# Transcription How-To **URL:** https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/c/how-to/10.md [Latest](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/latest.md) · [Categories](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/categories.md) · [Tags](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/tags.md) --- ## [About the Transcription How-To category](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/about-the-transcription-how-to-category/29)
**Author:** [@lauren-btp](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/lauren-btp)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [February 17, 2026, 6:59pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/about-the-transcription-how-to-category/29 "2026-02-17T18:59:38Z")
Questions or clarifications about how to transcribe a specific type of page or collection? You’re in the right place! --- ## [O.S.S Acronym on Sheet Music](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/o-s-s-acronym-on-sheet-music/217)
**Author:** [@AngieFromEP](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/AngieFromEP)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [October 21, 2026, 1:15pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/o-s-s-acronym-on-sheet-music/217 "2026-10-21T13:15:50Z")
I have been seeing “O.S.S.” on some sheet music. Sometimes the “O” looks like a “G,” and sometimes one or both of the "S"s look like a “5.” I finally did the research to figure this out. Below is the summary of my conver… --- ## [Lines truncated on printed articles](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/lines-truncated-on-printed-articles/212)
**Author:** [@patprz99](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/patprz99)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [October 13, 2026, 5:58pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/lines-truncated-on-printed-articles/212 "2026-10-13T17:58:26Z")
Just curious how people are handling newspaper or other printed articles with truncated lines. There seem to be quite a few where the edge is cut off, resulting in incomplete words. I’ve seen people end the word just as … --- ## [Beware - AI Improvements to Text](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/beware-ai-improvements-to-text/139)
**Author:** [@Diane\_E](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/Diane_E)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [October 5, 2026, 11:48am UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/beware-ai-improvements-to-text/139 "2026-10-05T11:48:01Z")
When reviewing a typewritten page that has already been transcribed I typically scan it to see that it is complete, that line breaks are accurate, that all deletions, handwritten additions and marginalia are transcribed … --- ## [Indenting text in old newspaper](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/indenting-text-in-old-newspaper/180)
**Author:** [@felhanson](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/felhanson)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2026, 3:55pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/indenting-text-in-old-newspaper/180 "2026-09-28T15:55:24Z")
This seems so basic, but I can’t seem to find any information about it. Should I indent text where it appears? Currently transcribing a newspaper article in the James Garfield papers. Thanks! --- ## [Fingering Notation in Early American Music](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/fingering-notation-in-early-american-music/120)
**Author:** [@AngieFromEP](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/AngieFromEP)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2026, 3:55pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/fingering-notation-in-early-american-music/120 "2026-09-28T15:55:19Z")
I’ve been transcribing the Early American sheet music and am now moving to reviewing. I don’t think people know that they’re supposed to transcribe the penciled-in fingering that appears on many of the pages. I only know… --- ## [Phonetic transcription of number over vowel](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/phonetic-transcription-of-number-over-vowel/170)
**Author:** [@patprz99](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/patprz99)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [September 23, 2026, 5:06pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/phonetic-transcription-of-number-over-vowel/170 "2026-09-23T17:06:06Z")
This vocabulary record in the Schoolcraft collection includes the number 2 or 3 over some vowels in the Indian phonetic translation. Google says this indicates the vowel sound. They have been left off the transcription, … --- ## [Typesetting errors in older documents](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/typesetting-errors-in-older-documents/157)
**Author:** [@userjt4loc\_proj](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/userjt4loc_proj)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [September 10, 2026, 5:08pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/typesetting-errors-in-older-documents/157 "2026-09-10T17:08:45Z")
I have been transcribing some early 18th century Spanish inheritance documents and occasionally see a typesetting error: ‘n’ for ‘u’, or ‘r’ for ‘t’. They’re in words that are constantly so I know exactly how they should … --- ## [Issues with Page Reservations](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/issues-with-page-reservations/140)
**Author:** [@pjspyro](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/pjspyro)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [August 31, 2026, 7:38pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/issues-with-page-reservations/140 "2026-08-31T19:38:41Z")
Hello all! Is anyone having any issues with page reservations and getting the following error while performing a transcription: Unable to reserve this page: error Once this pops up I am unable to save, and have to cop… --- ## [End of page separated words](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/end-of-page-separated-words/127)
