Sooner or later, researchers are faced with the challenge of having to transcribe hours of recorded interviews. Even the most skilled DIY enthusiast may find this task a bit too much to handle and this is where interview transcription services come in handy.
Interview transcription services save you a lot of time you’d have spent transcribing your audio and allows you to focus more on efficiency of the exercise. When it comes to analyzing the interview, you’ll have an easier time reading as opposed to listening to lengthy hours of audio recordings.
Types of Transcription Processes
There are three different types of transcription processes – verbatim transcription, intelligent verbatim transcription and edited transcription. Verbatim transcription is meant to capture everything spoken during an interview including nuances common in most unscripted conversations. For instance, a conversation may include a lot of “ums, uhs” and pauses within sentences. All this is usually included in verbatim transcription. Intelligent transcription on the other hand removes unnecessary nuances or para-language and involuntary vocalizations. Edited transcription will edit the conversation in order to satisfy grammar and remove unnecessary bits of the interview. The type of service to choose will mostly depend on your own individual needs.
Choosing a Transcription Service
Quality of Equipment – It is important that you invest in quality equipment to record your interviews. Low quality equipment might fail to capture clear sound or distort the recorded conversation which makes it all the more difficult to transcribe the content. Using the best equipment will not only make it easy for you to review the conversations but will also help save money as most transcription services will charge you based on the quality of the audio.
Cost of Transcription – The cost of transcription will vary based on factors such as length of audio recording, quality of audio, language complexity, number of speakers and interpreting strong accent. Some companies will charge per hour which means you’ll be paying for the amount of time it takes to complete the transcription. Other companies will charge based on the length of your recordings.
Experience – It is important that you only choose a transcription service that has been around for an extended period of time. Experienced transcribers are known to provide quality and deliver professional work on time. Research on all potential transcription services you come across and make sure they are right for you before making a decision. You may also want to read reviews on all the potential companies and find out whether previous clients enjoyed the services they received.
