Digital History Internship with the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History

Catalog description

This directed digital history internship focuses on familiarizing students with the evolving nature of on-line, vetted historical resources, most particularly encyclopedias and other multi-authored datasets, and providing experience in expanding and maintaining a major web-based historical resource. Students will work with the editor (the instructor for the course) and the graduate student associate editors of the on-line edition of the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History (https://case.edu/ech/) in creating new content for the on-line edition of the Encyclopedia and in modifying and enhancing its website, as well as assisting with the management of its social media components. The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History was the first urban encyclopedia on the Web, and today its site averages over 100,000 page views per month. Work on the Encyclopedia will be complemented by weekly assigned readings relating to the evolution of digitally-based historical works and more generally to the issues of professional authority and veracity that have come to complicate historical discourse on the Web. These readings will serve as the basis for a seminar-style weekly meeting and for a topically focused research paper due at the end of the semester. The internship itself will require students to research and write at least ten new short entries for inclusion in the Encyclopedia; to assist the staff in preparing social media announcements; and to engage as needed in modifying the website. Offered as HSTY 349 , HSTY 449 , HUMN 349 , and HUMN 449 . Counts as a Disciplinary Communication course. Counts as a Local & Global Engagement course.