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Archive for September, 2011

Progress update, 24 to 30 September 2011

By Tim Causer, on 30 September 2011

Welcome to the Transcribe Bentham progress update for the period 24 to 30 September 2011. While this week was not as busy as the previous fortnight, a significant amount of work has still been done, and we have been able to increase the percentage of completed transcripts.

1,891 manuscripts have now been transcribed, up 25 on last week. Of these, 1,620 transcripts (86%) are complete and locked, up 28 on last week. We are continuing to make progress towards the landmark of having 2,000 manuscripts transcribed, and are on course to reach it in mid-to-late October.

The state of progress for each box of manuscripts is as follows:

  • Box 2: 189 manuscripts transcribed of 532 (36%)
  • Box 27: 229 of 350 (65%)
  • Box 35: 212 of 439 (48%)
  • Box 50: 37 of 92 (40%)
  • Box 51: 35 of 940 (4%)
  • Box 70: 158 of 250 (45%)
  • Box 71: 169 of 665 (25%)
  • Box 72: 113 of 664 (17%)
  • Box 73: 117 of 156 (75%)
  • Box 79: 58 of 199 (29%)
  • Box 95: 44 of 147 (30%)
  • Box 96: 269 of 539 (50%)
  • Box 115: 224 of 307 (73%)
  • Box 139: 37 of 584 (6%)
  • Overall: 36% of the 5,262 manuscripts uploaded to the website have been transcribed thus far.

Thanks once again to all those who have given their time and effort during the last week, it is – as always – enormously appreciated.

Progress update, 17-23 September 2011

By Tim Causer, on 23 September 2011

Welcome to the Transcribe Bentham progress update for the period 17 to 23 September 2011, which has proven even busier than last week. In fact, this week was the most active since 9 to 15 April earlier this year, and new and existing volunteers alike are making great inroads into the collection.

1,866 manuscripts have now been transcribed – up a remarkable 55 on last week! Of these, 1,592 are now complete and locked.

The state of progress for each box of manuscripts is as follows:

  • Box 2: 189 manuscripts transcribed of 532 (36%)
  • Box 27: 226 of 350 (65%)
  • Box 35: 210 of 439 (48%)
  • Box 50: 37 of 92 (40%)
  • Box 51: 35 of 940 (4%)
  • Box 70: 158 of 250 (45%)
  • Box 71: 164 of 665 (25%)
  • Box 72: 109 of 664 (16%)
  • Box 73: 117 of 156 (75%)
  • Box 79: 56 of 199 (28%)
  • Box 95: 44 of 147 (30%)
  • Box 96: 262 of 539 (49%)
  • Box 115: 224 of 307 (73%)
  • Box 139: 35 of 584 (6%)
  • Overall: 35% of the 5,262 manuscripts uploaded to the website have been transcribed thus far.

Box 71 alone had 24 of its manuscripts transcribed by volunteers this week, and at this rate we will hit the next landmark – the 2,000th transcribed manuscript – by mid-October. Congratulations to volunteer Diane Folan on transcribing her 800th manuscript – quite a landmark in itself, and tremendous work.

Some interesting discoveries have been made recently by volunteers, including Bentham recalling setting fire to earwigs during his childhood, his proposal to punish those guilty of ‘Forcible and Malicious Mischief’ by having the offender tied and gagged ‘and a monkey fastened about his neck‘, and Bentham’s coining of the term ‘Philotoadery‘.

You may also be interested to read Jeremy’s thoughts on the Ars Electronica festival at his blog.

Thanks once again to all who have so generously given their time and effort during the last week, and for their contributions in Transcribe Bentham‘s ongoing success.

Progress update, 10 to 16 September 2011

By Tim Causer, on 16 September 2011

Welcome to the Transcribe Bentham progress update for the period 10 to 16 September 2011, in what has proven to the busiest period since early August. We would like to warmly welcome to the project a number of volunteers who have begun transcribing following the publication of an article in the Sunday Times on academic crowdsourcing, which featured Transcribe Bentham.  You can read the article here, though it is behind the Times paywall.

1,811 manuscripts have now been transcribed, up 43 on this time last week.  Of these, 1,542 (85%) are now complete and locked; thus, we have achieved another landmark, having been able to lock our 1,500th transcript!

