August Rubrecht's Research Projects
How do Scholars Study Texts?
Scholars in the humanities, the fine arts, and the social sciences all study texts with different approaches. And within each discipline, they argue over which approach they should use. Let's not worry about those differences right now. Take a global perspective.
Think about what questions a person might ask about any artifact; all of them can apply to texts.
The arguments scholars get into just involve which questions are most interesting and most important. (See: What is a Text?) General questions about any artifact
A. Questions about the thing itself
What is its shape?
What is its composition?
Is it made of separate parts?
If so, how do they fit together?
How were the materials shaped and fitted?
How does the thing operate?
What does it do when in operation?
B. Questions about the thing in its human context What technology did its maker(s) use to make it?
What kind of person(s) could and would make such a thing that way?
How do people use it?
Where do they use it?
When do they use it?
What benefit do they derive from using it?
What unintended effects do they experience?
What kind of person(s) would use such a thing that way for that purpose?
