1. Transcription
From Audible to Written
Legacy 2015

2. Types of Transcription
Verbatim – Records every audible sound and word
Edited – Cleans up the audio to be more readable.
Legacy is a gentle balance between the two
Legacy 2015

3. What to Avoid Do NOT remove important germane parts
You may diminish their story
You may discard their story behind the story
You may misrepresent them
Legacy 2015

4. What to Avoid Do NOT add words to their interview
This is NOT your interview
This is NOT your story
This is THEIRS
Legacy 2015

5. What to Avoid Do NOT ask an interviewee to write answers
This is NOT transcription
Audio to written – transcription
Written to written – transferring
Transferring:
Is secondary research not primary
It has no voice
It is two dimensional
It will always result in fewer words
REMEMBER! The purpose of oral history:
capture their story
capture their voice first-hand
Legacy 2015

6. Guideline Change as little as possible Represent the speaker
Keep their words – do not paraphrase
Maintain their speaking style
Legacy 2015

7. Guideline Make it easy to read Determine dialogue tags
Keep tags consistent throughout
Have space between speakers
JOHN: How did that make you feel?
JILL:I was nervous.
JOHN: Describe the her reaction?
JILL: She was more nervous than I was.
Legacy 2015

8. Guideline Be complete Use all of their words
Removing words could change the meaning
Include non-verbals with parenthesis when pertinent
JOHN: How did that make you feel?
JILL: Well, (sigh) I was nervous.
JOHN: Describe her reaction?
JILL: She was more nervous than I was.
(Laughter.)
Legacy 2015

9. Guideline Try to decipher inaudible words
Attempt to write exactly what they said
If it seems confusing, then put it in brackets
JOHN: How did that make you feel?
JILL: Well, I was [nervous].
JOHN: Describe her reaction?
JILL: She was more nervous than I was.
Legacy 2015

10. Guideline Allow dialect Attempt to write exactly what they said
Allow soft slang
JOHN: How did that make you feel?
JILL: I ain’t sure.
JOHN: Describe her reaction?
JILL: She was more nervous than I was.
Legacy 2015

11. Guideline Allow dialect Attempt to write exactly what they said
Use digression with hard slang
JOHN: How did that make you feel?
JILL: I was nervous as [$&!#].
JOHN: Describe her reaction?
JILL: She was more nervous than I was.
Legacy 2015

12. Guideline Clean up unnecessary catch words To improve readability
Omit uhs, ums, you knows, unless pertinent
JOHN: How did that make you feel?
JILL: Um. I was nervous.
JOHN: Describe her reaction?
JILL: She was more nervous, um, than I was.
Legacy 2015

13. Guideline Allow dialect To represent the speaker’s voice
The words should sound like their voice
JOHN: How did that make you feel?
JILL: I’m gonna be honest, I was nervous.
JOHN: Describe her reaction?
JILL: She was more nervous, than ya’ll were.
Legacy 2015

14. Guideline Remove what is not germane to the topic Avoid tangents
Tighten the interview
Omit statements that are not germane
JOHN: How did that make you feel?
JILL: Before I answer that, let me show you
my new car. Aint she a bute? Okay, well, I was nervous.
JOHN: Describe her reaction?
JILL: She was more nervous, than ya’ll were.
Legacy 2015

15. Guideline Your main goals Respectfully represent the SME
Make it as readable as possible
Make the reader feel like they were there
Legacy 2015