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

Researching African American Ancestors: Records of Enslaved People from State Library of North Carolina
https://statelibrary.ncdcr.libguides.com/AfricanAmericanGenealogy/enslaved