How to Write a Transcript Correctly
- 1). Write a brief description ahead of the actual transcript that provides a summary of the transcript. Include details like who was interviewed, the date and what was discussed. You should also include any other details in the summary that you feel are important.
- 2). Listen carefully to the entire audio file. Note places where things are unclear and that you may have to listen to more than once. Also make notes for yourself in places where you might have to look up the spelling of an unfamiliar word or proper name or title.
- 3). Spell out any abbreviations and initials in the transcript. Doing so will clarify things for the reader. It is acceptable to abbreviate things like titles (Mr. or Mrs.) or times (a.m or p.m.). If the interviewee uses initials or abbreviations, transcribe them exactly as they were spoken on the tape, but include a full, spelled-out version of what the initials or abbreviation means in brackets after the term.
- 4). Check for necessary capitalization of all proper names, titles and locations. Look in a dictionary if you are unsure of something that may need a capital letter. You can also check online. If your search does not yield an answer, it is best to not capitalize the word.
- 5). Pay attention for false starts on the audio file and use careful judgement in eliminating them from the transcript. A false start could be as short as a syllable or as long as an unfinished sentence. A good rule to follow is that if the false start does not lend anything to the content of the transcript or if it may make the transcript difficult to understand, it can be removed. In contrast, if a false start helps convey an individual's thought, speech or personality pattern, it may be left in the transcript.
- 6). Remove unnecessary feedback words and sounds. Including words or phrases like "uh huh" or "yeah" can interrupt the flow of the transcript for the reader. It is best to leave such things out, but if they seem necessary, an explanation in parenthesis during an occurrence may be prudent.
Additionally, do not use more than two crutch words in a sentence. For example, "See?" or "You know?" if they are used continually in the audio file. Only include them if they have a particular meaning, like agreement or disagreement with a statement. - 7). Check for titles of published materials (in any format), for foreign words or phrases, or for other words or phrases not commonly used. Italicize them for emphasis.
- 8). Listen for any interruptions to the flow of speech. Things like this should be noted in brackets when they occur on the file. For example, if the speaker laughs when delivering a sentence, type "[laughing]" before you type out what he says.
- 9). If a speaker spells out a word for clarity, use hyphens to separate the letters in that word. For example, if the speaker spells out the surname, "Pfizer", display it as P-f-i-z-e-r in the transcript.
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