Topic Modeling

Analyzation of Topics

~ Annie Swafford

My first four topics (crime, death, family, and messages/notes) were found using 25 topics, 2000 iterations, and 20 topic words printed, with the stop words removed. My next three topics (characteristics of a man, love, and house/home) were found using 30 topics, 1500 iterations, and 20 topic words printed, with the stop words removed. My final three topics (traveling, evidence, and time) were found using 20 topics, 2500 iterations, and 20 topic words printed, with the stop words removed. Despite having changed the numbers of topics and iterations multiple times, themes relating to crime, mystery, and investigation kept coming up, showing the main aspect of each of the Sherlock Holmes stories. This shows that topic modeling succeeds at highlighting the recurring topics that multiple texts have in common.

I found it most difficult to come up with common topics between the words that came up when I decreased the number of iterations. However, those topics (characteristics, love, and house/home) all ended up making sense in regards to the Sherlock Holmes stories. Describing one’s characteristics is part of solving any mystery, the theme of love is part of the backstory given in each text of those involved in or affected by the mystery/crime, and house/home can represent Holmes in his house/room or the home where a crime or mystery is being solved. Being somewhat familiar with various Sherlock Holmes stories definitely helped me recognize the topics – if I had never read any Holmes stories, I would have had more trouble.

Overall, MALLET successfully navigates multiple texts in an efficient manner to point out common topics. The fact that it offers additional information about these topics, such as the percentage of a topic’s presence in a text, makes it helpful in pointing out themes and ideas that one may have overlooked during a close reading of the text.

Sherlock Holmes and Topic Modeling

~ Annie Swafford

50 topics, 1000 iterations, and 20 words printed

Person: face eyes features turned lips looked tall pale white mouth expression drawn raised gray set beard fixed forehead glance angry

30 topics, 1500 iterations, and 20 words printed

Case: case lestrade find evidence points remarked obvious matter investigation mystery yard affair facts fresh point explain theory fact clue give

Crime: man dead poor strong body death life brought terrible dangerous sort words creature real deep notice wild turn devil lies

Thinking: mind clear remember place chance idea professor things strange full fear pass began aware put change doubt wrong lie fall

10 topics, 5000 iterations, and 20 words printed

Mr. Watson: watson case find point friend doubt sherlock interest facts remarkable fact singular remarked account dear strange present points curious reason

60 topics, 20000 iterations, and 20 words printed

Business/time: years money ago hundred twenty year ten time business months age pay week pounds thirty thousand gold weeks month fifty

Documents: paper note letter read table box book handed written papers wrote letters writing sheet write slip post document date envelope

Murder Case: crime police found murder death night scene arrest reason attention remained trace instantly murderer attempt suspicion discovered charge caused search

Senses: light long dark suddenly lamp black sound sudden darkness held silent hand shadow figure thrown appeared match silence ears lantern

Solving: case point facts points fact obvious interest explanation investigation mystery simple confess theory present admit solution formed true problem connection

Topic Modeling

~ Annie Swafford

60 topics, 1500 iterations, 25 topic words printed:

Topic: Household

years time ago week married family marriage thirty months live year age engaged twenty daughter situation lives carruthers living meet history month youth happy woodley

Topic: Emotions

good ah put word deal suppose feel don glad means thing laughed leave true mine takes kind heavens anger service fortune bye lead mistaken detail

Topic: Travel

train station carriage reached walk doubt gave start hotel passed town follow journey reach spoke bridge observed late catch started ready rapidly green cross hurried

Topic: Characterization

black eyes white hair face blue red dress heavy brown coat side mouth grey centre pair nose drawn thick hat forehead yellow broad faced suit

Topic: Dawn
morning day close full found visit absolutely country hat set change spent bird lie attention reading evil people nature acquaintance excitement town goose received drawn

Topic: Anecdotal

interest cases arthur friend sherlock public remarkable adventure problem present strange doyle case conan facts curious singular experience narrative details notes record long interesting events

Topic: Effeminate

lady wife woman maid left difficulty ferguson life girl mistress couple difficult forever nurse half devoted frances ill dear frightened coffin beautiful show longer notice

50 topics, 2000 iterations, 50 topic words printed:

Topic: Calligraphy

paper note read book table pocket papers hand short handed hopkins attention writing sheet post show eye rough slip drew baron page stanley pen pencil simply tossed held printed scribbled initials finished tea leaves worth volume desk knee added column reading trust pages folded excellent aloud arrange notebook torn gruner

Topic: Masculinity

father man time heard son young returned hudson mother mccarthy ship witness sea alive made peter game left boat captain estate cry trevor long quarrel carey dozen coroner return lay call turner concerned keeper warning word gun board jury farm rat hatherley securities sailor voyage considerably tale boscombe hearing seaman

Topic: Fright

light window dark suddenly looked coming round lamp black shadow spoke figure darkness stood corner empty heels moved silent moving shining whispered thrown emerged lantern yellow sudden sprang dashed low bushes ears watched vanished dim glancing half horrible bent gave band bar fear metal excitement burning deserted shone gleam flash

