An automatic transcription is a proposed reading. Compare it with the record, especially names, numbers and relationships. Keep the source image and correction history.
The method, step by step
- Before sending to an external tool, examine privacy and use terms. Do not send personal documents without appropriate permission. Work on a copy retaining the full page, reference and context.
- Request a faithful transcription marking uncertainties without completing names or missing words. Separate transcription, translation and summary. Record tool, date and useful settings.
- Check line by line against the image. Compare uncertain letters with the writer’s known words and verify dates, negations, relationships and references. Another identical automatic answer is not independent verification.
- Keep linked initial output, corrected transcription and review notes. Cite the original and disclose assistance. If a decisive reading remains uncertain, suspend the conclusion and seek human review.
Keep a verifiable reading
- Keep an original-spelling transcription separate from analysis. Modernised spelling can aid searches but should not silently replace the record’s wording.
- State your conventions, for example [illegible] for unread text and [uncertain reading: …] for a proposal. These are working conventions; follow the service’s rules when contributing to a catalogue.
- Recheck identity-changing fields first: parents, spouse, place and date. Compare letters across words by the same writer; OCR agreeing with your hypothesis can still be wrong.
- Fictional example: if “Louise” and “Louis” remain possible readings, keep both with the reference and image. Seek another occurrence before assigning parents or merging people.
Record in your research log
- Source image
- tool
- version
- corrected passage
- remaining uncertainty.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use an automatic transcription in my tree?
Use it as a reading aid after checking the image. Verify names, dates, negations and relationships. Retain initial output, corrections and original citation; leave unreadable text uncertain.
Sources & references
- Gallica — Bibliothèque nationale de France ↗ (Resource review date : )
- FamilySearch Research Wiki ↗ (Resource review date : )
- National Archives — Transcription Tips ↗ (Resource review date : )