3
Transcription Conventions
- Spelling: Use original spelling if possible.
- Capitalization: Retain original capitalization.
- Punctuation: Use original punctuation when possible.
- Line Breaks: Hit
Enter
once after each line ends. Two returns indicate a new paragraph, whether indicated by a blank line or by indentation in the original. - Uncertainty: If there are words or letters you cannot read, transcribe using a question mark and brackets ,
[?]
, including any letters that you can read. - Insertions: If there are words inserted above or below the text that are intended to be inserted in the sentence, include the word in the transcription where indicated. No carets or other symbols are needed.
- Deletions: If there are words that are crossed out, transcribe the word in brackets:
[ ]
- Tables: Some pages may include information in a table format. Please transcribe this information in a way that retains rows and columns: keep information in each row on one line in the text box and separate information in each row with a comma to indicate a different column. When the 'ditto' symbol (
"
) is used, please transcribe the information it stands for, not the ditto mark itself.