Source Page Review by Subject: Manuscripts/Documents

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For an overview of reviewing source pages, see Source Page Review Guide.

Subject: Manuscripts/Documents

Level of Complexity = Low to Medium

The most important thing to understand about the Manuscripts/Documents subject group is that these terms mean something specific at WeRelate. The Manuscripts/Documents subject, for WeRelate purposes, is used for collections of materials (often in multiple formats); it does not refer to a single unpublished manuscript or typescript document.

  • At WeRelate, a single manuscript or typescript document (i.e. an unpublished document) is treated as if it had been published, so it generally a "book" in the Type field, and should have a Subject appropriate to its content. An archival collection of materials (generally from one person or source and possibly in a variety of formats such as photographs, newsclippings, charts, manuscript, etc.) is generally called "miscellaneous" in the Type field, and may be categorized as Manuscripts/Documents in the Subject field. Shorthand for this:
Source Content Source Type Field Source Subject Field
Single manuscript Book variable
Collection of material Miscellaneous Manuscripts/Documents


There are possible exceptions to this general guideline that haven't been fully discussed by the wiki. For example, a collection of diaries would generally use the Subject: Manuscripts/Documents. Should a single journal in its unpublished original form be Subject: Biography or Subject: Manuscripts/Documents?

Other items to consider in reviewing sources with the Subject:Manuscripts/Documents:

  • It is always useful to add the repository of the collection itself (not just an FHL microfilm). Often archival collections are held at historical societies and major libraries, and it is useful for other users to know where these may be found.
  • There is often not a publication date or publisher for a collection. When possible, I use the cataloging info from the original repository to populate the standard WeRelate publication fields. In some cases, it may be appropriate to use the publication information from the FHL microfilming. In other cases, the dates of the material, or the location where the material was created may be the best representative of the publication info.
This question may well require further discussion by the wiki.
  • Keep in mind that sources where the appropriate subject is Manuscripts/Documents are pretty rare overall; use your best judgement to describe and provide publication info for these sources.
  • Category designation (in the text field) should include Category:Manuscripts. Other categories would depend upon the contents of the collection.

Manuscripts/Documents Source Examples

  • Source:Our Documents - This is an example of a website that is the vehicle for a compilation of a number of historically significant documents in U.S. history.

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