Fundamentals - Basic

Spacing

At TranscribeMe we only use one space after a full stop. Please only insert one space after a sentence.

Different Speaker, New Line

Each speaker has their own line in the transcript to represent what they say. As such, at each change of speaker, you must create a new line in the transcript. Pressing the carriage return one time is sufficient. Doing so automatically creates extra space between lines in the final output.

Paragraphing

As mentioned, each change of speaker gets a new line. However, even single-speaker monologues should be broken up into paragraphs, meaning you should create a new line of text at clear changes of topic. This can occur either in single-speaker files, such as a lecture, or an interview where the interviewee speaks for a long period of time. Remember that new ideas should always start in new paragraphs. If you have an extended idea that spans multiple paragraphs, each new point within that idea should have its own paragraph.

Although paragraph sizes will vary, remember that they should neither be too long nor too short. A golden rule to live by is that, usually, a paragraph shorter than 40 seconds is too short, while anything 2 minutes or more should be broken up at a logical breaking point. If a speaker drones on for 2 minutes or more, try to break it up at or around a clear change of topic or in the middle (or thirds, etc.) of the monologue, again, at the most logical topic change.

Difficult Audio

There are several programs that can help with difficult audio files. We like both the FxSound Enhancer and the Ears for Chrome extension. Depending on the audio issues, using one of these or turning it off may help you to make out sections of poor audio.

Above all, if there are trouble spots, please re-listen to the segment you are having trouble with. First, try changing the speed up AND down and playing with your FxSound/Ears for Chrome settings, including OFF. If you still can't make it out, then you can use the [inaudible] tag as described later in this guide. Just remember that any audible portions must be transcribed to the best of your ability, even if the file has poor audio quality. This will help the client remember the conversation and fill in any parts that we can't hear.

Often, after listening to the whole file, words that were inaudible on the first run through will make sense if you listen again. Perhaps the word(s) were said later in the file more clearly, or you become accustomed to the speakers' voices, or context helps you decipher what it might be. For this reason, always do a search for the [inaudible] tags and listen one more time prior to submission to see if you can make them out.

Make sure that sentence structure is clear and coherent. Even if you have trouble picking out everything being said, the text will look more polished if you pay special attention to punctuation.

Research

It is your responsibility to research every name/company/term mentioned in your file. Always use Google to search and format given names correctly. In the case of company names, go by the name in the main text of their website, not the logo, as those are often stylized. For example:

adidas / iPhone / athenahealth / MEDITECH / Toys"R"Us / 7-Eleven / NBA

Hint:You can often find the version of a company name to use in text at the bottom of their webpage in the copyright data.

The registered names of companies and products should be written as the company prefers, regardless of whether it fits with our usual style conventions for spelling, spacing, numbers, and punctuation.

An exception to this rule is medications, which are often stylized using all caps; simply capitalize the first letter of the word, not the whole thing, e.g., Tylenol not TYLENOL. (Note that generic drug names are not capped, e.g., acetaminophen.)

Spelling

You may reference any well-known dictionary for spelling. Always check the file guidelines to know whether US or British spelling is required. Also remember that your transcripts are professional documents, not social media posts. Choose spellings accordingly, and be consistent. Remember to spell check your file prior to submitting.

British vs US Spelling

American spelling and punctuation is the default at TranscribeMe, regardless of the spoken accent. For each new job, always check the Guidelines to the right-hand side of the screen. If there is no spelling listed, or it is listed as NA, use American English and punctuation.

However, we sometimes receive files that request other spellings. These will be marked on the right with British (BE), Aussie (UE), Kiwi (KE), Scottish (SE), or Irish (IE). To unlock these special files, please check out the Accent Exams on your Exams tab.

Note that, regardless if US or BE spelling is specified in the guidelines, we always use US punctuation.

Clean Verbatim - Basic

The default transcription style at TranscribeMe is Clean Verbatim (CV). Clean verbatim is an approach to transcribing which ensures that the transcription is clear, succinct, and easy to read, while at the same time preserves essential information and meaning.

We want to accurately represent everything that is said in the audio. However, for our clean verbatim product, we do want to clean up their speech to make it easier to read. We just don't want to edit their speech. The most common features of speech altered by clean verbatim are stutters and stammers, filler words and crutch words. This section will lay out specifically how to transcribe your audio file using TranscribeMe Clean Verbatim.

Stutters and Stammers

Interruptions

When speakers interject or talk over one another, there are two ways to handle this:

When the first speaker is near the end of a sentence or phrase and the second speaker starts talking, it is usually best to go ahead and finish the first speaker's paragraph and then pick up with the first word of the second.

What is your name and your age, please?
Fernando, and I'm 54 years old.

It's not clear from the transcript that Fernando interrupted, but it is absolutely clear and easy to follow the conversation.

On the other hand, sometimes the interruption has to be in place for the transcript to make sense, or the first speaker is going to continue much too long to reasonably finish their thought before getting to the interruption. In this case, we mark the interrupted and resumed speech with dashes.

Now I am going to tell you--
Wait a minute.
--what I think about the company

You can also use dashes when the speaker is interrupted and never finishes their sentence or question.

I think it's time to--
So shouldn't we--?
Sorry, you go ahead.

Conjunctions and Interjections

We know your English teacher taught you never to start a sentence with a conjunction - and, but, so, or, then, etc. - but at TranscribeMe, all such words at the beginning, middle, or end of sentences should be transcribed. If a speaker ends their sentence with a conjunction, we offset it with a comma and end in a period, so.

Interjections such as well, oh, or ah should also be included:

And I wanted to get a new dog, but.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So why didn't it work out?
Well, it was like, "This dog won't work."
Oh. But that's too bad.
Eh, and he kind of smelled, so.
Ah, that's a shame.

Background and Side Conversations

As a general rule, we transcribe the main speakers and their interactions with anyone else in the file. When deciding what to include or exclude from the file, note that, if the main speakers have no interaction with those speaking in the background, the background does not need to be transcribed. However, if the main speakers interact with or somehow acknowledge the other speaker(s), they become relevant to the transcript and must be included.

Background Conversations

This includes things such as conversations of other diners not at the speaker's table in a busy restaurant, the waiter taking someone else's order, or a hospital or school PA system announcement. However, that same waiter must be transcribed when he or she speaks to the participants in the file to take their order or interact with them, and the announcement must be transcribed if the main speakers comment on it or it affects the flow of the transcript.

Students in a classroom lecture are considered participants in the lecture and therefore you should transcribe what you can make out, using [inaudible], [crosstalk], and Guess Tags as needed.

If a TV or radio is playing in the background and the main speakers have no interaction with it, you may ignore it. However, if the speakers comment on any videos or audio clips in the file, they become relevant and must be transcribed.

Side Conversations

A side conversation is when the participants in the file break away from the main topic to have a conversation amongst themselves that does not include other participants in the file. It may be two people close to the mic making lunch plans, or a group in a lecture not paying attention to the professor but talking about the weekend. This also includes when an interviewer mutes the phone to have a side conversation with a coworker, even if that coworker does not speak at any other point in the file. You must make every effort to capture what the main speakers are saying, even if it requires breaking up another main speaker to do so and even if the topic being discussed has no apparent relevance to the rest of the file.