Examples of a Critical Apparatus
A critical apparatus [plural: critical apparatus] is a tool used in scholarly editions to show, among other things, the different sources available for a text and editorial decisions made based on those sources. This quick presentation will introduce you to the critical apparatus, what's in it, and how to use it. Click the Play button, or follow the link below the screen, to begin:
To save space, a critical apparatus will often abbreviate frequently-used words and phrases. Some of these will be unique to each apparatus, but others are standard. The resources below provide examples of abbreviations used for several types of texts, and will help you in deciphering critical apparatus abbreviations: