A Summary of the Basics

What is Audio Transcription? Audio Transcription is the practise of converting audio files to typed text. Audio File types include.wav,.mp3,.mp4 and others. Interviews, presentations, speeches, lectures and dictated books are some of the most common audio files transcribed to text. Medical and Legal Transcription require different skill sets and formatting, and are not covered in this presentation.

How is Transcription done? Transcriptionists use software to start, stop and slow the audio speed as they type. Transcription programs include ExpressScribe, The FTW Transcriber and a variety of other software. Most transcriptionists use headphones to concentrate on the audio and eliminate ambient noise. Many transcriptionists use a software compatible foot pedal to start and stop recording as needed while they work.

What does a transcript look like? Most transcripts are delivered in MS Word documents. The most common types of transcription are: Verbatim: Word for word, including all ums, false starts, etc. Clean Verbatim: Nearly verbatim, but without ums, you knows, etc. Time stamps are often placed every 3 or 5 minutes in the transcript to facilitate easy location of specific passages. There are many formats used, depending on the number of speakers in the audio and the client’s specific needs. The following slide illustrates two basic formats for interview transcription.

Interview Transcript Formats Format 1: Interviewer in Italics Format 2: All Speakers Marked Click document to view PDF

What does it cost? The cost to have an audio recording transcribed can vary greatly, depending on your needs and your service provider. Audio transcription is usually charged at a set rate per hour of audio (Audio Hour). One hour of audio can take anywhere from 4 to 7 hours of work to transcribe and proofread. Factors that influence cost include: Number of speakers Accents of the speakers Audio quality Transcript Format required Speed of service (TAT or Turn Around Time)

How to request a Transcription Quote To provide a quote for your audio transcription, providers will need to know the following: Length of audio Audio language and accents Number of Speakers Audio quality, i.e. Clear, poor, background noise Transcript Format and Time Stamps required Type of transcription, i.e. Verbatim, Clean Verbatim Speed of Service, i.e. 24 hours from audio receipt