This breaks down as follows:

  • Box 2: 184 manuscripts transcribed of 532 (35%)
  • Box 27: 224 of 350 (64%)
  • Box 35: 206 of 439 (47%)
  • Box 50: 35 of 92 (38%)
  • Box 51: 31 of 940 (3%)
  • Box 70: 157 of 250 (45%)
  • Box 71: 140 of 665 (22%)
  • Box 72: 107 of 664 (16%)
  • Box 73: 117 of 156 (75%)
  • Box 79: 48 of 199 (24%)
  • Box 95: 44 of 147 (30%)
  • Box 96: 259 of 539 (48%)
  • Box 115: 224 of 307 (73%)
  • Box 139: 35 of 584 (6%)
  • Overall: 34% of the 5,262 manuscripts uploaded to the website have been transcribed thus far.

Eagle-eyed volunteers will notice that manuscripts from Box 139 are currently being locked; a member of staff at the Bentham Project has just completed their transcription for a forthcoming Collected Works volume of Bentham’s writings on religion, so rather than doubling up on this work, we will close off these manuscripts.

Box 71 saw the most activity this week, and Boxes 73 and 115 edge ever-closer to completion.

Thanks, as ever, to all those who have given their time and effort so generously this week, and for their contributions to Transcribe Bentham’s ongoing success.

Progress update, 3-9 September 2011

By Tim Causer, on 9 September 2011

Welcome to the Transcribe Bentham progress update for the period 3 to 9 September.

1,768 manuscripts have now been transcribed, an increase of 22 on last week, and 1,498 (85%) of the transcripts are complete and locked.

The state of play for each box of material is as follows:

  • Box 2: 184 manuscripts transcribed of 532 (35%)
  • Box 27: 221 of 350 (63%)
  • Box 35: 206 of 439 (47%)
  • Box 50: 33 of 92 (36%)
  • Box 51: 25 of 940 (3%)
  • Box 70: 157 of 250 (45%)
  • Box 71: 124 of 665 (19%)
  • Box 72: 104 of 664 (16%)
  • Box 73: 117 of 156 (75%)
  • Box 79: 38 of 199 (19%)
  • Box 95: 44 of 147 (30%)
  • Box 96: 258 of 539 (48%)
  • Box 115: 224 of 307 (73%)
  • Box 139: 33 of 584 (6%)
  • Overall: 34% of the 5,262 manuscripts uploaded to the website have been transcribed thus far.

Boxes 27 and 71 saw the most activity this week. We are very close to achieving the next landmark: having 1,500 transcripts locked and complete. Although a little further in the distance, we are edging ever closer to our having 2,000 manuscripts transcribed.

Thanks, as ever, to all those who have generously given their time and effort during the past week and contributing to Transcribe Bentham’s ongoing success.

Progress update, 27 August – 2 September 2011, and Happy Birthday TB!

By Tim Causer, on 7 September 2011

Welcome to the progress update for 27 August to 2 September, again slightly delayed due to attendance at the Ars Electronica festival in Linz (which you can read about in previous blog posts).

1,746 manuscripts have now been transcribed, up 33 on the previous week, and making this the busiest period since the first week of August. 1,475 (84%) of these transcripts are now complete and locked.

The state of play for each box of material is as follows:

  • Box 2: 184 manuscripts transcribed of 532 (35%)
  • Box 27: 214 of 350 (61%)
  • Box 35: 203 of 439 (46%)
  • Box 50: 33 of 92 (36%)
  • Box 51: 24 of 940 (3%)
  • Box 70: 157 of 250 (45%)
  • Box 71: 114 of 665 (17%)
  • Box 72: 104 of 664 (16%)
  • Box 73: 115 of 156 (74%)
  • Box 79: 38 of 199 (19%)
  • Box 95: 44 of 147 (30%)
  • Box 96: 258 of 539 (48%)
  • Box 115: 225 of 307 (73%)
  • Box 139: 33 of 584 (6%)
  • Overall: 1,746 of the 5,262 (33%) manuscripts uploaded to the website have been transcribed thus far.

Boxes 73 and 115 are sneaking ever closer towards completion

It’s a happy coincidence that the update is issued today, as 12 months ago to the day the Transcription Desk was launched to the public to begin crowdsourcing Bentham’s manuscripts. During that time we’ve seen a great deal of publicity around the project, given a number of talks, made significant headway into the material, and rounded off the year with international recognition.

But we’re not about to sit back and congratulate ourselves on a job well done. There is still plenty to be done, and work continues on achieving our long-term goal of creating a searchable digital Bentham repository,  facilitating the publication of volumes of the Collected Works of Jeremy Bentham, and engaging students, researchers, and the public with this vast and remarkable collection. Thanks to one and all who have contributed during the past twelve months.

Here’s to the next year, and beyond!