare the results of a SPARQL query to a stable csv and store anomalies as a table on the Wikidata project page. While this looks like a great idea, it has led us to run into another of the common problems involved in working with Wikidata – not all of the tools are maintained. The </span><a href="https://prompter.toolforge.org/prompter"><span data-contrast="none">Prompter</span></a><span data-contrast="none"> tool was designed by the Every Politician Project, which was placed on indefinite pause in June 2019. This means that while the documentation for the tool still exists, it no longer works as a template in Wikidata. For me, this has been a valuable lesson on the pros and cons of working with a platform run and maintained by volunteers. Still, we are continuing to get great advice from Wikimedians around the world. A new goal of mine for the end of this project is to create a workable and well documented method that I can easily share, so I have something to give back to the community that has helped me so much throughout this project. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":1,"335551550":1,"335551620":1,"335559685":0,"335559737":0,"335559738":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":270}"> </span></p>
<p><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> </span><br />
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area"><br />
<time datetime="2023-04-05" itemprop="dateModified">Apr 5, 2023</time><br />
</span></p>
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<title>Weeks 9 and 10 – Sweeping the Cobwebs(ite)</title>
<link>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/weeks-9-and-10-cleaning-the-cobwebsite/</link>
<comments>https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/weeks-9-and-10-cleaning-the-cobwebsite/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[jgarcia7]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Fri, 12 Aug 2022 15:44:34 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Uncategorised]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=330</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Site re-development – Filtering Witchcraft Hi, this is Josep again! We are currently in Week 10 of our internship, and time is starting to become a limiting factor. Since my last blog post in Week 4 a lot of things have been going on, and in this post I am going to be explaining how […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Site re-development – Filtering Witchcraft</h2>
<p>Hi, this is Josep again! We are currently in Week 10 of our internship, and time is starting to become a limiting factor. Since my last blog post in Week 4 a lot of things have been going on, and in this post I am going to be explaining how the plans I had back then have turned out, what I have managed to accomplish, and the things I still have left to do in the two remaining weeks.</p>
<p>In week 5, I implemented the new filtering algorithm, and everything went rather smoothly – although I had to change the whole data structure. I think this was a significant improvement, as things ran a bit faster, we only had to keep one copy of the array we use to plot, and the code was neater.</p>
<p>However, after that I then spent quite a few days implementing a way to share filter status data across pages, so that when the user changed pages they would have the same filters on as they had in the previous page. Nevertheless, in order to do this without a backend I had to hardcode the filters array into something called Vue Store (so that its state could be accessed from all pages).</p>
<p>The nature of this array meant that it had to change if the data in the database changed, so I would also need a dynamic check, and I thought it was fine because the data is not likely to change, and I had a dynamic check implement just in case it did. But when I pushed the code over for review, the rest of the team felt it was not ideal to have something both static and dynamic at the same time, which in hindsight I agreed with.</p>
<p>Then I thought I could build the list dynamically and then enter it into the Vue Store, but once I had that implemented I realised that that didn’t work because of caching we were doing (which is quite important because of loading time issues). Therefore, in the end we decided we would just not have the filters share across pages until we had a backend. Back then it was a bit difficult as I felt I had wasted quite a lot of time, but at the same time it was a valuable learning experience!</p>
<p>With the new filtering functionality done, I then started changing the filtering user interface to move it to the left of the page, and with the help of the rest of the team I think we managed to get a pretty neat, professional looking design. This is what it is looking like now:</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-332 aligncenter" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-2022-08-12-at-13.34.59-300x175.png" alt="" width="566" height="331" /></p>
<p>This was the last thing I did before leaving to Spain for holidays for a week.Right now, I have been back from holidays for a bit less than two weeks. In the time that I have been back, I have been working on developing a responsive timeline for the Leaflet Map pages and refactoring the code in order to be able to add more map pages with more filters very easy once Maggie has finished adding all the new data on to WikiData, which should be any time now.</p>
<p>Other than doing these two things, I was hoping to have time to add a backend in Python to process all the data after querying WikiData (as of now there is no backend and we do it in the front-end’s JavaScript) since we will have quite a lot of new data to process, and we are afraid the loading time will significantly increase. However, in the end it has been decided that I shouldn’t do the back end in Python since the team say that they can’t maintain a Python backend in the long term once I’m gone, as they work in PHP. I will try and have time to do the backend in PHP, but I would have to learn it from scratch and there are a lot more other bits and pieces that need doing!</p>
