Prepare an EEBO Transcription

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Introduction

The following document outlines the successive steps, websites, programs, and xml codes used to prepare a diplomatic transcription of a text retrieved from Early English Books Online (EEBO). Additionally, the document provides useful tips, shortcuts, and reminders to help encoders efficiently produce effective and truthful transcriptions.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Search for the title or STC number of the source text in EEBO–TCP. From the results list, select the version which has the full–text view (see red arrow in the left figure below). Once open, select the printable version view (see red arrow in the right figure below). Select all the text (Ctrl+A) and copy (Ctrl+C) it.
  2. Open a blank Libre Office Writer document and select the Paste special function (Ctrl+Shift+V) from the Edit toolbar. Select HTML (HyperText Markup Language) in the dialogue box that appears and press OK. This process should paste the TCP transcription into your document in a way that retains its HTML formatting.
  3. Record information about which copy you are transcribing. Sometimes more than one copy has been filmed. Every early modern book is unique, which means we need to be clear about the documentary witness that we are transcribing in our diplomatic transcription.
  4. Save document using MoEML xml:id: for example, METR1.odt for Metropolis Coronata. The encoded file will be named using the same MoEML xml:id: for example, METR1.xml. (Tip! Be sure to check the MoEML website for existing xml:ids before assigning a new one.)
  5. The next step is to transform special characters (curly apostrophes, en dash, em dash, long ſ, etc.) by using the Global Find & Replace (Ctrl + H) operation.
    1. Using the Ctrl + H operation, find all straight apostrophes and replace with curly apostrophes (Unicode character: U+2019).
    2. Find each double hyphen (--) and replace with an em dash (—).
    3. Find each single hyphen (-) and replace with an en dash (–).
    4. Find each lower–case short s and replace with lower–case long ſ (Unicode character: U + 017f). For this step, it is vital that you tick the Match case box before you begin, because this operation is case sensitive! Do NOT find and replace the upper–case letter S!
      • Find each long ſ before a space and replace with a short s before a space.
      • Find each long ſ before a period and replace with a short s before a period.
      • Find each long ſ before a comma and replace with a short s before a comma.
      • Find each long ſ before a semi-colon and replace with a short s before a semi-colon.
      • Find each long ſ before a colon and replace with a short s before a colon.
      • Find each long ſ before a question mark and replace with a short s before a question mark.
      • Find each long ſ before an apostrophe and replace with a short s before an apostrophe.
      • Find each long ſ before a right parenthesis and replace with a short s before a right parenthesis.
    5. Find each pipe character (|) before an en dash (–) and replace with a self-closing <lb> element after an en dash. For example,
      –<lb/>
    6. Find each remaining pipe character (|) and replace with a self-closing <lb> element with a @type value of "hyphenInWord". For example,
      <lb type="hyphenInWord"/>
  6. Find all italicized text (leave the Find what field blank but select Format>Font>Font Style>Italic) and replace with blue italicized text (leave the Replace with field blank but select Format>Font>Font Style>Italic>Font Color>Light Blue), so that the encoder will be able see at a glance which portions of text should be italicized.
  7. Use the facsimile view of the EEBO–TCP text as a reference and add in all page breaks using a self-closing page break tag (<pb>). This will alert the encoder to the page breaks and remind them to add the forme-works (catch words, signatures, running titles, etc.).
  8. Proofread the entire prepared text:
    1. Correct any long ſ errors introduced by your Find & Replace transformation.
    2. Correct any errors in EEBO–TCP’s transcription.
    3. Check punctuation carefully by comparing your prepared text to the facsimile image of the EEBO text. (Usually, punctuation is NOT italicized after italicized text. So you should change each piece of punctuation to normal text, unless it is clearly italicized.)
    4. Infer and supply gaps in the transcription if you can (but don’t make it up if you can’t). If you make an inference, give the encoder the necessary information so they can encode your transcription responsibility in a note. Put the supplied text in [square brackets]. Identify who supplied the missing text. If you supply the missing transcription, provide your name. If you obtained the supplied text from another edition of the text, provide details of the edition and name of the editor. Provide the reason that the text needed to be supplied. (e.g., [i] supplied by Janelle Jenstad because there was a gap in inking).

Cite this page

MLA citation

Jenstad, Janelle, and Kim McLean-Fiander. Prepare an EEBO Transcription. The Map of Early Modern London, edited by Janelle Jenstad, U of Victoria, 20 Jun. 2018, mapoflondon.uvic.ca/prepare_transcription.htm.

Chicago citation

Jenstad, Janelle, and Kim McLean-Fiander. Prepare an EEBO Transcription. The Map of Early Modern London. Ed. Janelle Jenstad. Victoria: University of Victoria. Accessed June 20, 2018. http://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/prepare_transcription.htm.

APA citation

Jenstad, J., & McLean-Fiander, K. 2018. Prepare an EEBO Transcription. In J. Jenstad (Ed), The Map of Early Modern London. Victoria: University of Victoria. Retrieved from http://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/prepare_transcription.htm.

RIS file (for RefMan, EndNote etc.)

Provider: University of Victoria
Database: The Map of Early Modern London
Content: text/plain; charset="utf-8"

TY  - ELEC
A1  - Jenstad, Janelle
A1  - McLean-Fiander, Kim
ED  - Jenstad, Janelle
T1  - Prepare an EEBO Transcription
T2  - The Map of Early Modern London
PY  - 2018
DA  - 2018/06/20
CY  - Victoria
PB  - University of Victoria
LA  - English
UR  - http://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/prepare_transcription.htm
UR  - http://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/xml/standalone/prepare_transcription.xml
ER  -

RefWorks

RT Web Page
SR Electronic(1)
A1 Jenstad, Janelle
A1 McLean-Fiander, Kim
A6 Jenstad, Janelle
T1 Prepare an EEBO Transcription
T2 The Map of Early Modern London
WP 2018
FD 2018/06/20
RD 2018/06/20
PP Victoria
PB University of Victoria
LA English
OL English
LK http://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/prepare_transcription.htm

TEI citation

<bibl type="mla"><author><name ref="#JENS1"><surname>Jenstad</surname>, <forename>Janelle</forename></name></author>, and <author><name ref="#MCFI1"><forename>Kim</forename> <surname>McLean-Fiander</surname></name></author>. <title level="a">Prepare an EEBO Transcription</title>. <title level="m">The Map of Early Modern London</title>, edited by <editor><name ref="#JENS1"><forename>Janelle</forename> <surname>Jenstad</surname></name></editor>, <publisher>U of Victoria</publisher>, <date when="2018-06-20">20 Jun. 2018</date>, <ref target="http://mapoflondon.uvic.ca/prepare_transcription.htm">mapoflondon.uvic.ca/prepare_transcription.htm</ref>.</bibl>

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