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For my distant reading project I analyze a court transcript from the Idaho College Murder Case. More specifically, I analyzed the different testimonies from individuals the defense team called to the stand. There were 5 testimonies total, and I was surprised to find out that I got a basic summary of what the testimony was about without even reading it. The first testimony was from a detective that was working on the case. He discussed the evidence that was found that ultimately led to the conviction of Bryan Kohberger. The next testimonies were discussing the usage of DNA and genealogy databases, and their role they played in catching the suspect. I learned the exact names of what databases were used to compare the DNA found from the knife sheath at the scene of the crime. One testimony discussed the company Othram, which is a genealogy lab that specialized in solving cold case murders. The other testimony discussed the use of GedMatch, which is a website for genealogy research. The most common word across all 5 testimonies was “DNA”. This did not surprise me because based on my prior knowledge of the case, the strongest piece of evidence was DNA found on the knife sheath that belonged to Bryan Kohberger.

For my distant reading project I knew that I wanted to do something related to my criminal justice field. At first I was not sure how to go about the project, but with Dr. Patrick’s help I have a great source to use. I ultimately decided to break down the court transcript from the Idaho College murder case. I am going to compare and contrast the different testimonies of individuals that were called to the stand. I already have a lot of knowledge about this case, but am interested to learn more about what happened in the courtroom. This case hit very close to home because the victims, Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin, were college students just like me. It was a tragic event that claimed the lives of four young students far too soon. As a criminal justice major, I plan on a career in law enforcement, which gives me an opportunity to help others and bring justice to victims and their families.

For this project I have decided to pull articles and transcripts from the Idaho college murder case. I have always loved true crime, but I especially followed this case. I think it will be interesting to see any trends or discrepancies while I complete the project. I have a court transcript from the case, as well as podcast transcripts, and news articles. I am going to compare all of them, and see what I can find. I am looking forward to this project, and to learning even more about this case.

For the Dear Data project, I spent a week gathering information about myself, which was more difficult than I had anticipated. Tracking something minor, like my use of profanity, combined with something more meaningful like my feelings prior to, during, and following my workouts at Burn, seemed insignificant at first. But as the week progressed, I saw that these insignificant moments combined to create a portrait of my daily routine, feelings, and self awareness.

The data collection technique helped me be more self aware. Keeping track of profanity forced me to be mindful about my language throughout the day, something I typically do without realizing it. I occasionally laughed at myself because of this awareness, but it also caused me to think before I spoke, particularly in tense or animated settings. Keeping track of my feelings during workouts allowed me to reflect more deeply. I frequently made notes on emotions like tiredness and reluctance before workouts. Those feelings often changed to resolve or frustration throughout exercise, and then they nearly always ended in relief, pride, or serenity. It was reassuring to see that my emotions tend to almost always be positive after a good workout. For me the gym is a place for me to train my physical self, but my mind as well.

The data helped me learn some new things about myself that I didn’t know before. During stressful situations, I used more profanity, but during slower periods of the day, I used fewer profanities. Similarly, my emotional data demonstrated that I always felt better after working out, even if I had dreaded it previously. Even when my motivation is low before working out, it is tough to ignore the good influence exercise has on my mood after seeing this pattern through actual data.

I thought it was super easy to collect my data for both categories. I think this is because I selected straightforward categories. For the swear words, I just kept a note on my phone to track each time I said a bad word. I did the same thing for my emotions and working out. I would just simply be mindful of my emotions around my workouts, and then jot them down in my notes as well. I will say that tracking my profanity usage did get annoying due to the high usage of bad words. 

This experience has taught me that I benefit more than I think from a solid routine and consistent exercise. I also discovered that information is never really impartial. Data tells a story that is shaped by what you choose to track, how you track it, and how you interpret it. In the end, this project taught me that data depicts living experiences, patterns, and individual understanding in a way that is human, rather than numbers or graphs.

For my data project I have decided to track how many times I use swear words in a day, and my emotions before, during, and after my daily workouts. I have been tracking both categories by jotting down notes on my phone. Tracking the swear word usage was difficult because I definitely use bad words more than I should. I found myself very busy throughout the day trying to keep track of what I was saying. It was also tough to not stop myself from using bad words because I knew I was tracking them, in order to not skew my results. I found it very simple to track my feelings about my workouts. I usually am very in tune with what my body is feeling before, during, and after I go to the gym. I even noticed a pretty cool trend. No matter what I was feeling before my workout, I always had a positive attitude when leaving the gym. I did expect this result because I find the gym a way for me to escape any stressors I am facing. It is my opportunity to block everything out and focus on bettering my mind and body.

I have some visuals in my head to display my data in a way that I think would look super cool. I am excited to bring these visuals to life in a creative way. I have never done this type of project before, but so far I am enjoying it. I am excited and curious to see what I come up with, and how my final project turns out!

So far I have been enjoying my time learning about digital humanities. I did not know anything about this topic before the class, but I am confident that I am going to learn a lot. My favorite thing so far was tracking my own data. I am excited to present my data in a colorful and artistic way, which is something I have never done before. I measured how many times I swear in a day for my short term data. For my long term data, I measured how I felt before, during, and after my workouts on a daily basis. It was fun getting to collect the data, and notice things that I may have never noticed before.

Hi! My name is Victoria, and I am a senior here at Rowan University. My major is Law and Justice Studies with an Honors concentration. I also am earning a CUGS in Community Corrections. I am very interested in all parts the justice system which include policing, courts, and corrections. I am not involved in any activities on campus at Rowan, but in my free time at home I play on a slow pitch softball team and volleyball league. I enjoy staying active whether that is working out or playing sports. 

This is my first experience studying digital humanities. I am looking to gain a more in depth understanding of what digital humanities is, and what type of impact it has on our world today. So far I am enjoying the class, and I looking forward to our upcoming assignments, and learning more about this field.