ENG144A: Medieval Travel Writing StoryMaps Project

This guide includes resources for the ArcGIS StoryMaps assignment for ENG 144A: Medieval Travel Writing. Use the sidebar menu to navigate to different pages of this course guide. New content will be added to this guide as needed throughout the semester.

We'll look at the following story maps to help frame our discussion about effective use of digital storytelling tools. We'll also practice adding a couple pieces of media to different content blocks in StoryMaps to explore the some of the available options for presenting audiovisual and narrative content.

Sample Media

Our institutional subscription to ArcGIS StoryMaps can be accessed via Brandeis ArcGIS Online or the ArcGIS StoryMaps public website. 

Sign-in via Brandeis ArcGIS Online

1. Go to Brandeis ArcGIS Online.

2. Click the Brandeis University login option. You will be directed to Brandeis login page where you can sign in with your Brandeis credentials.
   

3. Then, on the Brandeis ArcGIS Online homepage, click the App launcher menu  to view a list of Esri apps. Scroll down the list and click StoryMaps to launch the software in a new browser tab.
   

Sign-in via ArcGIS StoryMaps Public Site

1. Go to ArcGIS StoryMaps site.
2. Sign in using the Your ArcGIS organization's URL option. Type brandeis into the text box, then click Continue. You will be redirected to the Brandeis login page, where you can sign into StoryMaps using your Brandeis credentials.
   (Important: You can't sign into your Brandeis StoryMaps account with the general ArcGIS login. You have to use the Your ArcGIS organization's URL sign-in option).
   

The following resources can help you get started with outlining your story map, identifying key materials that you'll need to collect, etc.

The following story maps are examples of how other students, researchers, and organizations have approached topics related to Medieval travel narratives.

General StoryMaps Galleries

You can view story maps created by Brandeis students for different classes in our Brandeis ArcGIS Online homepage gallery (Brandeis login required).

You can try using Google advanced search to limit search results to public ArcGIS StoryMaps content.  Keep in mind that the story maps you find in a general Google search may be created by students in higher ed, primary / secondary schools; individual researchers or research teams;  organizations; etc. so the quality of the projects may vary.

Enter your search terms followed by site:storymaps.arcgis.com into Google to search for public story maps. This search strategy is imperfect but can be helpful for surfacing additional story maps projects related to your research topic. For example, you can try copy/pasting the following searches into Google: 

• medieval travel literature site:storymaps.arcgis.com
• Ibn Battuta site:storymaps.arcgis.com
• counter mapping site:storymaps.arcgis.com
• medieval Africa site:storymaps.arcgis.com

Brandeis Library provides multiple forms of instruction and research support for Brandeis students who are working on ArcGIS StoryMaps projects:

• You can email or book an appointment with our GIS Librarian or Digital Literacy Instruction Librarian. We offer individual and small group appointments (in-person and via Zoom).
   
• You can stop by our Digital Scholarship Collab Lab drop-in hours to receive help with StoryMaps. Digital Scholarship Collab Lab drop-in hours are posted on our library's workshop calendar and may vary week-to-week based on staff availability. You don't need to contact us in advance -- just stop on by!