Digital Humanities and Literary Analysis: The Mediating Role of Data Visualization

Abstract

The emergence of Digital Humanities has transformed traditional literary scholarship by integrating computational technologies, quantitative methods, and digital tools into literary research. Digital Humanities enables scholars to analyze large textual corpora, identify hidden patterns, and generate new insights that may not be easily observable through conventional close reading approaches. Among the various tools employed in Digital Humanities, data visualization has gained particular importance because it facilitates the interpretation and presentation of complex literary data in accessible and meaningful formats. This study examines the relationship between Digital Humanities and Literary Analysis while investigating the mediating role of Data Visualization. Drawing upon Digital Humanities Theory, Information Visualization Theory, and Reader Response Theory, the study proposes that Digital Humanities positively influences Literary Analysis and that Data Visualization serves as a significant mediating mechanism. A quantitative research design was adopted, and data were collected from literary scholars, digital humanities researchers, postgraduate students, and academics engaged in computational literary studies. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using SmartPLS was employed to assess the measurement and structural models. The findings indicate that Digital Humanities significantly enhances Literary Analysis. Furthermore, Digital Humanities positively influences Data Visualization, which in turn significantly contributes to Literary Analysis. Mediation analysis confirms that Data Visualization partially mediates the relationship between Digital Humanities and Literary Analysis. The results suggest that visual representations of textual patterns, networks, themes, and linguistic structures improve scholars’ ability to interpret literary texts and generate meaningful insights. The study contributes to Digital Humanities, literary studies, and information science literature by identifying Data Visualization as a critical explanatory mechanism linking digital methodologies and literary interpretation. Practical implications are provided for researchers, educators, librarians, software developers, and academic institutions seeking to enhance literary scholarship through digital technologies.