Transcribing
Once you sign up for an account, a new Transcribe tab will appear above each page.
You can create or edit transcriptions by modifying the text entry field and saving. Each modification is stored as a separate version of the page, so that it should be easy to revert to older versions if necessary.
Registered users can also add notes to pages to comment on difficult words, suggest readings, or discuss the texts.
Transcription Tips
Scan the whole page to understand its purpose and context.
Familiarize yourself with the handwriting. For example, how does the author write the letter “S”?
Go word by word instead of trying to take in the whole sentence at once.
Save your work frequently.
Use page notes to make observations or leave helpful hints for fellow transcribers.
Common Words and Abbreviations
New York City Place Names
SI = Staten Island
BX = The Bronx
BK = Brooklyn
NYC = New York City
Helpful Documentation
Advanced Markup
Table Encoding
Encoding mathematical and scientific formula with LaTex
iPad Users
To prevent glitches, orient the document and image so that the document is on the right, and the image is to the left. You can change the arrangement of the document and image using the “Layout” button.
FAQs
Q: What if my image doesn’t load?
A: The image may not load once you first pull up the page. However, if you click to transcribe the page, the image should load then. You may need to zoom in to see the picture clearly.
Q: Where can I find a visual example?
A: Each collection has their own set of examples in a tab labeled as such. You can refer to those to see an example of how pages were transcribed.
EN