The way we access manuscripts and understand their 'materiality' is dramatically changing in the 21st century, in ways that are important for historians and for the general public. This course introduces students to the historical significance of manuscripts and their place in today's world (especially, but not exclusively, medieval manuscripts). It considers the different physical forms of early manuscripts across the globe, the current methodologies used to analyse the material features of manuscripts (their structure and scribes), and how we interact with manuscripts today, whether in libraries and archives, through social media, as digital images, or via online editions.

10x two-hour workshops over 10 weeks as scheduled in MyCampus. This is one of the Honours options in History and may not run every year.

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The standard assessments for this course are:

■ Secondary literature review (1500 words) -- 40%

■ Manuscript evaluation portfolio (2500 words) -- 60%

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 assessments, but flexible deadlines 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:

■ Examine, through discussion and written work, the value of manuscripts today for historians and for the general public.

■ Recognise the variety of manuscript forms found across different periods and different parts of the world.

■ Apply technical methodologies to analyse a manuscript's material features.

■ Engage with and evaluate the scholarly field of manuscript studies and its recent development.

■ Critically evaluate the ways in which manuscripts are presented, both digitally and in print.

■ Undertake independent analysis of a selection of manuscripts, developing skills essential to future independent research projects.

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

■ Describe and contrast different kinds of manuscripts from different times and places.

■ Apply technical methodologies to manuscripts in order to analyse their material features.

■ Evaluate and discuss aspects of the scholarly field of manuscript studies.

■ Critically evaluate editions of manuscripts and their texts.

■ Critically evaluate digital representations of manuscripts, especially digital images.