Topic Modeling and Sherlock Holmes

~ Annie Swafford

Number of topics: 50 Iterations: 1000 Number of topic words: 20

Law Enforcement: horse dog colonel question master great heavy shown led john boy companion double straker lead stable stables stranger found silver

Time: years time lord ago twenty year thirty st months weeks made age subject simon great future sea peter ship business

Written Clues: paper read note word letter short written show wrote writing single sheet write post address handed slip message importance thumb

Emotions: mr holmes visitor assure smile desire beg glad relations carruthers gibson night assured consult town prefer laughed sit agitated reserve

Finances: good business money hundred deal asked pay play ten pounds thousand gold year paid give price firm hard sum worth

Action: instant suddenly turned light sprang coming caught heard forward threw fell sudden window back cry sight moment sound struck silence

London: london train station evening office papers reached west monday started line plans agent cross appointment report bridge carriage telegram journey

Travel: street half hour minutes back baker waiting cab quarter past passed ten hurried standing glad quiet start wait drive drove

Family: woman wife life husband girl lady heart love knew child married loved daughter ferguson nature soul terrible character women power

Investigating: left side examined showed corner finally square pointed carefully marks covered large books traces small wood inside evidently mark farther

 

Topic Modeling – My Found Topics

~ Annie Swafford ~ 1 Comment

Using sets of 15 words.

My First Search – 1500 iterations of 50 topics

(Business and Labor) – business money hundred answered asked pay ten good pounds pocket thousand men worth company paid

(Holmes’ Office) – holmes chair sat table room fire back pipe sitting rose arm laid seated glanced books

(Emotional Shock) – cried hands head face voice thought man word shook suddenly amazement burst sank astonishment stared

My Second Search – 2000 iterations of 75 topics

(Place) – door room open opened key passage closed ran locked stood empty rushed stair steps stairs

(Crime) – crime night police occurred house tragedy violence murder made caused committed account barclay death appeared

(Foot Traffic) – path feet ground stood foot water direction walked fall end edge ran track marked grass

(Time) – day morning days evening hours work early clock breakfast week spent morrow arrived call meet

My Third Search – 3000 iterations of 30 topics

(Deduction) – watson case point dear make points curious facts doubt fact person possibly clear obvious surely

(Love and Matrimony) – woman lady wife life husband heart girl love mrs child married creature beautiful loved daughter

(Notes and Writing) – paper note read table hand pocket papers letter box book put handed written client writing

Topic Modeling MichaelF

~ Annie Swafford

3 Topics from first search (50 topics/ 1000 iterations/ 15 words printed)

1-  (Hallway)  door room opened open heard key light sound passage stood inside closed hall entered locked steps pass lock dressing stair

2- (Communication) asked friend gentleman mine round godfrey back client fine strong word laughed telegram turn match news rucastle laughing staunton rough

3- (Study/Office) small pocket put study drew cut papers attention eye safe examination bird piece left cigar mark thumb finger seat interest

3 Topics from second search (25 topics/ 500 iterations/ 15 words printed)

   1- (Case) inspector colonel crime fact remarked evidence present points train murder observed important follow   complete mystery

2- (Suspect) face man head hand dark black cried instant turned white suddenly figure opened quick sight

3- (Evidence) note letter men short word letters handed fashion means written answered writing strong wrong message

4 Topics from third search (20 topics/ 250 iterations/ 10 words printed)

   1- (Suspicious) man face eyes head dark hand half deep figure dog

2- (Location) night morning hour made note told brought box clock lord

3- (Discover/Trace) window light black lay side walked led floor corner close

4- (Attack/Violence) woman cried hands hand moment suddenly face instant feet voice

Topic Modeling for Sherlock Holmes

~ Annie Swafford

First, I tried my assignment with the computer just sorting them into 10 word categories. These were some of the results.

1. TIME- time, find, turn, hours, knowledge, matters, remarked, present, afternoon, problem

2. MORNING- morning, surprise, breakfast, early, sat, seated, fire, energy, finished, bright

3. NOTES- paper, note, book, read, wrote, sheet, written, writing, write, handed

4. INVESTIGATION- case, points, facts, interest, investigation, remarked, explanation, follow, solution, theory

5. TRANSPORTATION- train, station, carriage, morning, started, found, cross, time, journey, catch

6. CLUES- examined, showed, examination, carefully, cut, marks, bed, top, full, traces

7. CRIME- crime, police, case, evidence, murder, arrest, charge, tragedy, violence, murderer

Next, I updated it to 20 words per category, and I upped the amount of categories to 100! These were some of the best categories I found.

