Transcription proofreading ensures the quality of the transcription process of audio, videos and documents.
It involves being observant and patient, paying attention to detail and following a method. Your image and credibility as a transcriptionist depend on careful transcription proofreading.
Read this post and find out what transcription proofreading is, why it is so important and tips for proper transcription proofreading.
What is transcription proofreading?
When transcribing audio or videos, there are factors that make it difficult, such as low-pitched voices, foreign accents, background noises, people speaking simultaneously or very fast, and very technical terms.
All this can cause mistakes to be made at the time of transcription, and it is a reality that low-quality recordings are very frequent.
However, even if the audio was perfect, due to interruptions or fluctuations in the transcriber's attention, it is always necessary to proofread transcription.
Transcription proofreading consists of detecting and correcting errors in a transcribed document. It can be done by the transcriptionist himself or by a service that undertakes this task.
Without this transcription proofreading, no transcription process would be complete before delivering the document to the clients.
Why is proofreading important in transcription?
Because as we have pointed out, mistakes can be made in any transcription. Some, such as a misspelt word or a missing punctuation mark, although they reflect carelessness, do not have significant consequences.
Others, on the other hand, may be errors in data or omissions of information with consequences on another level; whatever the case may be, errors must be avoided.
The way to do this is through transcription proofreading. This ensures that the document is excellently written and faithfully includes the content of audio, videos or other materials.
Proofreading ensures the accuracy and style presentation of the transcribed content, which depends on the image, credibility and success of the transcriber or transcription company.
How to become a transcription proofreader?
Being a transcription proofreader is another skill that develops and improves with constant practice.
Effective proofreading requires a mastery of vocabulary and grammar.
It is essential to consult dictionaries; if you work as a medical or legal transcriptionist, constant updating is necessary.
Becoming a transcription proofreader involves the following:
- Proofreading and correcting all text errors.
- Formatting the document based on clients' specifications may include adding speaker tags or time stamps.
- Filling in words or phrases that transcriptionists or automated tools may have missed.
- Check the final quality of the document.
Remember that audio quality affects the time and work of transcription editors.
However, with the proper editing and proofreading equipment, you can give the document all the quality required to ensure the satisfaction of clients or transcription companies.
Main errors to be corrected with the proofreading
The main errors detected and corrected with the correction are, among others, the omission of words or expressions.
There are also grammatical errors, the main ones being misspelt words, spelling and punctuation errors.
Additionally, there are typographical errors, the most frequent of which are the misuse of capital letters, errors in the spaces between words and lines, size of titles and subtitles, text alignment and missing characters or phrases.
All these errors make it difficult to read fluently and understand the content.
Tips for correct proofreading of your transcripts
1. Read the entire content before you start proofreading it.
This way, you will avoid rewriting sections or deleting paragraphs because you do not have an integrated view of the entire content. Pay special attention to the writing and the content's structure and organisation.
2. Proofread with the printed document
It is more efficient to do it this way because if you do it through the computer screen, the spellchecker may miss some mistakes.
This way, you will also see if the structure looks right and the formatting and spacing are consistent throughout the document.
3. Read the document out loud
This will help you better spot any missing information, missing content, lack of hyphenation, misused words and punctuation marks, or repetitive words.
4. Research
This is essential if you will be working on projects or with content that is highly technical or with which you are unfamiliar. Search for answers in Google or valid or authoritative sources, and avoid misinterpreting content.
Reading in advance about the subject will allow you to be in tune and reduce the number of mistakes to correct.
5. Take your time
Remember, proofreading aims to identify errors, correct them, and do it well; you must control the impulsiveness of wanting to finish as soon as possible and take the first correction as definitive.
If you want to deliver quality work and not miss any mistakes, the best thing to do is check again after hours, ideally the next day. You will undoubtedly detect something that you overlooked in the first proofreading.
6. Seek help from a reliable transcription service
It's all about your image and credibility; if you don't have the time to proofread your transcripts, you can seek the support of an automated transcription service.
At ScriptMe, we can transcribe your interviews, and then you can proofread them online with our powerful editor.
Conclusions
Transcription proofreading is one of the most critical phases of the transcription process because it ensures the quality of the work performed.
The success of freelance transcriptionists or transcription companies depends on this phase.
Becoming an efficient content proofreader requires practice, attention to detail, patience and methodicalness.
