Whether you are a research student or a PhD scholar scheduled for a research interview, finding quality interpreters is the key to your success at the interview. If your interview is scheduled at short notice and you do not have the time to wait for reputed or experienced interpreters then your risks of success at the interview truly doubles. Here are some quick and effective methods to choose an effective interpreter for interviews. State Commissions The first place to begin your search is the State Commissions, with whom professional interpreters register immediately after earning their certification. Most states across the [...]
Preparing Questions For a Qualitative Research Interview
Getting ready to conduct a qualitative research Interview? Here are some tips to help you prepare the questions.
The Role of Research in Transcription
Research is a critical part of transcription, i.e. research for correct spellings of names, places, technical terms etc. The accuracy of a transcript can vary greatly depending on the thoroughness of research done by the transcriptionist. For e.g., take a look at this paragraph from the oral history of Dr. Erwin L. Hahn: Well, I was destined somewhat to be a particle physicist in that I had started with Kerst as a graduate student developing a power supply, of various kinds, devices to power high current ignitrons and things of that sort, to power his betatron. At that time, we [...]
5 Things to Remember When Transcribing Oral Histories
An oral history is a verbal record of a living person’s experiences related to a specific period or event. It’s generally a monologue, an interview or a conversation that’s systematically recorded, verified, analyzed and stored by oral historians and researchers. Transcribing oral histories can be a rewarding experience because of the rich detail and insight they offer. Here are a few tips to get the transcription right: Transcribe Verbatim An oral history captures the unique perspective of the speaker. It is therefore imperative that you don’t paraphrase anything that’s said. The transcript should be present an exact, word-for-word account of [...]
Choosing the Right Setting for a Qualitative Research Interview
Conducting face-to-face interviews outside a recording studio requires some preparation. The setting affects - (a) The quality of responses you get (b) The recording quality so it’s important plan carefully. Here are a few tips for choosing the right location and setting: Choose a quiet location A quiet room is best for conducting an interview. If the outdoors are unavoidable, such as a restaurant or a park, choose a place that’s not too crowded. At outdoor locations, check for distracting sounds like passing traffic, children playing or loud background music – all of these tend to break the interviewee’s chain [...]
How to Record Qualitative Research Interviews
Qualitative Research Interviews can be tricky to record as well as transcribe, especially if the interviewees are not native speakers of English. A little bit of planning and some simple precautions can go a long way in improving the clarity of the recordings as well as the accuracy of your transcripts: 1. Use Professional Recording Gear The two most common problems with research interview recordings are - i) Low volume due to the speakers’ distance from the recording device, and ii) Background/surrounding noise coming out too loud on the recording. Both lead to an enormous amount of data loss. To avoid [...]
