Frequently Asked Questions – Digital Transcription
Q. How long does it take to transcribe an hour of transcription?
A. Allow 1 hr to transcribe 15 minutes of clear dictation. Therefore allow 4 hours for
1 hr of dictation. If the recording is of bad quality or the speaker does not speak clearly, then allow 6 - 8 hrs to transcribe it.
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Q. What determines the length of time it takes to transcribe a file?
A. There are many different things that determine the length of time it takes to transcribe:
a. It is the rate at which a person speaks. It is believed that we speak about 4 times faster than we type.
b. If recording in a group situation, it would be imperative that everyone would speak into the microphone. Either going to the microphone individually or each individual has their own microphone, as the distance from the microphone results in the person’s voice not being heard. Also, when speaking in groups, it is natural for people to speak together or overlap their ideas.
Also, for transcription purposes, it is important that everyone introduces themselves so that voices can be distinguished.
However, it would be easier if everyone would say their name before speaking.
c. The clarity of the voice and speed that the speaker speaks, makes a big difference to the amount of time it takes to transcribe. The clearer the speech, the easier it is to hear and transcribe.
d. Whether the speaker/s use coherent sentences. Everyone litters everyday languages with "pauses" and "ums" or "ers". The more coherent the sentence spoken, the easier it will be to transcribe. Most sentences have natural pauses for punctuation breaks. Again, this is easier for transcription as we do not have to go back and try to put in punctuation or full-stops. Punctuation incorrectly used can change the meaning of the sentences and therefore, gives a total different slant to what the speaker wants to communicate. The more times the transcriptionist has to stop and listen to what has been said the longer it takes to transcribe the file.
e. Regional accents also make it harder to transcribe. No matter where a speaker is from, if they have a strong regional accent, it can be very hard to decipher.
f. If the transcription includes lots of technical or specialised technology, this could also adversely affect the amount of time it takes to transcribe. The way to help keep the transcription time down is to give a list of the technical terminology with the correct spelling. This means that the transcriptionist will not have to re-listen to the words to spell them correctly.
To keep the transcriptionists costs down, it is important for the speaker to use good quality equipment and if there is more than one person speaking to ensure that they all introduce themselves and speak into the microphone individually.
Speaking clearly with good diction and punctuation pauses will help enormously.
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Q. How can I make a better recording and reduce transcription costs?
A. a. The first thing to do is to use good quality equipment.
Cut out background noise, close all windows and doors. Dictate away from office machinery such as computers, photocopiers or any other equipment that will interfere with the sound quality.
b. Recording in a noisy place such as a car, train, plane or restaurant will make the recording harder to hear. The microphone will pick up any surrounding noise and not just your voice.
c. Ensure that the speaker speaks loud enough. Some people speak very quietly. If this is the case then it will be harder for us to hear.
d. If possible use an external microphone because not alone does a recorder use its own built-in microphone, which in most part are inferior, it will pick up its own sounds as well as external sounds. Using an external microphone will reduce this interference and the quality of the voice will be clearer.
e. Place the microphone near the speaker, as the nearer the speaker is to the microphone, the clearer the recording will be.
If there are several speakers, for example, a group meeting or a seminar ensure that there are several microphones so that each speaker can be clearly heard on the finished recording.
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Q. Does this mean that you won’t tackle poor quality recordings?
A. In a word, no, we would always endeavor to transcribe a recording. However, if it’s very difficult we would contact you and discuss the problems as the longer it takes to decipher the recordings the more expensive it becomes. The final decision with regard to the length of the time we should take, will be with you, but if we find that it is just too difficult than we would inform you.
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Q. What advice would you give me when using a Dictaphone?
A. Always get the best recorder that you can afford, and also get an external microphone.
When making recordings – for single dictation speak clearly and slowly. If the material is full of terminology, spell it out or provide a written glossary in advance with the terminology spelt out. This will help the transcriptionist enormously.
If there is more than one speaker, ensure that they speak directly into the microphone and introduce themselves before speaking. Again, with regard to terminology spell it out clearly.
When recording for one or more people, keep away from open doors and windows and machinery that maybe nearby. Don’t record in a busy or noisy environment because the microphone will pick up all noises.
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Q. Why is transcription more complicated than just typing what you hear?
A. If we typed what we heard, it probably would not make any sense. It would be just one continuous paragraph with no punctuation.
For transcription to be finished correctly, punctuation must be inserted along with paragraphs and sentences.
When people talk, they have a natural inclination to punctuate their sentences by using pauses. When someone asks a question, there is a natural raising of tone towards the end of the question.
Without these pauses and tone changes, what we say would not make sense.
While we are typing the dictation, we must listen for these natural occurrances and insert them into our typing. Putting a comma or fullstop in the wrong place could change the whole meaning of the conversation. So, it is every important that we listen to what is being said and how it is been said while we transcribe.
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If you need any further information contact us at your convenience.
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