FAQ

Do you have a query that is not covered by these FAQ? Do not hesitate to send us an email! 

Q - What software did you use for your database?

Our database is powered by Airtable, a cloud-based platform for creating and sharing simple databases. Below we offer some advice on the most useful functions. Please note that many of them are only accessible if you are navigating from a laptop or tablet. If you are using a smartphone, functionality will be limited. 

Q - How often do you update the database?

We update our database constantly, to reflect users' feedback as well as our own in-progress research. Airtable synchronizes automatically, so you will frequently notice small changes to our entries. If you're interested in a specific item, it is a good idea to check the "Status" field, as this tells you when a record was last updated. A digest of major updates will be posted regularly under "News & Events" on our website. 

Q - Can I use or cite information in your database?

Please do! But do note that our database is protected by a CC BY-NC 4.0 Creative Commons license, which requires reusers to give proper credit to the creator. Records in our database can be cited as follows: 

"[Author], [Title]". In: Sara Miglietti and Marco Spreafico, Writing Bilingually, 1465-1700. In-Progress Database of Prose Self-Translations Produced in Early Modern Italy and France, online <https://sites.google.com/view/writing-bilingually/access-database> (accessed [date]). 

Please also keep in mind that this is work in progress and that all our records are subject to development and revision. You may want to double check the "Status" field to verify when a record was last updated; also, in citing an entry, always include the date on which you accessed it, as the information it contains may vary over time.

Q - Can I view the database on a smartphone?

Yes, but functionality will be limited. You can view a list of items in our database and open individual records; but you cannot download the dataset or use any of the sort, filter, and group functions. 

Smartphone users will also only have access to "Card view", as "Grid view" only operates on larger screens. 

Q - What is the best way to view information about a single item?

In "Card view", just click on the desired item to open a full description. 

In "Grid view", find your desired item and click on "Expand" right next to the item's number. A full description of that item will open on your screen (see images below). 

Q - I cannot see all fields / items on my screen.

Depending on how large is the screen you are using, you may only be able to visualize a small portion of our database at one time. 

In "Grid view", you can use the scrollbars at the bottom and on the right hand side to navigate through the dataset and visualize more fields.

In "Card view", keep in in mind that only a limited number of fields can show in your preview. To choose which fields should be displayed, click on "Hide fields" and select your preferred ones. To visualize all fields at once you will need to open an individual record. 

Q - Can I open the database full-screen?

Yes. If navigating from a laptop or tablet, scroll down to the bottom right corner of the preview and click on "View larger version"  (see image below). 

On a smartphone: tap on any individual record and scroll down to the bottom right corner of the entry. Tap on "View larger version", then close the record: you will be taken to a full-screen version of the database in the AirTable environment. 

Q - Can I download the full dataset?

If you are navigating from a laptop or tablet, you can download the full dataset as a CSV spreadsheet. In preview mode, find the "Download CSV" button immediately to the left of "View larger version" (see image above). In full-screen mode, click on the three dots in the top left corner of the database: this will reveal the "Download CSV" button  (see image below). 

Unfortunately, you cannot download the dataset from a smartphone.

Q - Can I change the order of the items?

Yes, as long as you are navigating from a laptop or tablet. Our default setting is alphabetical by author's name, but you can use the "Sort" button in the top left corner to rearrange the items in any order you want (e.g. chronologically by author's dates; chronologically by date of publication, etc). To further customize the order, you can click on "Add another sort": for instance, you can sort items alphabetically by author's name and, within each author's records, chronologically by date of publication (see image below). 

You can also sort items by using the "Group" function (right next to "Sort"). This allows you to group items together based on any of the fields in our database (for instance, place of publication, subject, or format). 

Q - How do I search for specific information? 

You can only search for specific information if you are navigating from a laptop or tablet. Click on the magnifying lens in the top right corner to conduct a free search across the dataset. 

You can also use the "Filter" function (top left corner) to only visualize items that satisfy specific conditions. For instance, add the condition that "Directionality" should be "any of" LT>FR and LT>FR? to view items that were definitively or possibly translated from Latin into French. To narrow your search further, you can add multiple conditions at once (e.g. one for "Type" and one for "Subject"). 

Q - Can I adjust the row height in "Grid view"?

Yes. Click on "Row height" (right next to the "Sort" button) to adjust the size of each row. "Short" and "Medium" will allow you to view more items on one page, but will display less information for each item. Conversely, "Tall" and "Extra tall" will display fewer items but more information for each. 

Q - Your database contains many abbreviations and short bibliographical references. Is there a list somewhere? 

Yes: see here for a full bibliography and list of abbreviations.

Q - How do I report a broken link?

Please send us an email, and we'll do our best to fix it! Thanks :) 

Q - How do I report mistakes or missing information?

If you spot any mistakes or missing information, we would love to hear from you! We are keen to grow our catalogue with help from the Republic of Letters. Thank you so much in advance for your collaboration!