Documentary Edition Defined

What is a Documentary Edition?

“It is accessible documents and documentary editions that provide the essential evidence that enables historians to tell the story of our nation’s history. Editions and archival collections have also provided the resources for the creation of a vast number of authentic tools for educators at all levels.” The National Coalition for History

“A documentary edition first and foremost creates the most authoritative transcription of a text, or collection of texts, as possible. . .Secondarily a documentary edition provides context and materials to help the reader understand the text. The kinds of meanings, understandings, and modes of analysis used in this process may differ between fields.” Holly Cowan Shulman, Editor, The Dolley Madison Digital Edition

“Documentary editions are carefully selected, edited, and usually annotated collections of primary source material.” They are collections of “documents relating to a given author or subject in one place and . . .[are] easily available for reference and research.”
American Historical Association

“The editor’s responsibility extends considerably beyond literal transcriptions of the manuscript before him . . . . The modern editor [strives] to present as full a record as possible.”
Lymon Butterfield, editor, Adams Family Papers, 1945-1975


	What is a Documentary Edition? “It is accessible documents and documentary editions that provide the essential evidence that enables historians to tell the story of our nation’s history. Editions and archival collections have also provided the resources for the creation of a vast number of authentic tools for educators at all levels.” The National Coalition for History “A documentary edition first and foremost creates the most authoritative transcription of a text, or collection of texts, as possible. . .Secondarily a documentary edition provides context and materials to help the reader understand the text. The kinds of meanings, understandings, and modes of analysis used in this process may differ between fields.” Holly Cowan Shulman, Editor, The Dolley Madison Digital Edition “Documentary editions are carefully selected, edited, and usually annotated collections of primary source material.” They are collections of “documents relating to a given author or subject in one place and . . .[are] easily available for reference and research.” American Historical Association “The editor’s responsibility extends considerably beyond literal transcriptions of the manuscript before him . . . . The modern editor [strives] to present as full a record as possible.” Lymon Butterfield, editor, Adams Family Papers, 1945-1975