Audio Transcription - What is Intelligent Verbatim Transcription?

Intelligent verbatim transcription is the process of converting recorded speech into text, cutting out redundant words and phrases.

We do not speak in logical, coherent sentences with a clear beginning, middle and end. If you take a moment to listen into a conversation between two people you will hear plenty of sentences left incomplete as the speaker's train of thought takes them elsewhere. Or the same word might be repeated over and over as they seek to find ways to express themselves. Other pauses for thought are represented by filler expressions such as: kind of, sort of, you know.

Sometimes it's important to capture exactly how someone speaks including all these filler, repeats, pauses and even the 'ums' and the 'ers'. This is called verbatim transcription and is often required in a legal context or when studying the details of what happened in particular situation, such as transcribing the recording of words spoken by aircrew just before an air accident.

However, most transcription aims to capture the meaning of what is said, not exactly how it was said, and this is called Intelligent Verbatim Transcription. When converting a speech or interview into text the main priority is often to capture the meaning of what is being spoken and not every last word used.

Intelligent audio transcription allows the filler words, the repeats and other irrelevant material to be stripped out.

The flavour of the speech is retained by including the half-complete sentences and the sudden changes in direction. The transcriber must refrain from correcting grammar and making small additions or deletions which they consider to be improvements. As far as possible the transcriber must remain objective, only eliminating material which is clearly surplus and irrelevant.

Intelligent Verbatim Transcription is less detailed than verbatim transcription and is often slightly cheaper because it is quicker to prepare.

Andrew Michaels is a UK based freelance writer with twenty years experience in management, finance and recruitment. His freelance writing business, Write Combination offers a range of writing services including audio transcription of English. http://www.writecombination.comAuthor:A MichaelsSource: http://EzineArticles.com/