1. EVIDENCE- facts obvious clear person theory impossible explanation question idea perfectly mind means confess formed affair absurd probable possibly evident correct

2. RUNNING- door room open passage ran steps rushed led empty stair stairs pushed corridor foot tore seized feeling vague furniture running

3. CRIME- crime death murder occurred showed evidence scene tragedy violence terrible reason committed murdered moran murderer suspicion attempt criminal motive inquest

4. INVESTIGATION- case interest remarked interesting problem investigation remarkable events solution difficult clue find methods prove points give reasoning follow simple connection

5. MANLINESS- sat pipe fire laid smoke tobacco blue corner lit armchair cigar hung silent gas brandy smoked smoking comfortable shining bachelor

6. LOCATIONS- window room open bedroom moment looked sitting fire threw floor lawn garden alarm moving curtain drawn fired energy forget powder

7. WRITING- paper read note book handed table sheet papers slip written importance post piece pen page pencil tossed picked desk printed

8. TIME- years ago time twenty thirty months age year week lives ship forty voyage exposed dozen bought tongue boat popular families

9. TIMES OF DAY- night morning early clock breakfast morrow surprise sleep signs rest disappeared day slept watch midnight fault trail hopes news clearing

10. TRANSPORTATION- train station carriage cab drive waiting journey drove town cross started line follow fresh bridge reach passing hansom class reached

 

~Austin Carpentieri

Topic Modeling

~ Annie Swafford

Topics from 50 topics and 1000 iterations-

1) Money-money business hundred men asked company american pounds answered worth thousand red gold paid city pay headed answer fifty price

2) Murder– found dead man death crime body evidence terrible unfortunate attempt violence words occurred instantly action save murderer committed escape murdered

3) Sherlock’s study– table papers small box examined study showed left carefully marks signs examination wood books round carpet mark traces fire examine

4) Women- woman wife lady husband love married child girl life mother loved daughter maid beautiful ferguson mrs mistress ways character women

Topics from 25 topics 2500 iterations-

5) Crime– man police found inspector dead crime death body evidence reason murder blood night shot person

6) Letter/message-paper table hand papers note read letter pocket box book put letters drew short handed

7) Sherlock-holmes hand chair sat back looked fire air sherlock visitor pipe rose laid pray companion

Topics from 50 topics and 2000 iterations-

8) Journey/travelling-place train station carriage found town return started long line reached drove cross miles journey

9) Appearance-face eyes man dark tall looked features expression thin lips pale mouth figure companion appearance

10) Case-case interest points curious remarkable fact attention singular account investigation matter clue events incident problem

Sherlock Holmes Topic Modeling – 10 topics

~ Annie Swafford

Topics 1-4: number of topics: 25, iterations: 2000, topic words printed: 20, removed stop words

1. CRIME: police man inspector lestrade colonel crime death reason evidence murder mystery affair case present remained criminal force arrest account undoubtedly
2. DEATH:  found end lay dead hand part body long deep lost close blood finally carried showed attention broken shot leaving horror
3. FAMILY: woman wife time father heard husband met save home family understand years day love life sister married mother ago returned
4. MESSAGES/NOTES: paper note read letter word book letters importance handed short written wrote address writing message men find answer write held

Topics 5-7: number of topics: 30, iterations: 1500, topic words printed: 20, removed stop words

5. CHARACTERISTICS (of a person): face eyes man red black white dark looked thin features hair lips tall appearance blue drawn expression pale heavy hat
6. LOVE: woman life knew husband things told wife heart girl poor lady love speak story child mine met began truth loved
7. HOUSE/HOME: room door open window opened entered bed sitting table key bedroom closed sound passage bell corner rushed floor pushed inside
Topics 8-10: number of topics: 20, iterations: 2500, topic words printed: 20, removed stop words
8. TRAVELING: road half back colonel hall found house great carriage dog horse drive town boy drove excellent country king high miles
9. EVIDENCE: paper police note found read made papers attention box letter book save examined brought handed finally crime written small run
10. TIME: night morning day hour doctor work clock station train back rooms morrow past return waiting late returned told evening quarter

Topic Modeling

~ Annie Swafford

100 Topics, 5000 iteration

1. Travel

train station carriage reached line journey cross bridge hurried passing started save ready town body class roof forty ticket charing

2. Writing

paper note letter read handed wrote written writing sheet write book post page began pen pencil slip ran printed torn

70 Topics, 1000 iteration

3. Facial Expression

face eyes looked turned features figure expression raised pale drawn lips mouth milverton grey fixed eager glance angry chin brow

4. Observing Details

examined left side floor round brought showed carefully small examination large wood marks traces lying wooden iron ground fire lower

5. Time

hour half past clock time cab ten waiting quarter work wait late minutes back drive catch eleven immediately presently church

6. Murder

found dead man body blood blow struck knife lay stick head weapon finally wound unfortunate bullet handle lying acted fainted

7. Wealth

house long master servants family butler maid musgrave brunton leading retired county charles missing ritual elderly shadow aroused personal century

70 Topics, 2000 iteration

8. Crime

crime account occurred reason murder true tragedy explanation fact incident murderer committed person disappearance criminal absolute remain probable murdered scene

9.  Country

house front large windows garden standing high houses walk building spot sun small lane round grounds scene evidently lined trees

10. Case

case points point investigation facts find theory solution explanation follow connection fact admit obvious main interest extraordinary problem disappearance theories