Lay the document on a clean, flat surface in a well-lit area. Use an overhead lamp for additional lighting, if necessary.
Read each line carefully, starting at the top of the document. Use a magnifying glass if the text in the document is faded or obscured.
Use a computer to type the document word for word. Use square brackets to denote any changes you made to the original text, such as adding an omitted word. If you are unsure of a word, include a question mark after the word and enclose it with brackets. It may not be possible to read some of the text if the ink is faded or the document is handwritten, so brackets will help the reader identify any additions made to make the transcription more readable.
Format your typed document to resemble the original document, including alignments, paragraph and page breaks, and other details.