<h2>The Data Side of Things</h2>
<p>I was off for most of last week as I was in Turkey holidaying for a couple of days, but was back on Thursday for more data work! I finished processing the <strong>witches’ meeting places</strong> and <strong>what went down</strong> in these meetings, as well as the <strong>calendar customs </strong>that were mentioned in the witchcraft investigations. Looking at <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q112321273">Agnes Sampson’s investigation</a> page, you can see all the juicy new details we’ve fitted into the Wikidata data model from the Survey and processed using OpenRefine.</p>
<p>Speaking of OpenRefine, I am currently planning and scripting a little tutorial for users of the software or even future interns as I have really enjoyed how intuitive and helpful it’s been for this project. This should be recorded in the next week so keep your eyes peeled…</p>
<p>This week, I started off with doing some data cleaning. Previously, before we created case items for each witchcraft investigation, the <strong>shapeshifting</strong> and <strong>ritual objects</strong> data was added to the accused witches’ items. Some helpful Wikidatans saw this duplication and started deleting statements, so we decided we needed to clean this up to not cause confusion.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-336 aligncenter" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-300x111.png" alt="" width="586" height="217" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-300x111.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-1024x379.png 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-768x284.png 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-1536x568.png 1536w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339-1440x533.png 1440w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-112-e1660311037339.png 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 586px) 100vw, 586px" /></p>
<p>Using the same Google sheet that was used to add the shapeshifting information, I used the handy “<em>Export to QuickStatements</em>” option to get all the edits into QuickStatements syntax. I did this as with QuickStatements, it’s easy to remove specific statements by <strong>prefixing</strong> a line with a <strong>minus sign. </strong></p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-337 aligncenter" src="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-113-e1660312198357-300x154.png" alt="" width="399" height="205" srcset="https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-113-e1660312198357-300x154.png 300w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-113-e1660312198357-1024x526.png 1024w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-113-e1660312198357-768x394.png 768w, https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/wp-content/uploads/sites/524/2022/08/Screenshot-113-e1660312198357.png 1430w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 399px) 100vw, 399px" /></p>
<p>After this, I started to think about extracting the data added to Wikidata using the Wikidata Query Service. We have been in contact with Navino Evans, one of the co-founders of <a href="http://www.histropedia.com/">Histropedia</a>, to help us with the complex SPARQL query. <a href="https://query.wikidata.org/#SELECT%20distinct%20%3Fitem%20%3FitemLabel%20%3FinvestigationDate%0A%3FresidenceLabel%20%3FresidenceCoords%20%3FsexLabel%20%3Flink%20%3FoccupationLabel%20%3FsocialClassificationLabel%0A%3FplaceOfDeathLabel%20%3FplaceOfDeathCoords%20%3FmannerOfDeathLabel%20%3FdetentionLocationLabel%20%3FdetentionLocationCoords%0A%0A%23Newly%20added%0A%3Finvestigation%20%3FinvestigationStart%20%3FinvestigationEnd%0A%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FqualityWithQualifier%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3Fqualities%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FchargeWithQualifier%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3Fcharges%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FritualObjectLabel%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3FritualObjects%29%0A%0AWHERE%0A%7B%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP4478%20%3Fwitch%20.%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP551%20%3Fresidence%20.%0A%20%20%3Fresidence%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FresidenceCoords%20.%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP4478%20%3Flink%20.%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP21%20%3Fsex%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP106%20%3Foccupation%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP3716%20%3FsocialClassification%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP20%20%3FplaceOfDeath%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3FplaceOfDeath%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FplaceOfDeathCoords%20.%0A%20%20%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP1196%20%3FmannerOfDeath%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP2632%20%3FdetentionLocation%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3FdetentionLocation%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FdetentionLocationCoords%20.