How can digital tools and methods transform your research?
Digital scholarship offers innovative tools and methods that are reshaping the academic landscape, enabling researchers to explore questions in new ways and present findings to broader audiences. From text analysis and data visualization to 3D modelling and GIS mapping, digital tools empower academics to uncover patterns, test hypotheses, and generate insights that would be impossible with traditional methods alone.
The impact of digital scholarship extends beyond research methods to how findings are shared. Dynamic and interactive platforms, such as multimedia websites, digital exhibits, and virtual reality environments, allow academics to present their work in engaging formats. These approaches not only make research more accessible to diverse audiences but also invite collaboration and feedback in real-time.
Useful Links:
Welcome to the Digital Scholarship Toolkit
This toolkit is a curated collection of digital tools commonly used in humanities and social sciences research. It’s designed to help researchers, students, and librarians explore software and platforms that support various aspects of digital scholarship—from text analysis and data visualisation to digital preservation and multimedia editing.
Each tool is grouped by its primary use and includes a brief explanation of how it might be used, links to official websites and documentation, and an overview of the main advantages and potential limitations. The list is intended to be representative rather than exhausive. Whether you’re new to digital scholarship or looking to expand your toolkit, we hope this resource helps you find the right tools for your projects.
We want to hear from you!
Currently the toolkit covers example tools for: Text Analysis, Geospatial Analysis, Digital Preservation & Repositories; Multimedia & Video Editing; Data Visualisation; Digital Publishing & Web, Network Analysis, Image Analysis & Annotation and LLMs.
Digital scholarship is a rapidly evolving field with new tools emerging regularly. We encourage you to share your suggestions, experiences, and feedback to help us keep this toolkit up-to-date and valuable for the whole research community. Please contact Dr Kath Stevenson, QUB Digital Scholarship Librarian.
Software Type Icons
π — Web-based Free
π’ — Open Source
πΌ — Commercial
π — Free (Proprietary)
βοΈ — Web-based Free (Cloud)
Text Analysis
Why use these tools?
Text analysis tools help researchers uncover patterns, themes, and insights from large or complex text datasets that would be overwhelming to analyse manually. Whether you are studying language use, coding qualitative interviews, or digitizing historical manuscripts, these tools enable systematic, reproducible analysis that enhances depth and scale.
- AntConc
- NiVivo
Tool Name Example Use & Researcher Application Link to Tool Instructions Pros Cons Type Atlas.ti A powerful qualitative data analysis tool supporting coding, sentiment analysis, and multimedia data. Atlas.ti More info Intuitive UI, AI-powered coding, strong categorisation features Limited visualisation options, occasional errors with large datasets
πΌ - British National Corpus
Tool Name Example Use & Researcher Application Link to Tool Instructions Pros Cons Type British National Corpus A 100-million-word corpus of British English used for linguistic research. British National Corpus More Info Free, extensive search capabilities, rich metadata Dated corpus; limited spoken data π
- NiVivo
- Transkribus
Tool Name Example Use & Researcher Application Link to Tool Instructions Pros Cons Type Transkribus Automates transcription and text recognition of scanned historical documents, making archives more searchable and analysable by researchers. Transkribus More Info Automated, supports handwriting recognition Requires Training data π’
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Voyant Tools
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
Voyant Tools
Provides online, easy-to-use text analysis for word frequency, trends, and correlations, useful for exploratory research on digitized texts.
Easy, web-based
Limited for large corpora
π
Geospatial Analysis
Why use these tools?
Geospatial tools allow researchers to visualize, analyse, and interpret spatial relationships in their data, revealing patterns tied to location or geography. These insights can inform studies ranging from historical migration to environmental changes and social networks mapped onto physical space.
