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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 Conventions

  • Spelling: Use original spelling if possible.
    • You may correct a misspelled word by typing the correctly spelled word in brackets after the misspelling: werk [work] or Milwakee [Milwaukee].
  • Capitalization: Use original capitalization.
  • Punctuation: Use original punctuation.
  • Line Breaks: Hit return once after each written line ends. Two returns indicate a new paragraph, which is usually indentation following the preceding sentence in the original.
  • Illegible text: Indicate illegible readings in single square brackets: [Dr?]
    • If you aren’t sure of a word but want to take a guess, type your guess with square brackets and a question mark: [Galeola?].
    • If you have an idea about what the word might be but can’t make it out, indicate the type of word you think it is in brackets: [town?] or [name?].
    • If you can't make out a word at all, type [illegible]. If you spot [illegible] in an already started transcription, feel free to correct it if you know what the word is.
    • Mark pages with illegible text as Needs Review

Marking Illustrations

  • Indicate illustrations in single square brackets, e.g. [color illustration]
    • Use the term illustration for published images. Use pencil sketches or pen sketches for items that are hand-drawn.
    • Use the following vocabulary to indicate illustrations relative to where they are on the page:
      • [color illustration] or [color illustrations]
      • [black and white illustration] or [black and white illustrations]
      • [pencil sketch] or [pencil sketches]
      • [pen sketch] or [pen sketches]
      • [color pencil sketch] or [color pencil sketches]

How to transcribe two page images

  • Transcribe the left page and then the right page below that.
  • Add [Left Page] and [Right Page] at the top of each transcribed section.

Pages with Columns of Data or Newspaper Clippings

These are low priority and do not require transcription. Include a bracketed tag that describes the content, e.g. [Weather Data for 1843] or [Newspaper Clipping, title of paper, date, etc.].

Tips and Tricks

  • Zoom in on an image by clicking Fullscreen at the top left of the document workspace, or clicking the + symbol at the bottom of the image. Once you’ve zoomed in, you can click, hold your mouse, and drag the image to see details in the letter.
  • Toggle between views (side-by-side or over-and-under) with the Image at the left pull down menu on the upper left of the document workspace.
  • Move between pages of a letter by clicking the left or right arrows at the top right of the document workspace. If you encounter a blank page, which you occasionally may, check Mark as blank.
  • If your translation needs further review, you can check Needs Review.
  • The progress bar next to each letter indicates its status. Depending on the number of pages, the bar may indicate a combination.
    • White means a page has not been transcribed.
    • Light green means a page has been transcribed, but not reviewed.
    • Dark Green means a page has been transcribed and reviewed, and is ready to be added to our collection.