User Stories

This project is being created with a number of possible users in mind:

• a) the genealogist: I have extensive experience of using older documents and parsing old hand writing, and I love a challenge. Some of the materials are very similar to wills and other family documents I've worked on before, but others, such as the almanacs and miscellanies are different and interesting. I choose documents that are most likely to have interesting family history and local history mentions, but I have wide ranging interests and like to contribute to research. It's important to me that my work is acknowledged, but also that the results will be free to use by other people. I like to print/pdf my transcriptions when I'm done. I tend to do as much as I can on a single page, and then almost always go to Talk where I can ask questions and help answer them.

• b) The undergraduate: 1) The 'I'm here to complete an assignment' undergrad: My professor told me to complete a page of transcription. I hunted for something short and sweet and tried not to spend too long on it because it doesn't count towards my final grade. It's interesting, I guess. I don't use Talk. 2) The swat: I've been asked to do a page, but I love the project, so I do ten. It's hard work, but I feel like I'm learning a lot. I use the crib sheet, always use the pdf function, and ask a lot of questions on Talk. I'm keen to start using real manuscripts and consider pursuing this sort of thing at the graduate level.

• c) the graduate: I @vvh identify with this group the most, so I'll start here. I envision a graduate who has not had a great deal of exposure to manuscripts or paleography, but they know that they'll have to get to grips with paleography in order to delve deeply into primary sources. I come to this site prepared to transcribe anything, but I secretly hope for something that isn't too hard. I browse through the different genres, find something that looks inviting, like family letters, and I make a first attempt. I find some words that are easy enough to transcribe, and some that I can read because of my exposure to early modern language through printed modern editions. I use the crib sheet function to build up a reference base, and I frequently save pdfs of my work. I use Talk to discuss difficulties and discoveries with other volunteers and experts, but I also enjoy working alone. I eagerly read new blog posts and follow the work of the Folger on Collate.

• d) instructors/profs at the undergraduate and graduate levels: I teach at a small/mid-sized institution that does not own any manuscripts and I am conscious that my students probably won't get to use primary materials in the flesh while studying at my institution. To get around this, I assign them N pages a week or for a particular assignment, so that they get accustomed to palaeography and primary sources. I sometimes use Shakespeare's World in my undergraduate teaching just to give students an idea of how much mediation there is between manuscripts that editions they use on their courses. Extra credit for undergraduates who engage in transcription. I sometimes assign my classes to read blog posts that are relevant to our course.

• e) the researcher brushing up on their palaeography skills: I am a bit rusty on secretary hand and I'm heading on a research trip for my sabbatical. I spend half an hour to an hour transcribing a variety of documents and don't interact much with Talk or the social side of SW.

• f) the Zooniverse volunteer who wants to expand their skill set and learn about early modern England and its place in the world: I've never really seen or had the opportunity to transcribe documents like this, but I'm willing to try because it might be interesting. I browse through various genres. Some documents are quite readable and others are totally impenetrable. I find some horoscopes and almanacs to be quite legible though. I try the site and I favorite some things on Talk. I ask questions on the forum and read one or two blog posts. I like the one with the quill and ink and might try that at home. I try any Zooniverse project once, but to keep my interest you'll have to be responsive and I'll need to see that you're using the data for something cool.