Overview
Data Pen is a prototype research tool from Stanford’s Humanities + Design Lab that provides a framework for humanities researchers to access, explore, and manipulate multidimensional historical data through linked data connections and visual graphing tools.
- Institution: Stanford University Humanities + Design Lab
- Type: Linked data visualization and analysis platform
- Access: Open source (requires GitHub login)
Website
Key Features
Data Integration
- Connect to major linked data authorities (VIAF, Library of Congress, Geonames, Wikidata)
- Import datasets in bulk or enrich entity by entity
- Access to interconnected scholarly knowledge ecosystem
Visualization Tools
- Interactive node-graph canvas for visual data manipulation
- Timeline and facet filters for temporal analysis
- Manual node creation, arrangement, and grouping
- Entity relationship exploration and visualization
Research Capabilities
- Tabular view for detailed data inspection
- Save and share canvas snapshots
- Annotation tools for documenting findings
- Both visual and tabular data investigation modes
Technical Architecture
- Data Sources: VIAF, Library of Congress, Geonames, Wikidata
- Authentication: GitHub login required
- Data Format: Linked data (RDF/JSON-LD)
- Visualization: Interactive node-graph canvas
- API Integration: Multiple linked data APIs
Development Team
Developed by an international collaboration spanning:
- Stanford University
- University of Helsinki
- Aalto University
- University of Technology Sydney
Extensive consultation from scholars across major universities worldwide.
Research Applications
Particularly useful for:
- Prosopographical research
- Network analysis of historical figures
- Cross-referencing between authority databases
- Visual exploration of entity relationships
- Enriching datasets with linked data
Funding
Supported by ACLS Digital Extension grant
Related Tools
Part of the Stanford Humanities + Design ecosystem including:
- Palladio - Historical data visualization
- Breve - Tabular data cleaning
- Kindred Britain - Relationship visualization