%0A%20%20%7D%0A%20%0A%20%20%23%20INVESTIGATION%0A%20%0A%20%20%23OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP793%20%3Finvestigation%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20wdt%3AP31%20wd%3AQ66458810%20%3B%20%23%20Tip%3A%20Use%20%3B%20to%20repeat%20%3Finvestigation%20again%20without%20having%20to%20write%20it%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20wdt%3AP580%7Cwdt%3AP585%20%3FinvestigationStart%20%3B%20%23%20Tip%3A%20Use%20%7C%20symbol%20to%20mean%20%22OR%22%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Finvestigation%20wdt%3AP582%20%3FinvestigationEnd%20%7D%0A%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Quality%20%28COPY%20THIS%20FOR%20MULTIPLE%20VALUE%2C%20WITH%20qualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20p%3AP1552%20%3FhasQualityNode%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20ps%3AP1552%20%3FhasQuality%20.%20%23%20main%20value%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%20%23%20%22including%22%20qualifier%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20pq%3AP1012%20%3FqualityIncluding%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FqualityIncluding%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FqualityIncludingLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FqualityIncludingLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQuality%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FhasQualityLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20BIND%28IF%28%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20BOUND%28%3FqualityIncludingLabel%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20CONCAT%28%3FhasQualityLabel%2C%22%20%28%22%2C%20%3FqualityIncludingLabel%2C%20%22%29%22%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20as%20%3FqualityWithQualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Charge%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20p%3AP1595%20%3FchargeNode%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FchargeNode%20ps%3AP1595%20%3Fcharge%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FchargeNode%20pq%3AP4675%20%3Fform%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Fform%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FformLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FformLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Fcharge%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FchargeLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FchargeLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20BIND%28IF%28%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20BOUND%28%3FformLabel%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20CONCAT%28%3FchargeLabel%2C%22%20%28%22%2C%20%3FformLabel%2C%20%22%29%22%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FchargeLabel%29%20as%20%3FchargeWithQualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Ritual%20object%20%28COPY%20THIS%20FOR%20MULTIPLE%20VALUE%2C%20but%20WITHOUT%20qualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20wdt%3AP8706%20%3FritualObject%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FritualObject%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FritualObjectLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FritualObjectLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%23%7D%0A%20%0A%20%20SERVICE%20wikibase%3Alabel%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20bd%3AserviceParam%20wikibase%3Alanguage%20%22%5BAUTO_LANGUAGE%5D%2Cen%22.%0A%20%20%20%0A%20%20%7D%0A%7D%0A%0AGROUP%20BY%20%3Fitem%20%3FitemLabel%20%3FinvestigationDate%20%3FresidenceLabel%20%3FresidenceCoords%20%3FsexLabel%20%3Flink%0A%3FoccupationLabel%20%3FsocialClassificationLabel%20%3FplaceOfDeathLabel%20%3FplaceOfDeathCoords%20%3FmannerOfDeathLabel%0A%3FdetentionLocationLabel%20%3FdetentionLocationCoords%20%3Finvestigation%20%3FinvestigationStart%20%3FinvestigationEnd">This</a> was the working example he sent us, and I used this example to try my hand at adding <strong>calendar customs</strong> and <strong>witches’ meeting places </strong>to the query (the data I added recently), with this <a href="https://query.wikidata.org/#SELECT%20distinct%20%3Fitem%20%3FitemLabel%20%3FinvestigationDate%0A%3FresidenceLabel%20%3FresidenceCoords%20%3FsexLabel%20%3Flink%20%3FoccupationLabel%20%3FsocialClassificationLabel%0A%3FplaceOfDeathLabel%20%3FplaceOfDeathCoords%20%3FmannerOfDeathLabel%20%3FdetentionLocationLabel%20%3FdetentionLocationCoords%0A%0A%23Newly%20added%0A%3Finvestigation%20%3FinvestigationStart%20%3FinvestigationEnd%0A%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FqualityWithQualifier%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3Fqualities%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FchargeWithQualifier%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3Fcharges%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FritualObjectLabel%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3FritualObjects%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FcalendarCustomsLabel%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3FcalendarCustoms%29%0A%28GROUP_CONCAT%28DISTINCT%20%3FqualityWithLocation%3B%20separator%3D%27%20%7C%20%27%29%20as%20%3FmeetingPlaces%29%20%0A%0AWHERE%0A%7B%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP4478%20%3Fwitch%20.%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP551%20%3Fresidence%20.%0A%20%20%3Fresidence%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FresidenceCoords%20.%0A%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP4478%20%3Flink%20.%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP21%20%3Fsex%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP106%20%3Foccupation%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP3716%20%3FsocialClassification%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP20%20%3FplaceOfDeath%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3FplaceOfDeath%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FplaceOfDeathCoords%20.%0A%20%20%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP1196%20%3FmannerOfDeath%20.%7D%0A%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP2632%20%3FdetentionLocation%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3FdetentionLocation%20wdt%3AP625%20%3FdetentionLocationCoords%20.