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ArcGis Online
Tool Name Example Use & Researcher Application Link to Tool Instructions Pros Cons Type ArcGis Online Cloud-based platform for creating and sharing interactive maps, used in projects requiring spatial visualization without software install. ArcGis Online More Info User-friendly, cloud Paid License πΌ - Leaflet
Tool Name Example Use & Researcher Application Link to Tool Instructions Pros Cons Type Leaflet Lightweight JavaScript library for embedding customizable interactive maps in digital projects, popular with digital humanists and web developers. Leaflet More Info Lightweight, customizable Requires basic coding skills π’ - QGIS
Tool Name Example Use & Researcher Application Link to Tool Instructions Pros Cons Type QGIS Open source GIS software for mapping, spatial analysis, and visualizing geographical data, widely used in archaeology and historical geography research QGIS More Info Open source, versatile Steep leaerning curve π’
Digital Preservation & Repositories
Why use these tools?
These platforms safeguard research outputs, ensuring long-term access, compliance with funder mandates, and facilitating data sharing and reuse. They help institutions and researchers manage and preserve digital objects, from datasets to publications, supporting transparency and scholarly communication.
- DSpace
- Fedora Commons
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
Fedora Commons
Repository platform for managing complex digital objects and metadata, supporting preservation workflows in libraries and archives.
Flexible, extensible
Requires expertise
π’
- Preservica
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
Preservica
Cloud-based digital preservation system ensuring long-term accessibility and compliance with institutional/funder policies.
Trusted, cloud-based
Paid subscription
πΌ
- Pure
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
Pure
Research information management system integrating publications, data, and projects for comprehensive research output tracking and reporting.
Integrated, supports reporting
Commercial, complex
πΌ
Multimedia & Video Editing
Why use these tools?
Multimedia tools help researchers create engaging, polished audio-visual materials to disseminate findings, document fieldwork, or craft digital storytelling projects. These tools range from beginner-friendly editors to advanced suites supporting complex production needs.
- Audacity
- Blender
- Kdenlive
- OSB Studio
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
OSB Studio
Screen recording and streaming tool used for capturing lectures, tutorials, or live research demonstrations.
Free, versatile
Setup complexity
π’
- OpenShot
Data Visualisation
Why use these tools?
Data visualisation tools enable researchers to transform raw data into clear, compelling visual narratives that reveal trends, patterns, and relationships. These visualisations improve understanding, communication, and impact of research findings across disciplines.
- Canva
- Gephi
- Microsoft Power BI
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
Microsoft Power BI
Business intelligence platform for creating interactive dashboards and reports
Microsoft Power BI Real-time data, strong integration with Microsoft tools, customisable visuals
Steep learning curve, limited offline use, performance issues with large datasets
πΌ
- Tableau Public
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
Tableau Public
Data visualisation tool enabling interactive dashboards for exploring and presenting complex datasets in an accessible way
Intuitive UI
Free version limits
π
Digital Publishing & Web
Why use these tools?
These platforms help scholars publish digital research outputs, curate online exhibitions, or build project websites. They support multimedia integration, interactivity, and web-based dissemination, extending the reach and engagement of academic work.
-
Artsteps
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
Artsteps
A web-based platform for creating immersive 3D virtual exhibitions.
More Info No software install, customisable VR spaces, social sharing
Hosting tied to Artsteps domain, limited export options
π
- Genially
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
Genially
An interactive content creation platform for presentations, infographics, and digital storytelling.
More Info Rich templates, multimedia integration, intuitive interface
Steep learning curve, some features locked behind paywall, occasional bugs
βοΈ
- Juxtapose
- Microsoft Sway
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
Microsoft Sway
A web-based presentation tool for creating interactive reports and newsletters.
More Info Easy to use, responsive design, integrates with Office 365
Limited offline editing, fewer layout controls than PowerPoint
βοΈ
- Omeka
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
Omeka
Platform for creating online exhibitions, digital archives, and storytelling projects, allowing researchers to curate collections with metadata and narrative.
More info Easy to use, extensible
Omeka Classic and Omeka S require server hosting
π’
- Scalar
- Shorthand
- StoryMapJS
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
StoryMapJS
(Knightlab)
Tool for creating map-based narratives with multimedia and geographic points
More Info Free, easy to use, integrates maps and media
Limited design flexibility, basic analytics
π
- TimelineJS
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
TimelineJS
(Knightlab)
Tool for building interactive timelines using Google Sheets.
