Course Catalogue

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The module will examine the styles of formal and informal handwriting in use in the British Isles from the early sixteenth century to the period in the early eighteenth century when handwriting becomes sufficiently similar to modern handwriting to be read without great difficulty or special training. Students work from photocopies of documents made (with permission) from the collections of various libraries and archive offices.

2 hours weekly for 5 weeks

Standard entry to Masters at College Level

INFOSTUD5034

None

The standard assessments for this course are:

■ Exam (1 hour duration) - 100%

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:

■ There is no alternative to the exam, but extra time can be offered as reasonable adjustments (students should follow the usual process for extensions)

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.

This course aims to:

■ familiarise students with a variety of different examples, exhibiting different styles, of early modern handwriting

■ provide training in the reading and transcription of early modern handwritten documents;

■ provide training in the analysis of early modern handwritten documents for research and archive administration purposes.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ competence in the reading and transcription of a variety of early modern handwritten documents;

■ competence in analysing and exploiting early modern handwritten documents for the purposes of research.