Visualizing Repetition in Text

This paper discusses our recent research projects in the area of information visualization systems for studying repetition in literary documents. Our rationale for these experiments is that readers typically notice repetition as part of the normal process of reading, and such moments of recognition can serve as useful means of identifying interesting elements for further inquiry; however, while ordinary reading skills are often all that are necessary for spotting repeated patterns within a single document, if the document is long or complicated, or once there are many documents involved, an automated approach combined with an appropriate interface to visualize the results can make the experience not only possible, but also interesting and pleasurable in its own right. We describe three design projects in this area, dealing respectively with an approach that accommodates the contemporary hardware configuration of monitor, keyboard, and mouse; a set of designs that strip away codex conventions; and a design that attempts to take advantage of the new affordances offered by a high-resolution wall-sized display.