What is Strict Verbatim Transcription?
Strict verbatim transcription is a type of transcription that records everything that is said in a conversation or a speech exactly as it is spoken. It captures all the words, pauses, stutters, and false starts of a conversation. This type of transcription is often used for legal and medical settings, as well as for research studies.
Why is Strict Verbatim Transcription Used?
Strict verbatim transcription is used to ensure accuracy and precision when capturing spoken words. It is an invaluable tool in legal settings, as it captures every detail of the conversation, enabling lawyers to accurately reconstruct the events. Similarly, it is used in the medical field to accurately capture the conversations between doctors and patients. Strict verbatim transcription is also used in research settings, such as for interviews, to capture all the nuances of the conversation.
Examples of Strict Verbatim Transcription
Here are a few examples of strict verbatim transcription:
- John: “I went to the store, um, and I bought some milk.”
- Jane: “Oh, did you get the skim milk?”
- John: “No, I uh, I got the two percent.”
In strict verbatim transcription, all the pauses, “ums”, and false starts are included. So, the above example would be transcribed as:
- John: “I went to the store, um, and I bought some milk.”
- Jane: “Oh, did you get the skim milk?”
- John: “No, I uh, I got the two percent.”
Guidelines for Strict Verbatim Transcription
Some tips for accurate and precise strict verbatim transcription include:
- Listen carefully and take notes: Listen to the conversation or speech carefully and take notes as you listen so that you can capture all the words, pauses, and false starts.
- Use punctuation to indicate pauses: Use punctuation (dashes, ellipses, etc.) to indicate where there are pauses in the conversation.
- Include non-verbal cues: Non-verbal cues such as laughter, sighs, and other vocalizations should be included in the transcription.
- Verify accuracy: Always verify the accuracy of the transcription to ensure that all words, pauses, and nonverbal cues are captured accurately.
Strict verbatim transcription is a valuable tool for capturing the nuances of conversations and speeches. It is an invaluable tool in legal and medical settings, as well as for research studies. By carefully listening and taking notes, using punctuation to indicate pauses, and including non-verbal cues, transcribers can ensure accuracy and precision in their transcripts. For more information, check out TranscribeMe’s blog post on what is strict verbatim transcription, 3PlayMedia’s blog post on verbatim transcription, and Temi’s blog post on verbatim transcription.
