'Writing an Introduction to a Scholarly Edition'

'Writing an Introduction to a Scholarly Edition'

With hosts Professor Siobhan Talbott (Keele) and Dr Kelsey Williams (Stirling)

Scholarly editions of primary sources are core resources for historical research, especially for historians working on the medieval or early modern periods and up to to the early twentieth century. Scholarly editions bring historical documents to the contemporary reader and provide specialist interpretation and reference from a volume editor.

Introductions to scholarly editions are a further key element of a successful volume. In this session, we consider what makes for an effective introduction to a primary text and how editors might approach an introductory chapter. Introductions provide readers with guides not just to the text, and the principles of editing, but also the wider historical context in which a text was created, and how its publication furthers our understanding of the subject in question.

'Writing an Introduction to a Scholarly Edition' is the second in an occasional series of informal discussion events, run by the Royal Historical Society for its Fellows and Members, to consider aspects of 'Writing Well' in history.

The Society has previously focused its events on how to undertake research and how to publish the findings of this research. By contrast, we and other organisations, spend relatively little time considering how best to communicate this research in the written form, and the skills required. ‘Writing Well’ seeks to offer an opportunity and forum to do this.

Events in this series will be informal 60-minute sessions, held over a lunchtime to enable as many people as possible to attend. Sessions are hosted by historians with experience of what makes for good and effective writing in a particular publication type or arrangement.

Hosts will lead discussions on good writing practice at which those attending will also be able to share advice, questions and examples of historical writing. Each session will share attendees' questions, recommendations and advice for 'Writing Well'.

Please Note: This event and others in the 'Writing Well' series are reserved for Fellows and Members of the Royal Historical Society.

To enable discussion, places for this event are limited to 50 attendees.

About our hosts for this event

Siobhan Talbott is Professor of Economic and Social History at Keele University. Since 2021, Siobhan has been the co-editor of the Royal Historical Society's Camden Series of scholarly primary editions. A highly experienced series editor, Siobhan's own edited collections include The Letter-Book of Thomas Baret of Norwich: Merchant and Textile Manufacturer, 1672-1677 (2021, Norfolk Record Society). Siobhan's other recent publications include Business News in the Early Modern Atlantic World (2024), co-edited with Sophie Jones.

Dr Kelsey Williams is Associate Professor of Early Modern History at the University of Stirling. A specialist in book history, Kelsey is also editor and publications secretary of the Scottish History Society, one of the UK's oldest publication societies. Kelsey's recent publications include A History and Catalogue of the Lindsay Library, 1570-1792 (with William Zachs) and The First Scottish Enlightenment: Rebels, Priest, and History (2020).

Supporting and Joining the Royal Historical Society

The Royal Historical Society is a learned society with charitable status, working to support historians and history. It receives no government funding and relies on income from membership subscriptions, sales of selected publications and voluntary donations.

If you would like to make a small donation to the Royal History Society, to support this and future events, please visit our Support Us page. Thank you.

If you are interested in joining the Royal Historical Society, please see the Join Us page of our website. The Society welcomes applications from all kinds of historians and those interested in history. Its membership options include Fellowship, Associate Fellowship, Membership and Postgraduate Membership for MA and PhD students.

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