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Tips for
recording |
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To
ensure we can provide you with the best
possible transcript, we would request you
follow the tips below when recording an
interview:
- Do a test run - most of the following can be avoided if you do a
test before the interview.
Have the microphone close to the interviewee(s).
Ensure you are in a quiet area.
Keep the microphone away from
noisy machinery.
Do not talk over other speakers.
Try not to have papers near the
microphone, shuffling pages
or writing can drown out what
is said.
If possible do not have tea/coffee
or other drinks. Crockery
can make a lot of noise if near the
microphone. Cups being placed on saucers or
teaspoons being knocked
etc. canmomentarily
deafen the typist!
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| Researchers |
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Introduction
If you have recorded interviews or
focus/discussion groups, apa
secretarial can provide a word-for-word
transcript, saving you time and
money.
We have extensive experience with
transcribing recorded interviews and
focus/discussion groups for qualitative
research. We have also provided many
transcripts of dictation, recordings of
public lectures, seminars, events,
etc.
Confidentiality
We understand that the interview is
confidential and therefore the
interviewee and researcher are not
identified throughout the transcript.
Unless otherwise requested we use the
following identifiers:
R = the researcher/interviewer
I = the interviewee
If there is more than one interviewee
then we add sequential numbers for each
one: I1, I2, I3, etc.
apa secretarial accepts both digital
and tape recordings, as follows:
Digital
recordings
- Olympus
.dss
- Sony
.dvf and .msv
- .wav
- .mp3
- .wma
Audio recordings
- standard
size cassette
- mini
and micro dictation tapes
- VHS
video
- audio
recorded CDs and DVDs
If you have not started the
recordings then may we request that
you note our "Tips for recording" on
the left.
"How
long will the transcript
take?"
This is probably the question we are
asked most often, and it is very
difficult to give a definitive
all-encompassing answer because every
recording is different. However, as a
guideline
and assuming the recording is of a
high quality and all speakers can be
heard clearly then we would estimate
the following:
- Dictation/Lectures/Seminars
- if you have one or more
people speaking for a significant
length of time (say 15 minutes each),
without being interrupted, etc., then
these take three to four times the
length of the recording (i.e. a 1
hour lecture will take 3 to 4 hours).
If there is a question and answer
session then this will usually take
between four and five times the
length of the recording to
complete.
- One-to-one
interviews - these will
usually take four to five times the
length of the recording.
- Focus/Discussion
groups - these can easily be
more than five or six times the
length of the recording. Despite the
researcher's best efforts people will
interrupt and speak over the top of
each other. Obviously, the higher the
number of people in the focus group
the longer the transcription will
take. For high numbers of speakers
(say six or more) we would request to
hear a sample of the recording before
giving an accurate quotation.
Remember:
the times quoted above are only rough
guides and are highly dependent on the
quality of the recording. We cannot
give an accurate quotation until
hearing a sample of the recordings.
As mentioned above, our standard
practice is to provide a word-for-word
transcript. This means all words spoken
(not including hesitation sounds such
as "erm", "er", etc.) are
transcribed. However, if required we
will be more than happy to provide a
transcript that includes all the
hesitation sounds.
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