%0A%20%20%7D%0A%20%0A%20%20%23%20INVESTIGATION%0A%20%0A%20%20%23OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%3Fitem%20wdt%3AP793%20%3Finvestigation%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20wdt%3AP31%20wd%3AQ66458810%20%3B%20%23%20Tip%3A%20Use%20%3B%20to%20repeat%20%3Finvestigation%20again%20without%20having%20to%20write%20it%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20wdt%3AP580%7Cwdt%3AP585%20%3FinvestigationStart%20%3B%20%23%20Tip%3A%20Use%20%7C%20symbol%20to%20mean%20%22OR%22%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%3Finvestigation%20wdt%3AP582%20%3FinvestigationEnd%20%7D%0A%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Quality%20%28COPY%20THIS%20FOR%20MULTIPLE%20VALUE%2C%20WITH%20qualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20p%3AP1552%20%3FhasQualityNode%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20ps%3AP1552%20%3FhasQuality%20.%20%23%20main%20value%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%20%20%23%20%22including%22%20qualifier%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20pq%3AP1012%20%3FqualityIncluding%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FqualityIncluding%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FqualityIncludingLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FqualityIncludingLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQuality%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FhasQualityLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20BIND%28IF%28%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20BOUND%28%3FqualityIncludingLabel%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20CONCAT%28%3FhasQualityLabel%2C%22%20%28%22%2C%20%3FqualityIncludingLabel%2C%20%22%29%22%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20as%20%3FqualityWithQualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Location%20%28COPY%20THIS%20FOR%20MULTIPLE%20VALUE%2C%20WITH%20qualifier%29%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20p%3AP1552%20%3FhasQualityNode%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20ps%3AP1552%20%3FhasQuality%20.%20%23%20main%20value%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%7B%20%20%23%20%22location%22%20qualifier%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityNode%20pq%3AP276%20%3FqualityLocation%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FqualityLocation%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FqualityLocationLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FqualityLocationLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQuality%20rdfs%3Alabel%20%3FhasQualityLabel%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20FILTER%20%28lang%28%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20%3D%20%22en%22%29%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20BIND%28IF%28%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20BOUND%28%3FqualityLocationLabel%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20CONCAT%28%3FhasQualityLabel%2C%22%20%28%22%2C%20%3FqualityLocationLabel%2C%20%22%29%22%29%2C%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FhasQualityLabel%29%20as%20%3FqualityWithLocation%29%0A%20%20%20%20%7D%20.%0A%20%20%20%0A%20%20%20%20%23%20Charge%0A%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Finvestigation%20p%3AP1595%20%3FchargeNode%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%3FchargeNode%20ps%3AP1595%20%3Fcharge%20.%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20OPTIONAL%20%7B%0A%2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<p> </p>
<p> <br />
<span class="uoe-published-time uoe-seo-hidden-area"><br />
<time datetime="2022-08-12" itemprop="dateModified">Aug 12, 2022</time><br />
</span></p>
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Diag| Considering item [https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=485] "Separating Legend from Legacy: Remembering the Accused Witches of Scotland"
Diag========| SQL: SELECT wp_30_posts.ID, wp_30_posts.guid, wp_30_posts.post_modified_gmt, wp_30_posts.post_name
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Diag====| Item [https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=485] "Separating Legend from Legacy: Remembering the Accused Witches of Scotland" is a duplicate of an existing post.
Diag| Considering item [https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=471] "Preserving Scottish Heritage: The Accused Witches of Scotland"
Diag========| SQL: SELECT wp_30_posts.ID, wp_30_posts.guid, wp_30_posts.post_modified_gmt, wp_30_posts.post_name
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Diag====| Item [https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=471] "Preserving Scottish Heritage: The Accused Witches of Scotland" is a duplicate of an existing post.
Diag| Considering item [https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=455] "The Final Countdown: New Features and Nuxt 3 Upgrade"
Diag========| SQL: SELECT wp_30_posts.ID, wp_30_posts.guid, wp_30_posts.post_modified_gmt, wp_30_posts.post_name
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ORDER BY wp_30_posts.post_date DESC
Diag====| Item [https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=455] "The Final Countdown: New Features and Nuxt 3 Upgrade" is a duplicate of an existing post.
Diag| Considering item [https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=424] "Wikimania 2024: A Conference of Collaboration, Learning and Culture"
Diag========| SQL: SELECT wp_30_posts.ID, wp_30_posts.guid, wp_30_posts.post_modified_gmt, wp_30_posts.post_name
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Diag====| Item [https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=424] "Wikimania 2024: A Conference of Collaboration, Learning and Culture" is a duplicate of an existing post.
