ABSTRACT
Modeling lies at the very heart of the digital humanities, and perhaps constitutes the core of the field. The word modeling denotes a variety of practices so varied that they appear to defy lexicography. One might usefully categorize models based on the nature of the similarity or correspondence between the model and the modeled, but it may be more helpful to consider the goals or attitudes of the modeler. One reason for the prominence of modeling in the digital humanities is that models are useful for anyone interested in building things. The use of standardized models can improve the longevity of data, and use of common models can make it easier to compare data from different collaborating sources, and easier to achieve economies of scale and automation. Models used widely and long will, under normal circumstances, eventually need revision as knowledge and beliefs they reflect change with new research, new experience, or new social values.
