Introduction
The following Style Guide is designed for transcribers and QAs to use in their work at TranscribeMe and details guidelines for transcribing in TranscribeMe Clean Verbatim, proper tag usage, punctuation and grammar, and formatting styles specific to transcription. This document is by no means an exhaustive explanation of English grammar and syntax, as the rules outlined here have been implemented to meet the particular demands of transcription for TranscribeMe.
Understanding This Guide
This general Clean Verbatim style guide is divided into two parts: Basic and Advanced. The first half comprises the Basic portion, which outlines the minimum rules of transcription you are expected to adhere to in order to pass the Entrance Exam and begin work in the General Transcription Pool. At the end of some of the Basic sections, you will notice an orange box referring you to the Advanced appendix pertaining to that particular topic. The Advanced section at the end delves into further detail regarding common formatting issues you will encounter in transcription, but it is not required to follow these Advanced rules as a beginner.
We recommend that you begin by thoroughly studying ONLY the Basic style, i.e. the main text and not the Advanced appendix. Adequately applying these Basic guidelines will enable you to pass the Entrance Exam, and you will be expected to apply these rules in your transcription work at TranscribeMe. QAs may reject work that does not follow these Basic guidelines.
Further Opportunities - Advanced Style
If you wish to advance your career at TranscribeMe and earn a higher pay rate, you must also study and apply the Advanced guidelines at the end of this document. Gradually integrating these Advanced Guidelines into your work as you become more familiar with transcription at TM is a great way to add them to your skillset as you prepare for advancement exams and Special Teams.
QA Changes
When you transcribe short chunks on the Jobs tab, the QA will edit your work to conform to the Advanced guidelines. Note that, while all changes the QA makes are reflected in your change percent, the "Advanced" changes will not be held against you or be rejectable offenses. Carefully study the QA's edits and the relevant sections of the Advanced Guidelines to gain proficiency with our Advanced style, lower your change percentages, and prepare for advancement opportunities. You can view these changes in a side-by-side comparison of your work to the QA edits by clicking the View button next to the job on your Work History page. The Yammer community is also an excellent resource for any Style Guide questions you may have.
General Expectations
In all your work at TranscribeMe, you will be held to the following expectations:
Guidelines located on the right of the workhub screen must be strictly followed. This includes adhering to the appropriate style, Clean Verbatim or otherwise, as well as the proper English spelling to be used, e.g., American or British. Check these guidelines at the start of every job.
- Accuracy: You are expected to accurately capture all speech relevant to the file. For what you are unable to transcribe, use the appropriate tags as detailed in the Tags section.
- Research: Every name, company, and term mentioned in the audio should be researched to determine the correct spelling and formatting. If there is more than one accepted spelling, choose one and be consistent.
- Professionalism: You are expected to have a good grasp of correct sentence structure and punctuation. Be sure to proofread for typos or formatting errors before submission.
- Communication: When you encounter something unusual, such as a file that is entirely silent or contains only foreign speech, please report it to the Help Desk by raising a ticket.