Maybe I am one of the co-ordinators who hit new transcribers with masses of guidance , 'too much too soon', but I try to break it down into steps in separate emails, after an introduction to the processes. - downloading WinBMD downloading the scan and setting up header details transcribing verifying and uploading - I also try to persuade new transcribers to send me their first transcription to check after doing about 50 lines or half a column ( post1900 scans). This means that most systematic errors and misunderstandings can be identified and dealt with early on, before a whole page of effort has been expended on first approximations to district names or incorrect use of Uncertain Character Format. Focussed explanation can then be given about how to avoid misreading 5s as 3s, or 3s as 9s, or 'S' as 'N' or whatever is proving a problem for the transcriber. I can also check the header details are right for the scan. I also ask to see the first completed transcription before uploading, and verify it myself, providing feedback on where my reading varies from the volunteer's. This is also a stage where the intelligent use of secondary sources like page ranges, or occurrence of surnames in online sources can be introduced. Certainly I have had impulsive new volunteers who have raced ahead without reading the information given, but I hope I have used the experience to refine the induction material and process so that more recent volunteers have been less inclined to do so. If any co-ordinator would like copies of my standard starting-up emails to take anything useful for their own use, or to suggest improvements, just ask. Jeff --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.734 / Virus Database: 488 - Release Date: 04/08/2004

Jeff and all, Your process seems an almost exact replica of my own although I always require new people transcribe a practise page (always the same one) and send it to me for comment, it makes it a little easier because by now I know the page backwards. I would be interested in seeing a copy of your instructions so that I might possibly improve my own. On the idea of a demo of the software. I did once start to create one similar to that of SpeedBMD, albeit a simple text walkthrough, but after about two weeks I gave up as there was simply too much that I was trying to cover - it is VERY difficult to know where to stop! There are a number of packages available which could be used to create a walkthrough and given such a package plus the input of people as to what it should cover I could create such a demo. There are of course a number of caveats - (1) the resultant demo tends to be quite large (possibly 5+Mb) and this would need to be downloaded by everyone. WinBMD is stored on a transcriber's website for which they are paying and I would not wish to extend bandwidth demands any further and we would therefore need to find and pay for an alternative site. (2) We'd have to buy the package to create the demo and that would of course depend on FreeBMD funding. (3) Not every syndicate works in the same way (unfortunately) a! nd this would either require different demos or a single demo that tried to explain all the differences (which I don't like the thought of). I'm still willing to try though, when I have enough spare time - right now I can't even get the new WinBMD helpfile updated! There are a few pages at the start of the WinBMD helpfile which were intended as in introduction - I'm not sure how many people have seen them? If someone would like to extend/amend those then I would be happy to include them in the next version. Regards Ian ----- Original Message ----- From: Jeff Coleman To: [email protected] Sent: Friday, August 06, 2004 12:38 PM Subject: Fw: A "demo" of our software? Maybe I am one of the co-ordinators who hit new transcribers with masses of guidance , 'too much too soon', but I try to break it down into steps in separate emails, after an introduction to the processes. - downloading WinBMD downloading the scan and setting up header details transcribing verifying and uploading - I also try to persuade new transcribers to send me their first transcription to check after doing about 50 lines or half a column ( post1900 scans). This means that most systematic errors and misunderstandings can be identified and dealt with early on, before a whole page of effort has been expended on first approximations to district names or incorrect use of Uncertain Character Format. Focussed explanation can then be given about how to avoid misreading 5s as 3s, or 3s as 9s, or 'S' as 'N' or whatever is proving a problem for the transcriber. I can also check the header details are right for the scan. I also ask to see the first completed transcription before uploading, and verify it myself, providing feedback on where my reading varies from the volunteer's. This is also a stage where the intelligent use of secondary sources like page ranges, or occurrence of surnames in online sources can be introduced. Certainly I have had impulsive new volunteers who have raced ahead without reading the information given, but I hope I have used the experience to refine the induction material and process so that more recent volunteers have been less inclined to do so. If any co-ordinator would like copies of my standard starting-up emails to take anything useful for their own use, or to suggest improvements, just ask. Jeff --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.734 / Virus Database: 488 - Release Date: 04/08/2004