Planning is key to transcription success
Transcription is a time-consuming task, so it helps to have everything in place before you get started. If you don’t have to continuously pause because you’re unprepared, then you won’t slow the process down even further.
So here are our top tips for making transcription easier before you even start.
1) Familiarise yourself with the topic
We ask clients to complete a project information form before sending us their interviews or focus group recordings. This includes providing a brief summary of the subject being discussed, and – where appropriate – places, technical terms or acronyms that may be mentioned so we can listen out for them.
This provides basis from which to research any words or phrases we are unsure of. For example, if the project is likely to mention places in Manchester, we would have a map ready to check spellings of areas and road names in that location.
2) Find somewhere comfortable and quiet
Depending on the length of the recording, you are likely to be transcribing for several hours (we recommend getting up and having a little stretch every half hour or so!), so comfort is key and it’s important to ensure your chair is at a height that helps you to maintain a good posture.
You also need to be fully focused on the audio when you are transcribing. Interruptions and background noises can slow you down as you find your flow and will also increase the possibility of mishears, so a quiet environment really helps.
3) Use professional equipment
This is essential if you are career transcriptionist, and still highly recommended even if you are just transcribing every now and then. There is free transcription software available where you can control the recording with hotkeys (for example, Express Scribe). However, investing in a compatible foot pedal will significantly increase your speed as your fingers are then free to type.
It is similar with headphones. Although you could not use them and just rely on the computer speakers, or you could use standard everyday headphones, investing in professional transcription noise-cancelling headphones will make the experience a lot more comfortable, and mean you are less likely to make mistakes.
4) Allow enough time
The industry average for transcription timeframes is to allow four hours to transcribe a one-hour recording. However, if you are a new transcriptionist, it can take significantly longer. If you do not allow enough time, you can become distracted by clock-watching, which may not only slow you down, but also make you lose your focus.
Other factors that can slow the transcription process down are: if the topic is unfamiliar, the quality of the recording is poor, strong unfamiliar accents, or there are more than two speakers. So please consider these too when planning your time.
We hope these transcription tips are useful. Please feel free to get in touch to discuss any of the above, or if you would like to find out more about our professional transcription service.