More Info Easy setup, supports rich media, free and open source
Limited styling options, spreadsheet formatting sensitive
π
- WordPress
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
WordPress
Widely used content management system for blogging, project websites, and digital publishing with many customisable themes and plugins.
More info Highly customisable
Security, maintenance
π’
Network Analysis
Why use these tools?
Network analysis tools help researchers map and analyse relationships between entities (people, organisations, concepts), revealing structural patterns and influential actors within complex systems.
Image Analysis & Annotation
Why use these tools?
Image tools facilitate detailed examination, annotation, and collaboration on visual materials such as manuscripts, maps, or photographs. They help researchers contextualise and interpret images within their projects.
-
Recognito
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
Recognito
Platform for collaborative geospatial and textual annotation of images and maps, helping researchers enrich and contextualize visual materials.
More info Collaborative, web-based
Limited advanced features
π
- LabelMe
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
LabelMe
Used to annotate historical maps, manuscript images, or visual artefacts with polygons and labels for spatial or thematic analysis.
Open-source, supports polygon annotation, works offline
Requires installation, limited collaboration features
π’
Programming & Statistical Analysis
Why use these tools?
Programming tools like Python and R offer researchers flexible, scalable ways to analyse data, automate tasks, and build reproducible workflows. They support advanced techniques in text mining, visualization, and statistical modelling—especially useful for large or complex datasets. While they require coding skills, they open powerful possibilities for custom research methods and deeper analytical insight.
-
MatLab
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
MatLab
Used for numerical computing, image processing, and data analysis in research projects involving complex mathematical models or signal analysis.
Powerful for matrix operations, strong visualisation, extensive toolboxes
Commercial license, steeper learning curve than Python/R for humanities
πΌ
- Python
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
Python
Widely used for data science, text mining, and automation in digital humanities.
More info Versatile, extensive libraries, strong community support
Requires coding skills, steep learning curve for beginners
π’
- R
Large Language Models (LLMs)
Why use these tools?
Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, and open-source alternatives like LLaMA offer powerful capabilities for generating, summarising, and analysing text at scale. They can assist with brainstorming, drafting, coding, and exploring ideas. However, their use in academic research raises important ethical considerations. Outputs may be inaccurate or biased, and researchers must avoid inputting sensitive or unpublished data due to privacy risks. Overreliance on LLMs may also impact critical thinking and writing skills. These tools should be used cautiously and critically—as assistive technologies, not substitutes for scholarly judgment. Always verify results, cite appropriately, and consult institutional guidance on responsible AI use.
-
OpenAI ChatGPT
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
OpenAI ChatGPT
Drafting text, coding support, brainstorming research ideas
More info Versatile, user-friendly, strong language generation
May generate errors (“hallucinations”), limited access to recent data (free version), privacy concerns
βοΈ
- Microsoft Copilot
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
Research assistance, summarisation, data analysis, integration with Microsoft 365
More Info Integrates with Office tools, strong summarisation, secure for enterprise
Requires Microsoft account, some features paid, limited customisation
βοΈ
- Google Gemini
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
Google Gemini
Text generation, translation, Q&A, research support
More Info Multilingual, integrates with Google Workspace, free tier
Limited advanced features, privacy/data sharing concerns
βοΈ
- Anthropic Claude
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
Anthropic Claude
Longform text analysis, ethical AI research (Constitutional AI), summarisation
More Info Handles long documents, strong safety focus, transparent
Limited free access, US-centric, fewer integrations
βοΈ
- Llama 2 (Meta)
Tool Name
Example Use & Researcher Application
Link to Tool
Instructions
Pros
Cons
Type
Llama 2 (Meta)
Custom LLM deployment, research on open models, coding
More info Open source, customisable, strong community
Requires technical setup, not as user-friendly, hardware requirements
π’