JSTOR: JSTOR is one of my favorite sites, if not my favorite, for research. Content: The content is scholarly, with the inclusion of citations and information on where to find further readings from the author or related subject(s). There really isn’t an interpretive view, as it is a database rather than a website for a specific historical project. The content is communicated well to visitors if they know what they are looking for. It can be an overwhelming task to search through all of the documents and photos that JSTOR has, but if you use specific keywords, the content is clearly marked. Design: The site’s design is nice and not cluttered, which makes it seem less overwhelming when navigating through all the content on JSTOR. The structure makes sense, especially with the search bar front and center, allowing people to immediately access research without needing to read an ‘about’ or ‘contact us’ section. The design is effective, but I would not say original as there isn’t a creative element to the design. It is hard to assess whether the site is all ability-friendly as someone who does not have to worry about running into those issues. However, I think the simply design and bolding of titles makes it easier for most people to read. It functions well enough on a mobile device, but the text is very hard to read. Audience: The audience is for researchers and is definitely geared towards that audience. Again, I find it quite useful and a well design database. Digital Media: I think the sheer volume of text and images speaks to the site unique function as a research tool. Multiple people can assess the same document at the same time, something that could not easily be done imprint without multiple copies. I also think the keyword searches within the document is something else that print cannot do. Creators: ITHAKA seems to be the main contributor. It is a not-for-profit dedicated to helping the academic community.
Mapping the Republic of Letters: Content: The content ranges from letters from Voltaire to Benjamin Franklin, with current publications and projects. They are clearly arranged from topic to topic, such as travel letters and general correspondence. Each topic is then broken down further into letters, and the context of each letter when it comes to mapping them. Design: The design is very simple, and I like the accents of red, but the gray/tan text on top of the beige background is a bit hard to read. Audience: I think that the audience is very specific: anyone who wants to map or understand the travels of letters of historical figures. I think that serves this well and provides a good amount of information. Digital Media: Whatever digital media they use is not loading on the website, but I would assume they use maps and possibly interactive maps to display the content. Creators: The creators are a combination of partners: Oxford, Group D’Alembert, CNRS, CKCC, and DensityDesign Research Lab. These are the main contributors at the bottom of the main page. Each project or publication has the entire team working on it listed on each page.
