Say My Name Transcription Project: Faculty Resource Guide

This assignment is courtesy of Heather Fox

Archival Investigation: Transcribing White Hall Documents

1. Read and study the "Transcription Guidelines".
2. Peruse documents that require transcription. Choose TWO documents that require transcription and work together to complete the transcription. When choosing, find a document that has writing on a full page (versus a line or two on a page). If in doubt, please ask me first. Also, while transcribing, be sure to save your work often.
3. Share your findings and experiences with the class.

Absences Only:
If absent, complete a Transcribe Archival Investigation Report, which should be submitted in PDF form to Blackboard and must contain the following items for full credit:

• The title of the document
• The link to the document that enables me to access it
• Your group’s screen print photograph of your completed transcription of the document
• A 2-3 sentence summary of the document that you transcribed, which includes the amount of time that it took the group to transcribe the document
• One paragraph that describes your “meta” observations about this archival research experience, in terms of the scope and purpose of the project as part of our course’s theme and objectives

Notes from Heather

• I tend to provide less instruction up front and work alongside students as they work through questions/considerations.
• Have students work in pairs. Pair cursive readers with non-cursive readers.
• Since some documents are more difficult to read than others, suggest that students look for easier to read documents, instead of picking the nearest option when they open the site.
• Comparing letter formations and reading in context within the same document can help with deciphering text.
• Keep the Transcription Guidelines on the screen during class.
• If a group does not finish a full transcription, "Save" without pressing "Done". 
• Leave time for students to complete the post assessment during class.

This assignment is courtesy of Ginny Whitehouse

Transcribing Historical Documents

Outside Class Assignment

• Using your EKU email account, sign up for “FromThePage” so that you can be assigned transcriptions in the next class. 
• Watch the video from the UNC-Wilmington Library on “Reading Cursive Handwriting” then take two of the cursive handwriting quizzes at the bottom of the page. Retake until you get 100%. 
• Read the “Transcription Guidelines".
• Use those guidelines to transcribe the "Sample Letter" provided from EKU Archives. 
• Take the End of Class Quiz by Noon Wednesday.

In-Class Assignment (Thursday class)

• Transcribe the historical document assigned to you.

Notes from Ginny

• The "End of Class Quiz" was just a matter of them copying and pasting the "Sample Letter" transcription. I gave them full credit for making a solid effort.
• At the Thursday class, we talked about the prep work they did.
• My class said the Wilmington video, particularly, and the "Transcription Guidelines" were helpful.
• The Wilmington quizzes helped them gain confidence but they didn’t learn anything new. 
• Doing the "Sample Letter" exercise was really important for most of the students.
• We reviewed in class the "Sample Letter" and discussed some mistakes/inconsistencies that they had, such as not including the header information on the letter and not returning after each line. For those who struggle with detail work, this level of “step by step” instruction was good.

This assignment is courtesy of Heather Fox

Archival Investigation: Transcribing White Hall Documents

1. Read and study the "Transcription Guidelines".
2. Peruse documents that require transcription. Choose ONE document that requires transcription review and work together to complete the transcription. When choosing, find a document that has writing on a full page (versus a line or two on a page). If in doubt, please ask me first. Also, while transcribing, be sure to save your work often.
3. Once you have completed your transcription review, take a screen shot photo of your work.
4. Your group’s Transcribe Archival Investigation Report should be submitted in PDF form to Blackboard and must contain the following items for full credit:

• The title of the document
• The link to the document that enables me to access it
• Your group’s screen print photograph of your completed transcription of the document
• A 2-3 sentence summary of the document that you transcribed, which includes the amount of time that it took the group to transcribe the document
• One paragraph that describes your “meta” observations about this archival research experience, in terms of the scope and purpose of the project as part of our course’s theme and objectives