Editorial Policy
Purpose
Section titled “Purpose”This archive is not trying to silently modernize Steinmetz. It is trying to let readers see what he wrote, understand why it mattered, and then compare it with modern and interpretive frameworks without losing the original language.
The editorial policy defines how source text becomes public research text.
Source Order
Section titled “Source Order”Every mature page should keep this order:
- Raw source or public scan.
- OCR or extracted text.
- Corrected reading text.
- Source-location notes.
- Mathematical, historical, and interpretive explanation.
Commentary should never appear to be the source itself.
Transcription Rules
Section titled “Transcription Rules”| Case | Rule |
|---|---|
| OCR spelling defects | Correct in reviewed reading text only after scan check. Keep the raw OCR available. |
| Historical spelling or terminology | Preserve Steinmetz’s wording. Explain modern equivalents in a separate layer. |
| Line breaks and hyphenation | Normalize for reading only when meaning is unchanged; retain page/line references in metadata. |
| Uncertain readings | Use a visible uncertainty note instead of guessing. Mark the passage as needs verification. |
| Equations | Preserve original notation first, then give modern notation, units, derivation, and worked example. |
| Figures | Original crop comes before modern redraw. Redraws must be labeled as reconstruction. |
| Quotations | Quote only after scan verification when the exact wording matters. OCR quotes remain candidates. |
Review Labels
Section titled “Review Labels”raw: source file or public link exists.ocr: machine text exists and may contain defects.candidate: extracted by script or first-pass reading.source-located: tied to a chapter, page, line, figure, or equation location.scan-verified: checked against an image or trusted edition.canonical: stable public explanation with source citation, math review, and crosslinks.needs-verification: useful, but not safe to cite as final.
Layer Labels
Section titled “Layer Labels”Each interpretive layer should be named plainly:
- Steinmetz explicitly states
- Modern equivalent
- Mathematical reconstruction
- Historical note
- Interpretive reading
- Speculative connection
- Needs verification
Forbidden Moves
Section titled “Forbidden Moves”- Do not turn OCR into a quote without verification.
- Do not blend Steinmetz, Tesla, Wheeler, Dollard, or modern textbook language into one unlabeled voice.
- Do not modernize a term so aggressively that the older conceptual structure disappears.
- Do not make an equation page that omits Steinmetz’s original notation.
- Do not make a diagram page that hides whether the image is original, cleaned, cropped, annotated, or redrawn.
Edition Rule
Section titled “Edition Rule”When multiple editions differ, the archive should record the edition, publication year, page map, figure numbering, and any known equation or terminology changes. A later edition should not silently replace an earlier one.