Braille Formats
Principles of Print-to-Braille Transcription, 2011
Developed Under the Sponsorship of the
Braille Authority of North America
Braille Formats
Principles of Print-to-Braille Transcription, 2011
Developed Under the Sponsorship of the
Braille Authority of North America
Published by
The Braille Authority of North America
©2012 by The Braille Authority of North America
All rights reserved.
This material may be downloaded and printed, but not altered or sold.
The mission and purpose of the Braille Authority of North America are to assure literacy for tactile readers through the standardization of braille and/or tactile graphics. BANA promotes and facilitates the use, teaching, and production of braille. It publishes rules, interprets, and renders opinions pertaining to braille in all existing codes. It deals with codes now in existence or to be developed in the future, in collaboration with other countries using English braille. In exercising its function and authority, BANA considers the effects of its decisions on other existing braille codes and formats; the ease of production by various methods; and acceptability to readers.
For more information and resources, visit www.brailleauthority.org/.
American Council of the Blind (ACB)
American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
American Printing House for the Blind (APH)
Associated Services for the Blind (ASB)
Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER)
Braille Institute of America (BIA)
California Transcribers and Educators for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CTEBVI)
CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind)
Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CCBVI)
National Braille Association (NBA)
National Braille Press (NBP)
National Federation of the Blind (NFB)
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (NLS)
Braille Authority of New Zealand Aotearoa Trust
Crawford Technologies
T-Base Communications
Acknowledgements
Preface
Section 1 Basic Principles and General Formats
1.1 Fundamentals
1.2 Technical Materials
1.3 Partially Technical Works
1.4 Definitions, Format, and Terminology
1.5 Volume Size, Numbering, and Ending Indication
1.6 Page Size, Line Length, and Line Spacing
1.7 Titles and Running Heads
1.8 Paragraph Format
1.9 Word Division
1.10 Print Page Numbers
1.11 Material Printed Across Facing Pages
1.12 Letter/Number or Number/Number Combinations
1.13 Numeric and Alphabetic Print Page Numbers
1.14 Braille Page Numbers
1.15 Foreign Material in English Context
1.16 Volume Labels
1.17 Samples
Section 2 Transcriber-Generated Pages and Front Matter
2.1 Fundamentals
2.2 Transcriber-Generated Page Basics
2.3 Title Pages
2.4 Second and Subsequent Title Pages
2.5 Special Symbols Page
2.6 Transcriber's Notes Page
2.7 Front Matter Basics
2.8 Book Covers and Jackets
2.9 Dedications
2.10 Table of Contents
2.11 Other Front Matter
2.12 Body Matter
2.13 Samples
Section 3 Transcriber's Notes
3.1 Fundamentals
3.2 Format
3.3 Placement of Transcriber's Notes
3.4 Technical Codes
3.5 Sample
Section 4 Headings
4.1 Fundamentals
4.2 Heading Hierarchy
4.3 General Provisions for Centered, Cell-5, and Cell-7 Headings
4.4 Centered Headings
4.5 Cell-5 Headings
4.6 Cell-7 Headings
4.7 Marginal Headings
4.8 Paragraph Headings
4.9 Icons and Headings
4.10 Lengthy Series of Headings
4.11 Reference Marks and Notes to Headings
4.12 Samples
Section 5 Font Attributes
5.1 Fundamentals
5.2 Distinctive Typefaces and Font Attributes
5.3 When Font Attributes May Be Ignored
5.4 Retaining Font Attributes
5.5 Underlining
5.6 Colored Fonts
5.7 Highlighting
5.8 Emphasized Letters within a Word
5.9 Substituting Print Font Indicators
5.10 Words Enclosed in Shapes
5.11 Samples
Section 6 Illustrative Materials
6.1 Fundamentals
6.2 Format
6.3 Descriptions
6.4 Omitted Illustrations
6.5 Concept Maps, Graphic Organizers, Idea Webs
6.6 Flowcharts
6.7 Forms
6.8 Genealogical Charts
6.9 Organizational Charts
6.10 Timelines
6.11 When a Tactile Graphic is Not Produced
6.12 Screenshots
6.13 Slide Presentations
6.14 Samples
Section 7 Boxed Material
7.1 Fundamentals
7.2 Blank Lines
7.3 Boxes
7.4 Boxed Material Continued on Another Print Page
7.5 The Relationship Between Text and Boxes on Facing Print Pages
7.6 Different Colored Boxes
7.7 Boxes within Boxes
7.8 Samples
Section 8 Lists
8.1 Fundamentals
8.2 Simple Embedded Lists
8.3 Simple Vertical Lists
8.4 Lists Enclosed in Boxes
8.5 Simple Lists in Columns
8.6 Nested Lists
8.7 Bulleted Lists
8.8 Some List Items Are Bulleted
8.9 Outlines
8.10 Annotated Lists
8.11 Samples
Section 9 Displayed Material, Attributions, and Source Information
9.1 Fundamentals
9.2 Format for Displayed Material
9.3 Epigraphs
9.4 Attributions
9.5 Source Citations and Permission to Copy
