Digital and material manuscript studies intersect through a new “transmediation” theory that maps hypertext features onto traditional manuscript cues, highlighting the need for a hypertext genre that balances collaborative curation with coherent public narratives.
The consolidated approaches on manuscript studies involving the analysis of material artefacts are challenged
The mapping between digital and material artefacts outlines a theory of manuscript "transmediations" identifying where and how manuscripts cues are reflected in digital technologies
We elaborate the requirements of a hypertext "genre" for digital manuscripts that supports reconciling the open-ended collaborative process of curation with the need for a coherent narrative addressed to the broader public
Digital and material manuscript studies intersect through a new “transmediation” theory that maps hypertext features onto traditional manuscript cues, highlighting the need for a hypertext genre that balances collaborative curation with coherent public narratives.
Digital authoring and web authoring have fundamentally altered the traces available for studying creative and editorial work, challenging traditional manuscript‑analysis approaches.
Parallels exist between material manuscript cues and hypertext features, enabling a transmediation framework that links the two media.
Significant challenges remain for scholarly editions of digital manuscripts, especially in reconciling open‑ended collaboration with narrative coherence.
The mapping between digital and material artefacts outlines a theory of manuscript "transmediations" identifying where and how manuscripts cues are reflected in digital technologies
We elaborate the requirements of a hypertext "genre" for digital manuscripts that supports reconciling the open-ended collaborative process of curation with the need for a coherent narrative addressed to the broader public
To define the requirements of a hypertext “genre” that can support collaborative curation while delivering a coherent narrative.
The study employs case‑study analysis of digital transitions and leverages emerging digital‑forensic and “virtual desk” methodologies to trace creative and editorial processes across media.
A provisional theory of manuscript transmediations is presented, demonstrating how specific manuscript cues (e.g., marginalia, sequencing) are manifested in hypertext structures and digital platforms.
The study also outlines a set of genre requirements for hypertext manuscripts that balance collaborative editing with public‑facing storytelling.
Manuscript studies must expand beyond material artefacts to include native‑digital forms; the transmediation framework offers a viable path for integrating hypertext features while preserving scholarly rigor.
The nature and relational dynamics of native‑digital manuscripts remain only partially explored, and the emerging digital‑forensic methods have not yet been fully validated within manuscript scholarship.
Further research should deepen the investigation of native‑digital manuscript ecosystems, refine digital‑forensic tools, and test the transmediation theory across diverse case studies and scholarly edition projects.
The proposed hypertext genre guidelines can inform the design of digital scholarly editions, digital curation platforms, and collaborative authoring tools that require both open‑ended contribution and a cohesive narrative for public audiences.
material artefacts outlines a theory of manuscript "transmediations
how manuscripts cues are reflected in digital technologies
This theory is developed through case studies and analyses of digital transitions