22Nov 2024 by Digital Archaeology Lab

R for Archaeologists

Bit by Bit, Tutorials
This tutorial is designed as an introduction to the R statistical programming language for archaeological students and scholars (although those in other fields may find it useful as well). It includes step-by-step instructions, example code, and interactive exercises on a variety of topics, including the grammar of R; data management; data visualization; working with radiocarbon dates in R; and model creation and comparison. In order to run this document, you will need R and RStudio downloaded and installed on your computer: Both are free software applications, which you can set up following the instructions here. Download the tutorial here The tutorial consists of a pdf titled "R Resource Guide.pdf" which contains links to a variety of resources as you are learning R. There is also an "Rmd" file (an R Markdown…
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21Jul 2024 by Digital Archaeology Lab

Sustainable web applications in cultural heritage

Bit by Bit
This post was adapted from an article written by John Lynch, with contributions from Lisa Snyder, Annelie Rugg, Deidre Whitmore, Lucian Tucker, Todd Presner, Miriam Posner, and Patrik Svensson and originally posted on June 14, 2017. Every publication method, digital or analog, has a likely lifespan, that is, the length of time before it will stop being accessible unless it is significantly overhauled or replaced. The likely lifespan of well-cared-for paper books can be measured in decades, if not centuries; the likely lifespan of digital projects on the other hand is significantly dependent on the decisions made throughout the development process. This means that, without careful planning and management, digital scholarship is at high risk of being lost permanently. We’ve prepared this guide to help scholars understand the level of risk associated with…
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14Jul 2024 by Digital Archaeology Lab

Introducing “Bit by Bit”

Bit by Bit
There have been a few times recently where I’m showing someone how to do something in the lab and by the time we are finished, they have this look of unabashed glee on their face. It turns out this workflow or process was something they did in the past (and it took hours or days to complete) or that they feared would be extremely complex or time consuming. And instead, it was a few minutes and mostly learning the specifics around software settings or options for automating. These reactions make me think about the impact technology has had but more so, what kind of impact it can have going forward. It’s so easy to take for granted the years of research, tests, failures, and effort that has gone into each piece of…
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27Aug 2020 by Digital Archaeology Lab

What’s possible with the Lux Lab? 3D scanning, printing, LiDAR and more!

Workshop Recordings
Doug Daniels, Emerging Technologies LibrarianThursday, August 27th 2020 10:00am – 12:00pm (PT)Doug Daniels is the Emerging Technologies Librarian at the UCLA Library and director of the Library’s Lux Lab. The Lux Lab is a suite of emerging technology services, including 3D printing, 3D scanning, laser cutting and etching, large format printing, 3D mapping, and a developing VR service. This workshop will highlight some past work that the Lux Lab has done. These past projects reflect the diverse use-cases of these technologies in an archaeological context. Immediately following the presentation, a live demonstration of the Lux Lab’s 3D scanner(s) will take place, with plenty of time for questions and answers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUprazDciD4
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13Aug 2020 by Digital Archaeology Lab

Managing References and Citations with Zotero

Workshop Recordings
Deidre Brin, Digital Archaeology LabThursday, August 13th 2020 10:00 – 11:00am (PT)This workshop will prevent headaches and save hours of work. The open-source tool Zotero not only makes gathering and organizing references fast and easy but also simplifies the process of adding citations and bibliographies to your publications. This workshop will cover how to add articles, books, chapters, periodicals, and web resources with a single click. Participants will also learn how to add in-text citations directly in Word and LibreOffice as well as adding and formatting a reference cited and bibliography to publications. Lastly, we will cover how to collaborate with colleagues and easily share research materials using Zotero libraries.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJR9W8qozRI
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06Aug 2020 by Digital Archaeology Lab

Data Cleaning with OpenRefine

Workshop Recordings
Deidre Brin, Digital Archaeology LabThursday, August 6th 2020 10:00am – 12:00pm (PT)Data are messy. Nearly all datasets require cleaning and processing before they can be analyzed and interpreted. This workshop will cover how to use the free, open-source tool OpenRefine to more quickly and easily understand and clean your data. Participants will learn how to correct typos and misspellings, standardize terms and dates, and break complex data into usable formats. We will also cover how to share your data and cleaning steps with collaborators and export a script that details the steps taken which can be applied to future datasets. Go through the lessons yourself here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-8wsNBrSqY
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23Jul 2020 by Digital Archaeology Lab

Introduction to 3D Digital Reconstructions using SketchUp

Workshop Recordings
Anthony Caldwell, Assistant Director of the UCLA Digital Research ConsortiumThursday, July 23rd 2020 10:00am – 12:00pm (PT) This workshop will introduce 3D modeling through the use of SketchUp, an intuitive modeling application that lets you create and edit 3D models. The workshop will cover: navigating and understanding 3D space, drawing basics, textures, tags, importing and exporting, and much more. Note: This workshop will be using Sketch-up free. If you would like to follow the workshop, please make sure you have signed up for a SketchUp free account at https://www.sketchup.com/plans-and-pricing/sketchup-free https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpFsKmkGFVM
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16Jul 2020 by Digital Archaeology Lab

Vector Illustrations with Adobe Illustrator

Workshop Recordings
Deidre Brin, Digital Archaeology LabThursday, July 16th 2020 10:00am – 12:00pm (PT)Vector illustrations are common in archaeological publications and field documentation. In this workshop we’ll cover how Adobe Illustrator and vector illustrations can be used for site maps, trench and elevation drawings, and artifact renderings. Participants will be introduced to the interface and tools associated with these types of illustrations. We’ll cover how to bring scanned drawings into Illustrator and set up a drawing for digital tracing as well as tricks to speed up the process. Additionally, we’ll walk through creating artifact drawings using common techniques including stippling. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw5aPp6uKlU
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09Jul 2020 by Digital Archaeology Lab

Statistics: Basic Data Management and Regression

Workshop Recordings
Alan Farahani, Assistant Professor in Anthropology, University of Nevada, Las VegasThursday, July 9th 2020 10:00am – 12:00pm (PT)This workshop will cover the basics of contemporary data manipulation using the R statistical programming language as well as provide an introduction to approaches to regression for archaeological applications. Topics covered will include philosophy of regression, model specification, parameterization, and evaluation, as well as the different distribution families used to analyze count (poisson, negative binomial, etc.) and continuous (gaussian) data.  Participants should walk away (aka turn off their web cameras) with at least a basic understanding of the issues as well the ability to undertake some of the analyses using the R platform. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ_yYKaBMY4
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02Jul 2020 by Digital Archaeology Lab

Photogrammetry: Creating 3D Models from Photographs

Workshop Recordings
Anthony Caldwell, Assistant Director of the UCLA Digital Research ConsortiumThursday, July 2nd 2020 10:00am – 12:00pm (PT)Photogrammetry, or Structure-from-Motion, is a technique for constructing three dimensional models from a series of photographs. This technique can be utilized by archaeologists to record objects, features, and sites both quickly and relatively inexpensively. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to systematically photograph objects and the steps to processing these photographs into a 3D model with Agisoft’s MetaShape (previously named PhotoScan). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQwVR1raceY
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