Interview transcription services are required by many firms such as market research companies and universities carrying out research projects. Students also undertake research interviews as part of their coursework and need the transcript for analysis purposes.

Journalists record interviews and their interview transcript is published in magazines and newspapers. We often receive audio from journalists interviewing well known celebrities. Of course our transcriptionists enjoy producing and listening to celebrity interviews transcripts. After all who doesn’t want to hear the interview of David Jason, Ant and Dec, Daniel Radcliffe or Simon Cowell!

Conversations are also recorded for other purposes, maybe to be used in court, meetings in an office, insurance companies recording telephone calls, the list is endless.

It takes a trained transcriptionist about 4 times the length of the audio to transcribe a clear recording. This can be much longer for difficult recordings. You can image why people do not want to type up their own interviews, it will take them hours.

Interview Transcription Services Fingertips Typing Services

What is interview transcription?

You can view an interview transcription example on the home page. A link to this page is Intelligent Verbatim with Slang (fingertipstyping.co.uk)

Fingertips can produce an interview transcription in four ways.

Interview transcription types

Verbatim transcription: Everything recorded in the transcript is typed up. This will include erms and ers, you knows, repetitions etc. Coughing, pauses, laughter etc is put in brackets. Words are typed as said i.e. gonna, wanna and ’cause.

Intelligent verbatim transcription (without slang): The typist will use his/her common sense and eliminate erms, ers, you knows, repetitions, and other irrelevant conversation. The transcripts will read sensibly but with all the relevant information. Abbreviations are transferred to full grammar in order that the completed transcript reads in a good standard of English. The transcript then contains the important material relevant to the subject matter.

Intelligent verbatim transcription (with slang): The same as above i.e erms, ers, you knows, repetitions etc left out but slang words like gonna and wanna left in.

Discourse Analysis: Either verbatim or intelligent verbatim but showing every pause, cough, laughter etc. Short pause will be shown as (.), medium pause (…) and a long pause (…..), (cough), (laughter), (loudly spoken) etc.

interview

The advantages are that recording virtually:

  • Saves on travel time freeing up more time to work.
  • Reduces travel costs.
  • Better for the environment as no travel pollution.
  • The recording will be clearer.

A recorder in a room full of people may not record everybody clearly as the microphone will be further away.  Generally, mobile phones, tablets and laptops record more clearly than a dictaphone as the gadgets are so far advanced.

The disadvantages of recording virtually:

  • It is more impersonal.
  • More difficult to build a rapport and relationship with the client.

However, recording virtually is a huge benefit for when you cannot meet face to face.

focus group

Interview transcription services recording tips:

  • Transcription Services and Typing Services London
  • Record in a quiet place where they are no other people around
  • Use a good recorder that can clearly capture both voices
  • If carrying out a telephone interview, install a device or app that records telephone conversations
  • Don’t eat whilst undertaking the interview
  • If recording virtually, use Zoom, Skype, Teams or other reliable application
  • Have all your questions and research ready
  • Ask the respondent to introduce themselves unless they are to be anonymous

Transcribing interviews requires qualified and trained transcriptionists. Sometimes the recording is not clear and can be improved by avoiding certain situations.

Problems causing poor audio include:

  • Voice and Speech Dictation
  • The recorder is not directly near the speakers
  • Speakers may have strong foreign accents
  • Speakers talking too fast
  • Recording in a noisy place
computer

Proofing and Research

Our work is subject to a quality control check. This ensures that minutes and rate details are taken, the time required back is taken, the quality of the dictation is reported on, any track changes that were made are shown to the typist along with a report, and a final copy emailed back to the client.

Audio Transcription Technology

We use up to date advanced high performance technology and broadband connections ensuring that we have all the necessary equipment to undertake transcription services and deliver your work in an efficient, timely manner and of the highest quality.

Confidentiality

Fingertips are registered with The Data Protection Act. Our transcribers all sign confidentiality agreements.

Our file transfer system uses secure HTTPS and TLS (Transport Layer Security) processing. This ensures that files being uploaded and downloaded across the Internet are encrypted for added privacy.

Files on our servers also employ “Encryption At Rest”. This means that even in the unlikely event that stored files would be misplaced or stolen they are encrypted with AES-256. In addition, the three components of Encryption At Rest (encrypted files, encryption keys, and encryption/decryption processing) are each on separate servers.

Deleted files can be recovered within 72 hours.

Please see our confidentiality page for more information.

Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information on our interview transcription services.

“Your speed of response was amazing. These transcripts are just what I needed, and have helped me with the analysis so thank you for that”

Chris Radford

Very efficient and responsive. We have used Fingertips for the past 6 years and files are always turned around on time and to a high standard

Katie Dale