9.6 Cross-References and Incidental Notes
9.7 Correspondence and Diary Entries
9.8 Samples
Section 10 Exercise Material
10.1 Fundamentals
10.2 Blank Lines
10.3 Directions
10.4 Exercise Questions
10.5 Write-on-Lines Before or After Questions
10.6 Write-on-Lines Within Sentences
10.7 Displayed Text in Exercise Material
10.8 Exercise Examples, Sample Questions with Answers
10.9 Matching
10.10 True-False Exercises
10.11 Formats for Pictures in Exercise Material
10.12 Samples
Section 11 Tables and Related Columns
11.1 Fundamentals
11.2 Table Basics
11.3 Table Headings
11.4 Column Headings
11.5 Row Headings
11.6 Column Entries
11.7 Techniques for Shortening Column Width
11.8 Keying Long Entries
11.9 Skeleton and Partially Filled-In Tables
11.10 Omitted Portion of Print Table
11.11 Graphics with Identified Values
11.12 Wide Tables
11.13 Wide Tables: Facing Pages
11.14 Wide Tables: Vertical Division
11.15 Wide Tables: Interchanged Columns and Rows
11.16 Wide Tables: Listed Table Format
11.17 Wide Tables: Linear Table Format
11.18 Wide Tables: Stairstep Table Format
11.19 Samples
Section 12 Sidebars
12.1 Fundamentals
12.2 Identifying Sidebars
12.3 Formatting Sidebars
12.4 Samples
Section 13 Poetry and Song Lyrics
13.1 Fundamentals
13.2 Poetry within Narrative Text
13.3 Poetry in Stanza or Verse Form
13.4 Separation of Stanzas
13.5 Shape Poetry
13.6 Poems with Irregular Poetic Lines
13.7 Prose Poetry
13.8 Reference Marks and Notes in Poetry
13.9 Scansion, Accent, and Meter
13.10 Hymnals and Songbooks
13.11 Lyrics with Music Notation
13.12 Titles, Hymn or Song Numbers
13.13 Samples
Section 14 Plays, Cartoons, and Graphic Novels
14.1 Fundamentals
14.2 Cast of Characters
14.3 Scene Settings
14.4 Stage Directions
14.5 Prose Plays
14.6 Verse Plays
14.7 Mixed Prose and Verse Plays
14.8 Conclusion of Play
14.9 Interviews
14.10 Cartoons
14.11 Graphic Novels
14.12 Samples
Section 15 Line-Numbered and Line-Lettered Text
15.1 Fundamentals
15.2 Margin-Numbered Paragraphs
15.3 General Provisions for Line-Numbered Text
15.4 Line-Numbered Prose
15.5 Line-Numbered Poetry
15.6 Interspersed Line-Numbered Prose and Verse
15.7 Poetic Rhyme Scheme
15.8 Counted Words
15.9 Verse-Numbered Texts in Religious Material
15.10 Samples
Section 16 Notes
16.1 Fundamentals
16.2 Reference Marks
16.3 Reference Indicators and Construction Pattern
16.4 Notes
16.5 Miscellaneous Notes Issues
16.6 Notes in Tables and Columned Material
16.7 Endnotes
16.8 Heavily Annotated Materials
16.9 Keying Technique for Marginal Labels
16.10 Samples
Section 17 Spellers
17.1 Fundamentals
17.2 Spelling Word Lists
17.3 Word Lists Used with Activities
17.4 Word Lists with Partial Emphasis
17.5 Marked Words in a List
17.6 Definition Lists
17.7 Syllabified Words
17.8 Blanks and Omissions
17.9 Intentional Errors
17.10 Crossed-Out Letters
17.11 Insertions
17.12 Nonalphabetical Signs
17.13 Samples
Section 18 Grammar
18.1 Fundamentals
18.2 Emphasized Capital Letters
18.3 Punctuation
18.4 Nonalphabetical Signs
18.5 Words or Abbreviations Printed Above Sentences
18.6 Proofreading Marks and Edited Copy
18.7 Linear Sentence Diagramming
18.8 Spatial Sentence Diagrams with Arrows
18.9 Spatial Sentence Diagramming
18.10 Samples
Section 19 Codes and Puzzles
19.1 Fundamentals
19.2 Number, Letter, and Other Puzzle Codes
19.3 Words in Code
19.4 Morse Code
19.5 Crossword Puzzles
19.6 Word Puzzles and Letter Searches
19.7 Sudoku
19.8 Samples
Section 20 Tests
20.1 Fundamentals
20.2 Placement of Test Sections
20.3 Format
20.4 Test Questions and Answer Choices
20.5 Illustrative Material
20.6 Standardized State Tests and Test Booklets
Section 21 Pronunciation
21.1 Fundamentals
21.2 Pronunciation Basics
21.3 Simple Pronunciation
21.4 Diacritic Pronunciation
21.5 Instructional Content
21.6 Reference Sections with Syllabification and/or Pronunciations
21.7 Pronunciation and Summary Keys
21.8 Pronunciation Keys and the Special Symbols Page
21.9 Samples
Section 22 Alphabetic References
22.1 Fundamentals
22.2 General Format for Alphabetic References
22.3 Guide Words
22.4 Indexes
22.5 References without Syllabification or Pronunciation
22.6 Glossaries
22.7 Thesauruses
22.8 Dictionaries and Facsimiles
22.9 Samples
Section 23 Bibliographies
23.1 Fundamentals
23.2 Bibliography Format
23.3 Annotated Bibliographies
23.4 Foreign Language in Bibliographies
Appendix A Changes and Amendments
Appendix B Agency Decisions
Appendix C Blank Lines
Appendix D Foreign Language Symbols
Appendix E Interpoint Guidelines
Appendix F Glossary for Transcribers
Appendix G General Purpose Symbols
Index
As chair of the Technical Formats Committee of BANA I would like to thank the committee members, consultants, and observers who dedicated so much of their time and energy to this project over the last several years.
