Do you know what verbatim transcription is and its main benefits?
If you do not know it yet, the time has come to learn about all its advantages, regardless of the area in which you are, since it will allow you to have accurate information records and use them to achieve different objectives.
We invite you to read this post; you will discover the meaning of verbatim transcription, its types, how to use them properly and the different options to perform it.
Verbatim transcription meaning
Verbatim transcription involves writing down the words heard in an audio or video file.
Performing this transcription requires a lot of attention to detail because it gives context to understanding the scenario of what is heard.
Benefits of verbatim transcription
Verbatim transcription is extremely useful because it provides accurate and precise records of the contents of an audio podcast, conversations, meetings, interviews, conferences, lectures, speeches, statements and any other recorded material.
It goes beyond that and can give clues to the context and behaviour of people; this information is essential for those who investigate, analyze and research in many different areas.
Today, verbatim transcription has become an excellent resource for documenting information for most organizations worldwide.
It allows for an infinite number of content records, and this is fantastic for media and information, marketing, academia, business, legal, judicial, medical, insurance and other sectors.
Types of verbatim transcription
There are two types of verbatim transcription; in this section, we tell you what each consists of and examples.
Full verbatim transcription
Full verbatim transcription is writing down every word heard in an audio or video.
Including filler words, autocorrections, grammatical errors, interjections, stutters, repetitions and any other expression.
Also included are silences or pauses, noises and references to emotional content such as laughter, sighs or crying.
The purpose of including everything referred to is to facilitate understanding of the content. It is considered that each word, sound or silence is information that gives clues and makes it possible to understand or explain something.
Full verbatim transcript example
We share with you an example of a full verbatim transcription extracted from the content of a conversation.
Speaker 1: Let's see [laughs] Wouldn't you buy the product because it is economical?
Speaker 2: Well, yes...I don't know how to explain it [laughs]. Let me think about how to say it so you understand me.
Speaker 1: Relax...just tell me what you think.
Speaker 2: It's just that...sometimes economic is bad quality and I lose money. How do I know your product is good?
In this transcription example, all the words and expressions have been included, allowing us to capture the tone and emotions of the conversation; here the details matter a lot.
It is not only what is said but how it is said. But, when transcribed in this way, the content becomes less fluid and, therefore difficult to read; it may not be the best choice for transcribing all types of content.
Clean verbatim transcription
In clean verbatim transcription, the transcriptionist removes filler words, stutters, repetitions, corrects grammatical errors, and any other element irrelevant to what is being said.
The transcriptionist's goal with this type of verbatim transcription is to make a record of the dialogue and ensure that the content is easy to read and understandable.
A clean verbatim transcription looks more professional; conversations are almost always edited because the content is more easily understandable.
Clean verbatim transcript example
To make it easier to understand the difference between the two types of transcription, we present the example of a full verbatim transcription, now transcribed in clean verbatim.
Speaker 1: Wouldn't you buy the product because it is cheap?
Speaker 2: Let me think about how I say it so that you understand me.
Speaker 1: Just tell me what you think.
Speaker 2: Sometimes cheap is bad quality and I lose money. How do I know your product is good?
Some words have been removed in this example to make it easier to read. However, in doing so, elements that reflect the feelings of the interlocutors are lost.
What is each type of verbatim transcription used for?
Each type of verbatim transcription serves specific purposes. Full verbatim transcription is helpful for:
- It is very important to know the context in which a person says something in legal and judicial processes.
- For qualitative research, for example, in marketing, where the most significant amount of verbal and non-verbal information is needed to explore the possible acceptance of a product in the market.
- In human capital teams, in the selection and evaluation processes of collaborators where, among other qualities, self-confidence and verbal fluency are evaluated.
- In medical research, academia, and science, where word-for-word records are essential.
In summary, the full verbatim transcript has very accurate records and provides context for analysis and interpretation.
Concerning clean verbatim transcription, it is beneficial for:
- Throughout the media industry, what matters is getting the message across most attractively and possibly.
- To create marketing materials, quotes, excerpts or notes for advertising or informational purposes.
- In the corporate, business, finance or trade area, the dynamism is such that clarity and precision in the content presentation are valued.
Clean verbatim transcription is always more pleasant, accurate and easier to read because everything that is not essential is eliminated.
How can I transcribe an audio or video file verbatim?
To transcribe an audio or video file, you have 3 options, which we identify and describe below.
1. Automatically with ScriptMe
ScriptMe is artificial intelligence and cutting-edge technology, offering quality, accurate, automatic transcription services in more than 30 languages.
The service transcribes audio or video to text and includes all the words. How can you make your transcriptions with this service? Very easy: in just 3 steps:
- You upload your files, choose the language and click "Transcribe".
- In minutes you have the transcript, and with the editing function, you can make the changes you want.
- Once you have the transcript ready, you can export your file in different formats, including txt, .doc, avid markers, srt, stl and adobe premiere.
That's how easy it is to have your clean verbatim transcript in just a few minutes, thanks to the automation of the process. And just as quickly, in just two clicks, you can convert the transcript into subtitles.
ScriptMe will take care of your transcriptions so that you can concentrate all your time on more creative and productive things.
2. Do it yourself
Of course, you can also do transcriptions yourself. But it can be very time-consuming; generally, one minute of audio is equivalent to 5 or 6 minutes of transcription.
You can make a transcription with an audio player and a Word file, but depending on the length of the audio, this option is relatively slow and tiring.
To do it more efficiently, we suggest using software, either Express Scribe or FTW Transcriber.
The first thing to do is to listen to the complete audio and then, yes, start transcribing. It is necessary to identify the interlocutors that intervene in the audio; it can be the most straightforward mark, "Interlocutor 1" or" Interlocutor 2", or use the name of the persons.
The time stamps of the dialogues are also incorporated, and the minutes are separated from the seconds, e.g.: [00:17:23]. Once the transcription process is finished, save it in an editable format, such as Word or PDF.
Finally, check the font style, and size, justify the text in both margins, insert page numbering and place the title.
3. Leave it in the hands of a professional transcriptionist.
This is another option for verbatim transcription of audio or video. The most recommended services are those that integrate automatic transcription software and employ professional transcriptionists.
Many companies, including Rev, Sonix, Otter and Happy Scribe, provide this service. Some offer free trials to get to know their platform and evaluate the quality of their services.
Summary
Verbatim transcription is widely used, and there are two types, full verbatim transcription and clean verbatim transcription.
One of the industries with the highest demand for verbatim transcription is the news media, where clean verbatim transcription is commonly used. However, in other industries, such as legal, judicial and medical, full verbatim transcription is used more frequently.
Each of these types of transcription has specific advantages. If you are not sure which type of transcription is best for you, do a full verbatim transcription. You can always transform it into a clean verbatim transcription, but not the other way around.
At ScriptMe we can perform your verbatim transcription with quality, accuracy and speed; contact us, and we will gladly give you all the information about our services.
