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79076-01 - Practical course: Computational Text Analysis in Python: Exploring Shared Reading Across Languages (3 CP)
| Semester | spring semester 2026 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers | Tina Ternes (tina.ternes@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | This exercise introduces students to computational approaches for analyzing literary engagement through a bilingual dataset: transcripts from 20 Shared Reading sessions (10 in English, 10 in German). In Shared Reading people come together to read and discuss literary texts section by section, which offers a unique opportunity to observe text comprehension and emotional involvement in real time. We will collaboratively formulate research questions ranging from emotional resonance and thematic focus to conversational dynamics and cross-linguistic comparison and explore Python-based methods to investigate them. Topics include: Keyword extraction and frequency analysis Sentiment and emotion detection Topic modeling and clustering Turn-taking and interactional structure Visualization and interpretation Participants should have prior experience with Python or a strong motivation to build foundational skills before the course begins. |
| Learning objectives | Students will learn to formulate research questions and hypotheses about a given dataset as well as critically reflect on which digital tools can be applied to answer them. They will gain understanding of the key concepts of computational text analysis as well as the practical skills to perform widely used analysis methods. |
| Bibliography | The reading list for this course will be made available 2 to 3 weeks before class. |
| Admission requirements | The number of participants is limited. In case of over-subscription, students of Digital Humanities will be given priority. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Wednesday | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 211 |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 25.02.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Fasnachtswoche |
| Wednesday 04.03.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 211 |
| Wednesday 11.03.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 211 |
| Wednesday 18.03.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 211 |
| Wednesday 25.03.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 211 |
| Wednesday 01.04.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 211 |
| Wednesday 08.04.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 211 |
| Wednesday 15.04.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 211 |
| Wednesday 22.04.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 211 |
| Wednesday 29.04.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 211 |
| Wednesday 06.05.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 211 |
| Wednesday 13.05.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 211 |
| Wednesday 20.05.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 211 |
| Wednesday 27.05.2026 | 10.15-12.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 211 |
| Modules |
Modul: Humanities and Social Science Coding (Master's degree subject: Digital Humanities) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: not required |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, studadmin-philhist@unibas.ch |
| Offered by | Digital Humanities Lab |