**Author:** [@patprz99](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/patprz99)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [August 5, 2026, 4:45pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/end-of-page-separated-words/127 "2026-08-05T16:45:23Z")
The transcription directions state that if a word breaks across two pages to transcribe it in full on the first page. It doesn’t say what to do on the 2nd page. Would you also transcribe the same word in full on the 2nd… --- ## [Square Brackets in text](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/square-brackets-in-text/131)
**Author:** [@patprz99](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/patprz99)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [August 4, 2026, 11:58am UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/square-brackets-in-text/131 "2026-08-04T11:58:26Z")
I have come across different ways of transcribing square brackets in text. I’ve seen some volunteers change the square brackets shown in text to parentheses. I’m assuming that’s because we use square brackets to indicate… --- ## [Thoughts on "if" transcription](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/thoughts-on-if-transcription/118)
**Author:** [@patprz99](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/patprz99)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [July 17, 2026, 12:24pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/thoughts-on-if-transcription/118 "2026-07-17T12:24:35Z")
I worked on a few pages of vocabulary in the Schoolcraft project and have come across something that I’m not sure how to transcribe. The document linked below (and others in this set of translations) seem to show “if” (o… --- ## [Double spacing after period](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/double-spacing-after-period/109)
**Author:** [@sophieerose](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/sophieerose)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [July 9, 2026, 5:00pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/double-spacing-after-period/109 "2026-07-09T17:00:46Z")
Hello all! Are we suppose to include the double space after the period when transcribing news print? On this page I was working on, the first half of the transcription has double spaces, and the second does not. --- ## [Errors in completed transcription](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/errors-in-completed-transcription/106)
**Author:** [@beegerbadger](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/beegerbadger)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 6, 2026, 1:15pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/errors-in-completed-transcription/106 "2026-07-06T13:15:10Z")
Hi all, Sorry if this is a silly question or has already been asked before as I am new here! I came across multiple errors in a completed transcription (#1 in Walt Whitman Papers in the Charles E. Feinberg Collection: … --- ## [Shorthand Notation](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/shorthand-notation/78)
**Author:** [@dvkremk](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/dvkremk)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [June 16, 2026, 3:05pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/shorthand-notation/78 "2026-06-16T15:05:34Z")
I found shorthand in one of the new Teddy Roosevelt pages. Probably added by his secretary. Possibly someone who knows shorthand could transcribe…? By the People mss382990240-1 (Rough Rider to Bull Moose: Letters to T… --- ## [Shorthand notations](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/shorthand-notations/75)
**Author:** [@AnneTeak](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/AnneTeak)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [June 15, 2026, 12:52pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/shorthand-notations/75 "2026-06-15T12:52:21Z")
Theodore Roosevelt Papers: mss382990219-10 Many pages have shorthand notations which no one is transcribing. How to deal with these? --- ## [OCR Transcription](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/ocr-transcription/48)
**Author:** [@AnneTeak](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/AnneTeak)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [June 12, 2026, 7:18pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/ocr-transcription/48 "2026-06-12T19:18:01Z")
Have come across a document that was transcribed with OCR; it’s a mess. Walt Whitman Supplementary File Part 3 Walt Whitman Papers in the Charles E. Feinberg Collection: Supplementary File, 1806-1981; Printed Matt… --- ## [How to transcribe repeated lines marked " or do (ditto)](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/how-to-transcribe-repeated-lines-marked-or-do-ditto/54)
**Author:** [@soverby](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/soverby)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [May 28, 2026, 5:35pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/how-to-transcribe-repeated-lines-marked-or-do-ditto/54 "2026-05-28T17:35:27Z")
Would like clarification about ditto marks and “do” signifier. I have been transcribing these as written, i.e.: " or do Recently I’ve come across a lot of transcriptions that repeat the previous line’s words \[ a… --- ## [When Where How to Tag](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/when-where-how-to-tag/53)
**Author:** [@soverby](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/soverby)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [May 28, 2026, 5:28pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/when-where-how-to-tag/53 "2026-05-28T17:28:26Z")
Question-- When, where, why to tag? I never have been clear about this. –Are tags only for permanent inclusion on the page, such as cross-references to other pages? --Or can tags be used in a temporary capacity-- such… --- ## [Whether to Transcribe "Calando" - Early American Sheet Music](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/whether-to-transcribe-calando-early-american-sheet-music/46)
**Author:** [@windmillsofyourmind](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/u/windmillsofyourmind)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [May 12, 2026, 2:25pm UTC](https://forum.crowd.loc.gov/t/whether-to-transcribe-calando-early-american-sheet-music/46 "2026-05-12T14:25:03Z")
In the Early American Sheet Music campaign, some sheet music use “calando”, which typically instructs the musician to decrease in both volume and tempo. However, this creates confusion as the campaign tips instruct you t…