Project Work Plan: The project will take 12-13 weeks to complete and will consist of overlapping phases signified by three milestones. Since much of the project’s later phases will be determined by the findings of earlier stages, a vital pre-spring-break checkpoint will help specify the course of action for the later stages.

The initial phase from 2.8.2023-3.15.2023 is devoted to re/defining the project scope, corpus creation, and initial text analysis. During this time, we will first consider the specific corpora (in addition to GBBS, Season 12) we want to investigate, integrate team members’ specific research interests and skills, and articulate an adjusted project scope. Under the leadership of Teddy, the GBBS corpus of season 12 will be tagged and readied for analysis, along with a second comparison corpus pulled from an American cooking show, which will allow us to explore comparisons in the use of judging language between shows. A third comparison corpus based on an early season of GBBS is under consideration, which would help us track changes in judging language over ten seasons of GBBS. The corpus/corpora will be available in a csv format via GitHub, and Teddy will have tagged the judging segments’ speakers specifically. [Milstone 1# finished corpora in csv on GitHub.] Initial research questions will be formulated during this phase and adjusted on an ongoing basis alongside the development of the corpora. During this phase, Nuraly will research current GBBS fan fora and the presence of GBBS fans and GBBS-related discourse online to help us define our target audience more precisely. Ruby will investigate which website platform and set-up will best serve the project and, based on the technological capabilities, we will think about the structure and content of the site. Maria will further consider various versions of an integrated Bingo game might take and explore whether we can manage to acquire the skills to produce an interactive version via Twine. 

Overlapping with the initial phase, between 3.1.2023 -3.29.2023, the focus will increasingly shift to text analysis and visualization of findings which, under the leadership of Teddy, will be performed with the assistance of the following tools and methods: Python and Voyant, NLTK Sentiment analysis, and JGap. During this time, we will add and specify research questions based on initial findings, and we will let us consider what findings we want to visualize and represent on the webpage. [Milestone #2 – Complete text analysis and initial visualizations.] Conversations about website content and structure will continue, as will related research. And research into stakeholders of the project and outreach strategies will also continue (informed by findings). The level of interactivity for the bingo game will be finalized during this phase as well.

3.29.2023 MIDPOINT Meeting. At this meeting, we will review all text analysis findings, visualizations, research progress, and website-building possibilities/capabilities and revise the work plan for the second half of the semester. Decisions we make will influence the scope and final structure of the website and determine ancillary content that has to be developed. 

[4.5.23 – 4.12.23 springbreak]

4.13.2023 – 5.3.2023 During this phase, we will work on implementing the goals confirmed during the midpoint meeting. Under Ruby’s leadership, the focus will be on finalizing the layout & graphic design of the website and integrating and uploading content. Ruby will also refine the graphic design aspects of the data visualizations chosen to be included. Maria will gather, ready, and edit (for consistency and with an eye on presenting the content for our target audience/s) final versions of verbal site content, like white papers, narratives, bios, etc. Nuraly and Teddy will activate social media accounts and refine our outreach strategy. During these three weeks, the game’s final version will also be integrated into the site. (Whether explicit Bingo game testing is necessary will depend on our decisions at the midpoint meeting.) [Milestone #3 – website showing and communicating findings is set up.]

5.3.2023 In-class pre-launch (dress rehearsal) 

5.3.2023-5.10.2023 During the last week, we will troubleshoot and address feedback received during our 5.3. trial run. Additionally, we’ll prepare the launch presentation and continue social media outreach.

5.10.2023 Public launch.