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

INFOSTUD5034

None

Exam (1 hour duration) - 100%

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.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.