Intro: Transcription is the process of turning audio into text and its popularity has grown in recent years as technology has improved. This is largely due to the fact that it offers a number of advantages over other methods of converting audio to text, such as speed and accuracy.
There are many different types of transcription, and each has its own set of benefits and challenges. In this article, we will be focusing 3 main types of transcription: Verbatim transcription, Edited transcription and Phonetic transcription.
Verbatim Transcription
Verbatim transcription is a word-for-word transcript of the audio, including all fillers such as “um”, “ah”, and false starts. This type of transcription is useful for legal purposes, as it provides an accurate record of what was said. It is also useful for research purposes, as it can give insights into the way people speak and the thought processes behind what they say. When transcribing verbatim, it is important to use punctuation to indicate pauses, and to indicate when someone is speaking over someone else.
Edited Transcription
Edited transcription is the process of taking a complete and accurate transcript and editing it for readability, conciseness, and clarity. The grammar and usage of a passage as well as errors and omissions have been corrected.
When transcribing written text, edited transcription can also help improve accuracy by correcting spelling and punctuation errors. This can make the spoken words sound more formal. However, edited transcriptions are not ideal for every situation. For example, if you’re transcribing an autobiography that was recorded by the author themselves.
The example below shows how utilizing edited transcription can change an author’s voice.
Unedited: “My mother told us—me, my brother, and my sister—‘You shouldn’t gripe about having to eat your vegetables at suppertime.’”
Edited: ““My mother warned me and my siblings not to fuss about having to eat vegetables at supper.”
Phonetic Transcription
Phonetic transcription is the process of transcribing the sounds of speech, rather than the actual words. This can be useful when trying to capture dialects or accents, as well as trying to capture the sound of a particular word. Phonetic transcription can also be used to create a written record of a sign language. Phonetic transcription is often represented using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).
The example below shows how utilizing phonetic transcription can change an author’s voice.
Unedited: “The doctor says I need to get my cholesterol checked.”
Edited: “The /dɒktə/ says /aɪ/ need to get my /tʃɒlɛstərɔl/ checked.”
In What Situations Transcription Are Needed?
There are many different situations in which transcription can be useful. Some common examples include:
Call Transcription
Transcribing phone calls can be useful for customer service, sales, and market research purposes.
This type is also relevant for transcribing a conference call with different participants in order to keep track of what was said by whom.
Interview Transcription
Transcribing interviews can be useful for research, journalism, biography interviews, law enforcement and HR purposes. Moreover, it can be helpful to have a written record of an interview so that you can go back and refer to it later.
Focus Group Transcription
Transcribing focus groups can be useful for marketing and product development purposes. It can be helpful to have a written record of a focus group so that you can go back and refer to it later.
Transcription for Real Estate Purposes
If you work in real estate, transcription can be useful for creating a written record of property tours and open houses. This can be helpful when trying to remember the details of a particular property later on.
What Are the Different Types of Transcription Services?
There are many different types of transcription services available, and the type you choose will depend on your specific needs. These services are based on a manual or automated process, the type of audio or video recording, and the number of speakers.
Manual Transcription Services
Manual transcription services are provided by human transcribers. This type of service is more expensive than automated transcription, but it is more accurate. Manual transcription is a good option for recordings that are difficult to understand, have multiple speakers, or require special formatting.
Automated Transcription Services
Automated transcription services are provided by software programs. This type of service is less expensive than manual transcription, but it is less accurate. Automated transcription is a good option for recordings that are easy to understand, have one speaker, and do not require special formatting.
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