Diag| Considering item [https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=402] "Remembering Scotland’s Accused Witches: Books, Plays and Memorials"
Diag========| SQL: SELECT wp_30_posts.ID, wp_30_posts.guid, wp_30_posts.post_modified_gmt, wp_30_posts.post_name
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ORDER BY wp_30_posts.post_date DESC
Diag====| Item [https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=402] "Remembering Scotland’s Accused Witches: Books, Plays and Memorials" is a duplicate of an existing post.
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Diag========| SQL: SELECT wp_30_posts.ID, wp_30_posts.guid, wp_30_posts.post_modified_gmt, wp_30_posts.post_name
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Diag====| Item [https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=383] "From Witches to Widgets: A Witchfinder Intern’s Update" is a duplicate of an existing post.
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Diag========| SQL: SELECT wp_30_posts.ID, wp_30_posts.guid, wp_30_posts.post_modified_gmt, wp_30_posts.post_name
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ORDER BY wp_30_posts.post_date DESC
Diag====| Item [https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=377] "Weeks 2 and 3 – Unravelling Anomalies and Starting the Website Transformation" is a duplicate of an existing post.
Diag| Considering item [https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=366] "A Witchfinder’s Quest : Ensuring Data Accuracy & Enhancing the Website"
Diag========| SQL: SELECT wp_30_posts.ID, wp_30_posts.guid, wp_30_posts.post_modified_gmt, wp_30_posts.post_name
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Diag====| Item [https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=366] "A Witchfinder’s Quest : Ensuring Data Accuracy & Enhancing the Website" is a duplicate of an existing post.
Diag| Considering item [https://blogs.ed.ac.uk/witchcraft_visualisation/?p=351] "Finding Impossible Witches: Part One The Search Begins"
Diag========| SQL: SELECT wp_30_posts.ID, wp_30_posts.guid, wp_30_posts.post_modified_gmt, wp_30_posts.post_name
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Colouring books – Page 3 – Digital Learning Applications and Media
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Reading Time: 3minutes Welcome back. I hope you are (reasonably) well (or maybe just surviving) in these difficult times. Regardless, thank you for tuning in on another blog post about the We Have Great Stuff – Volume 3 colouring book. It’s a new year and a new semester. But 2021 has not gotten off to the great start […]
Reading Time: 3minutes Welcome back to the We Have Great Stuff – Volume 3 colour book-project. In this post, I will tell and show what we have been up to as well as offering insights into my working practice of turning pictures into sketches. So, I took my own advice from my last post: I went on a […]
Reading Time: 3minutes First, I sincerely hope you are well and somehow coping in these uncertain times. Second, a very warm welcome to the start of what will hopefully become the We Have Great Stuff – Volume 3 colour book. Wherever you are thank you for tuning in here and taking the time to acquaint yourself with this […]
Reading Time: 1minute To celebrate the last day of Women’s History Month we’re sharing this brand new colouring book illustration. Chinese computer scientist and educator Xia Peisu (夏培肃) (1923 – 2014) has been hailed “the mother of computer science in China.” Download, reuse and share this openly licensed image from our We Have Great Stuff Flickr album. 👩🎨👉 […]
Yesterday was my first day working from home in my new office (corner of dining table). As someone living with insulin-dependent diabetes I have an increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus and according to current government guidance should be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures, including significantly limiting face-to-face interaction with friends and family […]
Reading Time: 1 minuteThis short video from the ALT Annual Conference 2019 highlights a series of playful OER-focused workshops that encourage students to creatively engage with the University of Edinburgh’s vast image collections and generate new adu…
Yesterday we invited students to take a break from their exam revision and come along to a relaxing colouring book session at King’s Buildings. There was the opportunity to colour-in brand new student illustrations inspired by items and images from the University’s collections. There was the choice of individual A4 pictures or larger A1 collaborative […]
Hi Jackie, This sounds like an exciting creative project. Designing and animating custom stick figures from scratch is not that…
This is fascinating, particularly the idea of "coding without writing a single line." It really highlights the potential of prompt…
N.B. Closing date now extended to 23:59 on Wednesday, 4th of March.
Thanks Stewart for your encouragement!
Thank you Miki. I very much enjoyed reading this with my morning coffee. It was lovely to have such a…