When it comes to transcribing videos or audio, there are several types of transcription. Do you know what they are and how to choose the most suitable one?
More and more companies and professionals are turning to video and audio transcription because it is essential, sometimes crucial, to achieve their goals.
We invite you to read this post and learn all the types of transcription so that you will understand the characteristics of each one and you can decide which one to use in your work or projects.
Different types of transcription
Transcribing is converting the spoken content of an audio or video to written text.
According to how you transcribe the content there are 4 types of transcription with different characteristics; we present them below.
1. Verbatim transcription
This is one of the best-known types of transcription; it includes the entire content because the objective is to ensure the understanding of the meaning of the original sources.
Therefore, the text is as detailed as possible and is transcribed word for word, even if it is a filler or repeated word.
Non-verbal communication, such as laughter, coughing or pauses, and environmental sounds or noises, are also included.
If several people are involved in the audio, interruptions, simultaneous conversations and affirmations in the dynamics of the conversation, e.g. "uh-huh" or "okay", are noted.
Among the types of transcription, it is usually the longest due to its high accuracy and detail.
Example of verbatim transcription:
"Hi! My name is Emil, huh, mmmh. Ok, I've spent several years working on, emm, TV Post-production companies in Sweden. Yes, most in Sweden, but (cought), sorry, also in other countries all over the world. (Pause) For many years I had several inconvenients trying to translate, no no, to transcribe scripts, sorry. So We decided with my beatiful team create ScriptMe (Applause)"
2. Non Verbatim transcription (cleaned up)
In non-literal transcription, the intention is to transcribe the meaning faithfully but to present the content concisely and legibly.
For this purpose, filler words and unnecessary expressions such as "yes", "hey", "you know", and others are eliminated.
Repetition of words or sentences, stuttering, long sentences, digressions, and irrelevant or off-topic sentences or conversations are also eliminated.
Pauses, general or background noises and anything that interferes with understanding the speaker's voice are also omitted.
Example of Non Verbatim transcription:
"Hi! My name is Emil. Ok, I've spent several years working on TV Post-production companies in Sweden. Yes, most in Sweden, but also in other countries all over the world. For many years I had several inconvenients trying to translate, no no, to transcribe scripts, sorry. So We decided with my beatiful team create ScriptMe"
3. Edited transcription
Edited transcription is the default for transcription companies and professionals.
Here the complete and accurate script is taken and formalized to improve the written content's readability, conciseness and clarity.
In edited transcription, attention is paid to grammatical errors, slang and incomplete sentences.
In the case of transcription of written materials, spelling, punctuation and style may also be reviewed and corrected to make the spoken words read more formally.
Example of Edited transcription:
"Hi! My name is Emil and I have spent several years working on TV Post-production companies in Sweden and other countries all over the world. After many years transcribing for Media and Television and having gone through many inconveniences, with my team we decided to create ScriptMe".
4. Phonetic transcription
This is different from all other types of transcription. It aims to capture and convey how people pronounce sounds, with a particular focus on pronouncing words.
It can also include how people's voice pitch rises or falls and how different sounds can be superimposed on the audio.
It requires a specialized notation system to do it as it should.
The product of this transcription is a catalogue of the totality of sounds emitted by the speakers in the audio, written in the phonetic alphabet.
Types of transcription work
Companies and organizations worldwide demand certain types of transcription work from the transcription industry.
These types of work are requested based on the purpose for which the content is to be used, as shown below.
A. General transcription
Many organizations, companies and independent professionals request general transcription.
Market research companies are in high demand for this type of work to obtain knowledge about launching new products or services. For this purpose, verbatim transcription is the most appropriate because everything is analyzed and interpreted.
Likewise, verbatim transcription suits the film industry, advertising and human resources agencies in which talent is evaluated and selected for the organization.
General transcription is also in high demand by Podcasters, YouTubers and other content creators.
The most appropriate type of transcription for this sector will depend on the purpose and the different audiences, but the most recommended are probably edited and intelligent transcription.
B. Medical transcription
Physicians and public and private organizations in the healthcare sector demand this type of transcription work.
Clinical audio captured through voice dictation is transcribed, and intelligent transcription is the best option.
This type of work requires experience in medical transcription and knowledge of the subject matter being transcribed; it is a specialized field where precision and accuracy are essential.
C. Legal transcription
Lawyers, law firms, judges and other professionals in the field work with legal transcription.
Imagine a legal proceeding in which you are working with the audio of witness testimony; verbatim transcription is the best option because accuracy is of the utmost importance.
However, although this is the most commonly used type of transcription, in other contexts, such as transcribing a lawyer's audio for a legal brief, edited transcription is preferable.
Performing legal transcription requires specialization, knowledge, and experience in legal and legal jargon and procedures.
D. Academic transcription
Academic transcription is responsible for transcribing video and audio recordings related to the area of knowledge, including lectures, interviews, seminars, focus groups and other academic events.
Different types of transcription are used here; for example, verbatim transcription emphasizes accuracy and detail and is used in a lecture by an expert or in the transcription of focus groups conducted for research purposes.
Edited transcripts are also used when reporting meetings or research results.
And phonetic transcription, if, for example, a speaker's audio is being transcribed in British English for an American audience, it is crucial to preserve the British pronunciation to understand the content thoroughly.
Academic transcription also requires qualified, knowledgeable, experienced transcriptionists familiar with academic terminology and different research methods.
There are also other types of transcription such as musical or image transcription.
Conclusions
We have introduced you to the different types of transcription and what they consist of; however, they are all helpful; some are more appropriate than others depending on the context and the purposes for which the transcriptions are to be used.
In this sense, we show you how different types of transcription work are done to respond to the specific needs of those who request them.
If you are unsure which is the most appropriate for your work or projects, these questions will help you: What do I want to achieve with the transcription? Who is my audience, and what do I want to communicate with the transcription?
If you made a mistake in your selection, remember that transcripts are not written in stone (just kidding). Still, you can always debug, edit, or make an intelligent transcription from a literal transcription...but not the other way around.
