The purpose of a focus group is very different from that of an interview and so is the way it is transcribed. Transcribing a focus group requires more care, detail, and patience. Here are a few basic guidelines for transcribing a standard focus group: Type Verbatim Each and every word of the participants should be recorded on the transcript. This includes all the fillers (ums, ahs, hms, etc.) as well as non-verbal communication such as laughter, coughs, claps, pauses etc. Background noises should also be transcribed (such as doors opening, clicking of a pen, car horn, etc.). Read more on verbatim [...]
Factors that Affect Transcription Rates
Transcription rates are based on Audio Hours. 1 Audio Hour = 60 minutes of audio/video recording This means that no matter how long it takes to transcribe a recording, you would still pay by length of the recording and not the actual hours worked. While this brings a great deal of transparency to pricing, a new person may still benefit from understanding how the actual rate is arrived at.
4 Rules of Verbatim Transcription
Verbatim transcription is the art of converting spoken word into text such that a message is captured exactly the way it has been spoken. This requires a keen ear and attention to detail. Verbatim transcripts cannot be created by mindlessly listening and typing. One has to pay close attention to every sound, tone, word and make intelligent use of punctuation to convey the correct message. Here are 4 important rules of verbatim transcription: 1. Capture EVERY word (don’t paraphrase) Many transcriptionists have the habit of paraphrasing statements to convey the general idea of what is being said rather than typing [...]
Outsourcing Transcription of Research Interviews
When planning to outsource the transcription of your research interviews it may be a good idea to invest some time in writing out a clear set of instructions for your transcriptionist because research transcription is quite different from regular transcription. Here are a few points to get you started - Identify the Transcription Style In research interviews the HOW of what’s being said is almost as important as the WHAT. For this reason the preferred style of transcription for these interviews is Verbatim Transcription. This style involves typing out everything that’s recorded on the interview including - Fillers (the ums, ahs, you knows, [...]
What is clean read transcription?
Clean read or intelligent verbatim transcription focuses on typing out the essence of what’s being said on a recording rather than the absolute and exact words. This means that the transcript is edited to remove any fillers (ums, ahs, you knows, etc.), false starts, repeated words, side conversations, interruptions, and other speech/sounds irrelevant to the transcript. For e.g., Original transcript- “The idea you know is to take…is to place your umm.. business er…right at the…where your customers can you know see it” Clean read transcript – “The idea is to place your business where your customers can see it” The [...]
Transcription Turnaround Time
Transcription turnaround time depends on several factors – Duration of the audio or video recording A clear 60-minute recording can take anywhere between 2-4 hours to transcribe and another 1-2 hours to proof. First the transcriptionist types out the entire recording without rewinding any part. Then she proofs the transcript by listening to the entire recording once again and simultaneously reading the text. While doing this she corrects errors and fills in the blanks left out in the first round. If there are too many blanks or mistakes in the text, a second round of proofreading may be needed, consequently [...]
