Methods in Stylometry and Applications: The Beatles and Shakespeare by Zachary Proom '19

Methods in Stylometry and Applications: The Beatles and Shakespeare by Zachary Proom ’19, Wednesday, February 20, 1:10 – 1:50 pm, Statistics Colloquium

Abstract:  Stylometry, the statistical analysis of literary work, has been used to determine authorship, describe and compare authors’ styles, and identify suspects in criminal investigations. This talk will offer a survey of some of the common statistical tests used in stylometry, including Mendenhall Curves, the Chi-Squared method, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and the Mantel-Haenszel test. In addition, it will provide examples of how these tests have been applied in a variety of settings. Questions that will be explored are whether William Shakespeare or George Chapman wrote “A Lover’s Complaint” and how John Lennon’s lyrics compare to Paul McCartney’s across several dimensions.