Once you have reviewed the data table or catalogue and determined which text/s you would like to use for your class, use the exercise template below to add the text/s into the bracketed space. Exmp: [Add in the chosen texts here]

You can either copy and paste the exercise template below or you can download the exercise template in RTF (Rich Text Format) for editing in any Word Processor.

Click Here For the Print Version (Rich Text Format - Generic Format for any Word Processor)

Click Here For the Print Version of the Grading Rubric (Rich Text Format - Generic Format for any Word Processor)



Many, if not most, older works lack modern editions. In order to work with such texts, students need to learn the conventions of older forms of writing, as well as strategies for discerning meaning from texts. This exercise provides an opportunity for students to analyze and interpret older texts, focusing on issues of spelling, vocabulary, and critical apparatus.

As you work through this exercise, please keep the following in mind:

1. You must comply with all of the rules of the Rare Book Room.

Choose one of the following texts:

[Add in the chosen texts here]

2. The Rare Book Room is open from 9:00 until 5:00, Monday through Friday, and Tuesday evenings from 5:00 until 9:00.

 

For the first part of this exercise, you will need to copy a designated passage from a printed text so as to make the passage accessible to a modern reader.

  1. Be sure to copy the passage accurately. (This is not as easy as it sounds).
  2. Certain letter substitutions are common in older texts. Watch for the letter “i” where we would use a “j”, “v” for “u,” a long “s” for an “f,” and so on. Such usage is not always consistent, and in some cases, you many need to rely on context to determine whether a letter is substituted or not. Decide whether or not you want to modernize the spelling.
  3. Punctuation is highly variable in older texts. Watch for the use of colons (where we might use periods), semi-colons (where we might use commas), and so on. Decide whether or not you want to modernize the punctuation.
  4. Capitalization is also highly variable in older texts. In some older works, every noun is capitalized. Look for patterns in the capitalization to determine whether it is being used for emphasis, or not. Decide whether or not you want to retain the capitalization of the original text.
  5. Some texts use italics for emphasis, particularly for significant nouns. Check for patterns in italicization, and decide whether or not you want to retain the original italicization.
  6. Assess the vocabulary of the passage. Are there any words that are unfamiliar to you? Or words that are being used in an unusual sense? If so, check the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), which provides definitions of words from specific periods. (The OED is available through the Mountainlynx Database system). Provide notes on vocabulary that you feel will be useful for a modern reader.
  7. Evaluate the content of the passage. Provide notes on the author, the text, and/or the ideas in the passage that you think will be useful for a modern reader.

Based on your transcription of the text and your notes on the text, you should be able to write a brief (one to two page) essay in which you develop some ideas about transcription and the editing process.

Please keep the following in mind:

  1. State your thesis at the beginning of your essay. Your thesis may focus on the editing process (and your choices), on the needs of modern readers, or on the conventions of older texts. Remember that a thesis is a position statement and that you need to stake a position about this passage in your essay.
  2. The more specific evidence you use in your essay to prove your point, the better.
  3. Your essay should not be a list of responses to the questions 1 through 7 above. The questions are intended to give you some strategies to begin your analysis; they do not provide the structure (or the thesis) for your essay, nor are they intended to limit your analysis.
  4. Each paragraph of your essay should support your thesis statement. Please make sure that there are transitions between paragraphs so that each paragraph leads to the next, and make sure that each paragraph builds upon its predecessor.
  5. Every book reflects a cultural moment. It is your job to make sense of it.
  6. This assignment does not require external research—it requires careful viewing, thinking, and writing.
  7. Be sure to attach your transcription (including the notes for the transcription) to your essay.
Rare Books
editing and transcription exercise

HOME
GETTING STARTED
EDITING & TRANSCRIPTION
: : Exercise Template

: : Data Table
: : Catalogue
: : Gallery
: : Slideshow
ILLUSTRATION
: : Exercise Template
: : Data Table
: : Catalogue
: : Gallery
: : Slideshow
MATERIAL CULTURE
: : Exercise Template
: : Data Table
: : Catalogue
: : Gallery
: : Slideshow
MULTIPLE EDITION
: : Exercise Template
: : Data Table
: : Catalogue
: : Gallery
: : Slideshow

SAMPLE GRADING RUBRIC
SAMPLE FACULTY EXERCISES
KEY TERMS
DEFINING RARENESS
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
: : The Construction of Books
: : Literacy and Reading
: : Publication and Circulation
: : Handwriting
: : Pedagogical Research
EVALUATION FORM
RELATED LINKS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS