FAQ
Where should I start?
We have organized Harper's writings across a variety of genres. Select a button on the home page to explore each genre, as seen from the list below. To return to the home page, simply click on "Transcribe Harper" in the top left hand corner.
- Poetry
- Essays and speeches
- Letters
- Fiction
- Family Writings: newspaper articles by Harper’s cousin, William J. Watkins Jr.
- Miscellaneous
- Essays by Frances Smith Foster
What if I transcribe something wrong?
That's okay! We are most interested in what you see on the page. Other users will also be transcribing the same documents that you are, so we will be able to compare and contrast different attempts at transcriptions to come up with the most accurate results possible. For handwritten manuscripts, there are also buttons you can use during the transcription to indicate if a section of text is unclear.
Where can I go to receive help?
Each activity has a tutorial or instructions under "Need Some Help?". If you still have questions, we invite you to open a new tab and go to our Talk message boards. We will have subject experts on Harper available to answer any questions all day. We thank you for your patience as our subject experts move as quickly as possible to address all questions.
I don't feel like I can accurately transcribe this document because of time or visibility, what are my options?
That's okay! You have two options in this situation. You can either refresh your browser to receive a new document or you can choose another activity back on the home page. If you refresh the page, anything that you did transcribe will not be saved and there's no guarantee that the new document will be related to the one you were just transcribing, since it is a random selection. We hope this gives you the freedom to choose the documents that you feel most comfortable with and believe that you can fully and accurately transcribe!
Is there a 'save draft' feature, or do we need to transcribe the entire document in one sitting?
Unfortunately, there is no 'save draft' feature. To finish a document, you must transcribe it in one sitting (or choose another document). There are ways that you can return to a document that you are interested in! If you click the heart symbol under the document window in the workflow, you can save the document for later for your own enjoyment or to discuss it on our talk boards!
Can I transcribe an entire text, rather than just one page?
Because Zooniverse chooses the documents randomly based on if they still need transcribing or not, we cannot guarantee that you will be able to transcribe an entire text of Harper's work. We love that you want to transcribe an entire text!