FAQ's

What is Transcription?

Transcription is the process of converting audio recordings into text.

Can a transcript be customized to help identify specific information?

Identifiers can be used such as:

Gender (male/woman)
Name of Speaker(s)

Questions can be marked in the following ways:

With a Q designating when a question is asked
With a Q and the question that was asked
With a Q and just the gist, (a summary) of the question asked

Specific Formats can be used such as:

Verbatim
Smart Copy

The Process:

How long does transcription take?

To transcribe a hour long recording it generally takes up to 4 hours, depending on audio quality, formatting requirements, accents, etc.

How would I submit my recording for transcription?

We accept work via an internet online ftp (File Transfer Protocol) site. Transcripts are returned as email attachments in Word .doc format.

What is the average turnaround time?

Normally 24-48 hours depending upon when project is received, format, audio quality, length of recording, and the number of speakers. For faster service please request a "RUSH" quote.

Transcription Format Terminology:

Definition of Verbatim:

Transcribing word for word including, but not limited to:

um's, er's, I mean's, you know's, like's, etc.
Repeated words or stutters
Reaction sounds (i.e., laugh, cough, sigh, clap, etc.)
Partial words (i.e., someth-,)

Definition of Smart Copy:

Without changing words or sentence structure

Transcribe exactly what is said without any um's, ur's, stutters, or false starts.
Correct grammar (i.e., gonna = going to)
No "And" sentence starters

What does a transcript look like?

Below is an excerpt of a script based transcript with Male & Woman Identifiers:

Male:

Spell check is every one's best friend as it is a quick way to go through and check your spelling. All of us can spell something incorrectly any time even a very common word. This is a good way to help catch typos.

Woman:

Right clicking on things that are underlined in word with either the yellow squiggles or the red squiggles can give you options so that you are making corrections, much more efficiently and quickly as well.

2 Column Cell Format with Q's & Questions Sample:

Do I have permission to tape this to be used in my dissertation and follow on book?

Yes, that would be preferred just to, um, make sure we've got everything accurate and so on.

Would you like me to email you for permission on any specific quotes prior to using them?

Yes.

What got you started in your career?

When I first found, um, about my line of work, it had been going for awhile and I was at a crossroads of sorts. I was in a job that I didn't enjoy for over 15 years. Published books and had been doing training and workshops and so on. At that time I was the, um, Senior Vice President in the company.

Recording Suggestions

Digital recordings produce the highest quality audio. As a best practice, test that your recording is clear and all speakers can be heard without difficulty. We also accept cassette tapes for transcription.

Our Expertise

Production Companies

Films
Training videos
Documentary interviews
Product commercials/testimonials

Events

Seminars
Webinars
POD Casts
Trainings
Presentations

Publishers

Author interviews
Research interviews

Academic Papers

Research interviews
White papers

Memoirs

Individuals

Dictations
Projects

Market Research Groups

Letter A Lady of Letters, Inc. is your One-Stop-Solution for Creative Transcription. We transcribe any audios that are not legal or medical in nature such as:

Videos/Films
Streaming Media
Podcasts
Interviews
Presentations
Meetings
Conferences

Lectures
Seminars
Dictations
Focus Groups
Brainstorming Sessions
Or any other recorded event

We provide copy typing upon request.

Our services are always dependable, professional, and strictly confidential!

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