Our assignment was to look at two previously completed Digital History Projects and review them. Using these instructions, here are my thoughts on the Digital History Project Archive site and the site for searching the register and graves of those interred at the Fredericksburg National Cemetery.
Digital History Project Archive:
- I thought this was a very interesting idea and project to embark upon and looking into this website not only helped me look at a fantastic website design but also helped me get a taste for what to expect in this oncoming semester.
- I loved the organization, theme, format, layout, and accessibility of the whole site. I quickly felt confident that I would be able to accurately see all corners of the website and know what I was looking at. In short, navigation is to the point, specific and easy to predict.
- I wonder if the relatively short source list enabled this group to be able to manually tag all sites with topics and years leading for very smooth searching by topic
- The search box on the left was very helpful!
- Everything is explained concisely and specifically.
- The dark mode moon symbol switching to a sun is a nice touch.
- This site is amazing, a role model perhaps.
Fredericksburg National Cemetary
- There are very detailed search instructions that took me a few minutes to read through. With all of the caveats involved, this seems much harder than it should be and some parts, like the redundant 0’s should have been automated
- But I guess easier said than done.
- There is a good use of acknowledging the limitations of the site. Very important to be honest with that.
- The hand drawn map is VERY IMPRESSIVE! Wow.
- Additionally, the star of the show is the digital map. This truly takes the cake being very accessible and easy to use. Love it!
- There is a very thorough history of the cemetery which definitely helps provide the context of the site
- I thought it was interesting how some graves have multiple soldiers and some soldiers have multiple grave numbers
- A few deltas:
- There are two different total grave numbers on the “how to search” page.
- Why are the Binding, Blank Pages and Cover above the actual register itself?
- The browse exhibits section has no exhibits in it.
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