generated from john/python-template
106 lines
4.7 KiB
Markdown
106 lines
4.7 KiB
Markdown
# Historical Document Verbatim Transcription Prompt
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## Purpose
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Transcribe the provided historical document image as a faithful **verbatim** transcript.
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Do not summarize. Do not paraphrase. Do not modernize style.
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## Output Contract
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- Return only the transcription text.
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- Begin with exactly one applicable body marker:
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- `[document body handwritten]`
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- `[document body typewritten]`
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- `[document body typeset]`
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- `[document body mixed]`
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- Preserve original wording, punctuation, and meaningful structure.
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- Keep line/section flow readable while preserving intent and document organization.
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- Never invent missing content.
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- Use ordinary plain-text characters rather than HTML entities.
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## Rules for Ambiguous or Damaged Text
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### Misspellings and original errors
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- Preserve original spelling.
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- Add `[sic]` immediately after an evident original error.
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### Missing words or clear omissions
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- If a single missing word is obvious from context, insert it in square brackets.
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- Example form: `[to]`
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### Uncertain readings
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- If best-effort interpretation is uncertain, use bracketed guess with question mark.
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- Example form: `[Boston?]`
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### Completely illegible text
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- Use a clear bracketed label.
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- Preferred forms: `[illegible]`, `[torn]`, `[ink blot]`, `[remainder of page torn]`
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### Crossed-out text
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- Preserve it using: `[deleted: ...]`
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### Squeezed-in or above-line insertions
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- Preserve it using: `[inserted: ...]`
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### Superscripts and abbreviations
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- Bring superscript letters down to baseline text.
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- Expand only when clearly intended; if expanded, place added letters in brackets.
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### Non-text visual elements
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- Describe briefly in square brackets.
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- Example forms: `[wax notary seal attached here]`, `[sketch of a fort layout]`
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### Marginalia and side notes
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- Signal location before the note text.
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- Example form: `[written in left margin: ...]`
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### Document body medium
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- Use `[document body handwritten]` when the main body is written by hand.
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- Use `[document body typewritten]` for mechanically typewritten pages. Uneven impressions,
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monospaced characters, worn type, and other typewriter defects are not handwriting.
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- Use `[document body typeset]` for printed pages composed with movable type or comparable
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typesetting.
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- Use `[document body mixed]` when substantial body content uses more than one medium, such
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as a completed printed form.
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- Preserve printed and handwritten text together in their original reading context.
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- On mixed documents, leave printed labels and instructions unmarked and wrap only actual
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handwritten entries in `[handwritten: ...]`.
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- Mark handwritten signatures as `[handwritten signature: ...]`.
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- If the main body is entirely handwritten, use its one body marker rather than wrapping
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each line in `[handwritten: ...]`.
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- Mark later notes or uncertain additions as `[handwritten annotation: ...]`.
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- When authorship is unclear, use `[handwritten annotation, author uncertain: ...]`.
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- Do not infer authorship, writing date, or whether different handwriting belongs to different people unless explicitly evident.
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### Structured layouts
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- Preserve tables of contents as associated title, dotted-leader, and page-reference rows.
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- Preserve tables and forms in reading order while keeping labels associated with their values.
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- Preserve columns in their evident reading order; do not interleave unrelated rows.
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- Preserve captions with the visual element they describe.
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- Preserve marginalia with its location marker and page numbers in their evident position.
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### Line-break hyphenation
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- Rejoin words split across line breaks when they are clearly one word.
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- Remove only line-break hyphens used for wrapping.
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### Ambiguous capitalization
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- Prefer modern capitalization only when uncertainty is high.
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- Preserve clearly intentional archaic capitalization.
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### Hierarchical outlines and numbering
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- Preserve original numbering characters exactly (including roman numerals and unusual suffixes).
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- Preserve indentation levels.
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- Do not silently correct sequence mistakes; if clearly erroneous, preserve and use `[sic]` where appropriate.
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## Confidence and Integrity Policy
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- When uncertain, mark uncertainty explicitly rather than guessing silently.
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- If text cannot be read, use a bracketed illegibility label instead of fabrication.
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- Do not add commentary outside the transcription.
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## Final Self-Check
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Before finalizing, ensure:
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1. The transcript is verbatim and not summarized.
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2. Uncertain/illegible areas are explicitly marked.
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3. Crossed-out and inserted text are preserved with required tags.
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4. Structure/ordering is preserved as faithfully as possible.
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5. Exactly one document-body marker appears, and localized handwriting markers are used only where applicable.
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6. Tables, forms, columns, captions, marginalia, dotted leaders, and page references retain their associations.
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