AI-Powered Transcription of Handwritten Documents: Tools and Techniques
Explore the latest AI tools for transcribing handwritten documents—an essential skill for genealogists and historical researchers. Learn industry-standard transcription techniques that preserve the original text's integrity. Dive into powerful platforms like Transkribus, ChatGPT, and Claude. Use Transkribus to turn extensive document files, like military pension applications from the National Archives, into searchable documents. Find relevant evidence through automatic transcription, saving countless hours of manual work. Get practical tips for using large language models (LLMs) to improve transcription accuracy, including effective prompting techniques. Learn how to correct minor errors in automatically generated transcriptions using tools like ChatGPT and Claude. Gain the skills to leverage AI for efficient and accurate transcriptions, significantly boosting your research capabilities for personal and client projects.
Syllabus for AI-Powered Transcription of Handwritten Documents
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Deciphering Old Handwriting
While we might wish all our ancestors’ records were typed in a standard format and perfectly legible, that simply isn’t the case. Many of the records family historians turn to are handwritten and may be faded, use archaic terminology, unfamiliar abbreviations, or are just plain illegible. This online lecture will provide practical strategies for approaching handwritten documents, understanding and deciphering hard-to-read handwriting from different time periods, so that you can make the most of these important resources in your family history research.