After recording an interview, transcribing it is the next big step. It requires listening skills, patience and careful editing. An hour-long interview will easily take 6 to 7 hours, depending on your typing skill. Take enough time to transcribe to maintain accuracy.
Tips to transcribe an interview
- Write the name of the interviewer, interviewee, time, date and location, where it took place.
- Interviews are generally in question and answer format. Use foot pedal to stop and start your tape. Play a small section at a time and type as you hear them. Repeat the tape as and when required. Include both questions as well as interviewee’s answer.
- Transcribe each and every word. Sometimes some words are not very clear, there you read the whole paragraph and make an intelligent guess. Put that into a bracket to show that it is your text, not from the original sources.
- Insert paragraph in between whenever an interviewee makes a new idea. Put a space in between each speaker. If needed, you can edit into more paragraph in the final copy.
- After finishing the initial draft, listen to the tape again. Read the transcribed interview at the same time. Do corrections, if necessary.
- Now start editing. Spell out abbreviations and clear all punctuations.
- Correct grammar and the content in the final copy.
- Edit excessive use of verbal tics like “I mean”, “you know” etc. You can also edit ‘um’, ‘uh’ like fillers, which is a distraction while delivering message of the total interview.
- Save each stages of your typed interview in a separate file for further reference.
- Check spelling for the last time. Now it is ready for publication.
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