On Sun, 18 Nov 2001, Peter Retallick wrote:> I have just started the exploration phase of a research project for the
> Master of Design (Hons) which will look at Spanish architecture
> (specifically Spanish Revival architecture of South West USA) and am
> wondering if there is software available to assist in this process? The kind
> of thing would be, at a minimum, starting a bibliography, brief overview of
> each book and perhaps quotations.

I agree, and suggest there are good reasons for going for a specialist
bibliographic database package rather than something less focused.  The
overall reason is that such packages have a lot of information built in
about books, papers and people.  My favourite, and this impression has
just been confirmed by consultation with colleagues at other UK
universities, remains Papyrus.  It is very cheap, very old but very robust.
Unfortunately, it remains a DOS version (V7.0.16c on PCs) but runs under
Win3/95/98/NT/ME (all confirmed).  A later version (V8) was developed for
Macs but now will not be ported to Windows.  There are several other
packages more aggressively marketed (EndNote, RefMan, Library Master) but
Papyrus meets your spec better because of a feature called Notecards.  I
use these extensively, so that a book/article etc is recorded as a main
entry but then has attached notecards (up to 1 million allowed!) on which
I record quotes and my own comments and ideas.  References and notecards
can each have any number of keywords and the whole database is searchable.
The alternative programs interface more conventionally with Windows and
its word processors, but as far as I know only then offer a single
free-text field to record all your extracts and comments.
see http://ResearchSoftwareDesign.com/ (was www.rsd.com) for info on
Papyrus and to download a free demo version.

The second aspect that you mention, looking at Spanish architecture,
implies you need to record and catalogue images (photos, plans etc).  This
appears to be of the essence of the research, and you turn out to be at
the right end of the world to get assistance on this!  Software from the
QSR company (Nudist, NVivo) has long been recognised as a leading
influence in qualitative research.  In this instance, you might store
digital pictures online or have physical objects offline (eg the buildings
or large plans), and the software supports your research by acting as a
sophisticated filing system.  The IST in Nudist refers to "Indexing,
Searching and Theorising".  It is a type of computer use that is very
different from the deterministic calculations of "hard science data
processing" but potentially at least as rewarding.  Once you are over the
initially steep learning curve (of "what the hell does this do?!"), the
payback comes in terms of handling larger amounts of data and ideas, and
being more systematic.  Your own ideas, for example, can be stored within
the system, a notion known as "closure".

QSR's website is http://www.qsr.com.au/home/home.asp
Again you can download free demo software for evaluation, and there is an
active discussion list where you might well contact other researchers
looking at architecture or historic buildings.  Some people use this
software in their literature evaluations, but in my view this is
misguided and overlooks the point about bibliographic software having
inbuilt knowledge.  You need both!

NB: I have no financial interests in any company mentioned.

R. Allan Reese                       Email: [log in to unmask]