Assignment Sample: Geotagging

This term, we will be adding to the Literature in Context project by geotagging the texts we are reading. You’ll work in small teams of no more than 3 for this project. Our ultimate goal is to add places referenced in our reading to the map of all places referenced in the LiC collection.

As you read, note down place names referenced. These might be countries, cities, rivers, and other important geographical features (mountain ranges, for instance). In some cases, a major building may also be appropriate.

Then, look up your place in the Getty Thesaurus of Geographical Names: https://www.getty.edu/research/tools/vocabularies/tgn/. This is a tool offering what is called a “standardized vocabulary” of place names, so that places can be identified appropriately. You wouldn’t want to confuse Paris, Texas, with Paris, France! Keep in mind that spelling changes over time, as do names of places. If your place isn’t referenced in the Getty Thesaurus, but you know it’s a real place, you may need to do some digging--Google it, and see if the place goes by another name. You can use context clues to identify most places in your reading.

You must make sure that the place in the text is the same place referenced in the Getty Thesaurus. This is sometimes harder than it seems. We’ll do a couple in class, together.

You’ll be submitting to me at least 3 place names, as follows:

1. Place name as referenced in the text: _______________
2. Getty TGN ID: ______________

Extra Credit Option: Encode your place names in XML.