In addition, I would like to thank the BANA Board members for their patience as we worked through the process. They did not micromanage the process and, in fact, gave us plenty of leeway to discuss the most radical of changes. That allowed us to focus our thoughts on what would be best for the braille reader and the transcriber.
Next, the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts. The staff provided us with space during several summers for a week of intensive discussion and work. They went far beyond providing space, and the staff met our every need with a deep level of support.
Last, but certainly not least, are the people on whom we depended for thoughtful consideration of our work. Transcribers, the members of the Literary Committee, advisers from other committees, and our readers. The readers had the task of looking at the entire document and making comments on errors or areas that were not clear; they gave suggestions to improve the document, and had questions about why we made some changes that caused us to rethink a number of issues.
Lynnette Taylor
This new edition of Braille Formats: Principles of Print-to-Braille Transcription, 2011 is more than a revision of the 1997 edition. Extensive changes have been made, and this book now supersedes all previous editions and updates. A partial list of the changes may be found in Appendix A.
The original intent of this revision was that English Braille American Edition would be revised at the same time and that all of the formatting decisions for both literary and technical materials would be covered in this document. As EBAE is not yet complete there will be a period during which they overlap. Where there are conflicts follow Braille Formats: Principles of Print-to-Braille Transcription, 2011.
Another guideline which is nearing completion is the revised Foreign Language Guidelines for Braille Transcription. Again, during the overlapping period, where there are conflicts follow Braille Formats: Principles of Print-to-Braille Transcription, 2011.
The basic philosophy behind the changes in Braille Formats: Principles of Print-to-Braille Transcription, 2011 is simplicity. Decisions were based on readability and comprehension for braille readers. It is expected that these guidelines will be applied unless a situation is not covered. Making the guidelines straightforward allows transcribers to make decisions when confronted with material not specifically addressed within these sections. BANA made the decision that this document is to serve as a set of guidelines. The choice of the word Section as a heading has its roots in the idea that this document is a set of guidelines, and there is not a hard and fast rule for everything encountered in print. The committee tried to make Braille Formats as simple to follow as possible, to eliminate exceptions, and to minimize cross references. Repetition of some material keeps cross references to a minimum.
We have asked the braille readers on the committee to add a rationale at the beginning of most of the sections to explain why we have made the changes. It is called the Braille Reader's Perspective.
The changes in the layout to Braille Formats: Principles of Print-to-Braille Transcription, 2011 are obvious immediately.
Presentation of Guidelines. Each section is complete, with few references to other sections. An effort has been made to use a hierarchy of information such that basic material is presented first, followed by more detailed concepts.
Decimal Numbering. The change in numbering connects all elements of the sections and subsections.
Examples. Short examples are embedded within the guidelines, with longer examples at the end of the section. This allows the reader to see how the guidelines are intended to be used and eliminates the need to hunt through full-page examples for a few lines.
Sectional Page Numbering. This new page numbering provides a way for updates to be added to Braille Formats more easily.
Appendices. There are several appendices covering blank lines, foreign language symbols, interpoint guidelines, agency decisions, and a glossary.
There are four major format changes from the 1997 edition.
Braille Page Numbering. A distinction is made between transcriber inserted pages and print pages, which allows us to retain front matter print page order.
Headings. A new heading level accommodates the need for additional distinction in today's textbooks.
Nested Lists. All multilevel lists are formatted the same and the principles apply for all situations. Each level is indented two cells, with all runovers in the same cell. Readers report that as soon as they get to the first runover line they know how many levels they are reading. This avoids confusion with clashing indent and runovers in the same cell.
Footnotes. Most footnotes are now at the end of the print page. This enables the flow of thought to be preserved. There is a new generic footnote indicator which will be used with all types of footnotes.
Lynnette Taylor, Chair (1998-2011)
Deborah Brown (1998-2011)
Susan Christensen (2001-2011)
Dena Garrett (2003-2011)
Debbie Gillespie (1998-2011)
Ann Kelt (1999-2011)
Sandy Smith (2000-2011)
Dorothy Worthington (2007-2011)