Tips for Reading Handwritten and/or Cursive Documents
1. Start by filling out what you can make out. Then use context around the words to brainstorm what the word could be.
2. Compare letters in words that you can decipher to ones you are trying to figure out.
3. Enlarge the document or take a photo and zoom in.
4. Write out an alphabet using words you can decipher.
5. Google phrases that you can decipher to determine legalize.
Transcription Tips from the National Archives
https://www.archives.gov/citizen-archivist/transcribe/tips
Guide on Transcribing Documents from National Archives
https://www.archives.gov/files/citizen-archivist/transcribe/images/how-to-transcribe-booklet.pdf
Reading Cursive Handwriting Video, Reading and Understanding Primary Sources from UNC Wilmington
https://libguides.uncw.edu/primary_sources/handwriting
Tips for Reading Old Handwriting from Ancestry.com
https://support.ancestry.com/s/article/Tips-for-Reading-Old-Handwriting?language=en_US
Tips for Reading Handwritten Documents from State Archives of North Carolina
https://archives.ncdcr.gov/tips-reading-handwritten-documents-nsw-state-archives/open
Deciphering Handwriting from Queensland State Archives
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GO_KxxzacQ
Deciphering Hand Written Letters from State Archives of North Carolina
https://archives.ncdcr.gov/transcribenc-handwriting-guide/open
9 Tips for Reading Old Handwriting from the International African American Museum
https://iaamuseum.org/center-for-family-history/blog/9-tips-for-reading-old-handwriting/
Letter Examples from FamilySearch
https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/im-having-trouble-reading-handwriting-on-records
Reading Civilian Records Related to Slavery from National Archives
https://www.archives.gov/research/african-americans/slavery-records-civil.html