Automated Text Analysis
Full course description
This skills course focuses on automated text analysis or “distant reading”: using AI tools to analyse and find patterns in large corpuses of text. This is an academic methodology, but is also useful in the workforce. If you work for an NGO, think tank or policy institute, you might have to analyse how a political party’s manifestos have changed over time, or how two different newspapers cover the same issue. Text analysis is also used by companies to analyse client feedback by uncovering different sentiments and topics within texts. While automated text analysis cannot provide the same insights as qualitative reading of texts and should be used critically, it provides the option of covering a large body of text quickly.
The aim of this course is to give you practical experience with one AI-based text analyser, Voyant, which provides a way to analyse and visualise text. We will also discuss more general elements of automated text analysis that are applicable to all software. In addition to knowledge about the software and method, you will also gain a more practical understanding of official EU statements relevant to your content course.
The assessment for this skills course is a group presentation that presents the main findings of your text analysis.
Course objectives
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Identify, retrieve, and evaluate sources and data to build evidence-based arguments to explain past and ongoing developments related to Europe’s place in the world
- Present ideas and research findings in spoken English to specialist and non-specialist European and international audiences using an appropriate register, vocabulary and tone
- Function in a group setting and work in an international professional environment