| 1> | | | | they will be able to turn it around for you much |
| This article aims to provide advice to conference | | | | faster. |
| organisers in obtaining transcription that is accurate, | | | | Now, why might it take longer than four times the |
| timely and complete. Itsuggests ways in which the | | | | length of the recording? There are wide variety of |
| conference organiser can help the transcriptionist to | | | | reasons. Four times is the industry standard for a |
| ensure that the transcription is good quality and free | | | | good, clear one-to-one interview with no background |
| of errors. | | | | noise, good recording quality and no strong accents. |
| This article aims to provide advice to conference | | | | It also does not take into account the possibility of |
| organisers in obtaining transcription that is accurate, | | | | specialist or technical terms, with which the |
| timely and complete. It suggests ways in which the | | | | transcriptionist will need to become familiar. So if you |
| conference organiser can help the transcriptionist to | | | | have any of those issues there will be extra time |
| ensure that the transcription is good quality and free | | | | involved. |
| of errors. | | | | Question and answer sessions are often tricky |
| The most important piece of advice I would give as | | | | because of the range of different voices involved. |
| a transcriptionist is that if you’re going to | | | | This applies to the audience but also to a panel if you |
| have your conference transcribed you should arrange | | | | are having panel sessions. |
| for completion of the transcription even before the | | | | What can you do to reduce the time and therefore |
| conference even takes place! Of course you are | | | | the cost? Firstly you can make sure that you have |
| going to want to send the transcript (or your | | | | roaming microphones’ that can be carried |
| interpretation of it) out to your speakers and | | | | around the audience, so that questions are actually |
| delegates as soon as possible after the conference | | | | audible on the recording. Also a good conference |
| takes place, but a conference is a significant chunk of | | | | recording set-up so that your main speakers can be |
| work to transcribe. | | | | clearly heard and individual microphones for each |
| Let’s take an example of a conference where | | | | member of the panel. |
| the talks (and possible workshops etc.) total 5 hours. | | | | Another very useful tip is to provide the |
| Even if you have excellent audio recording equipment | | | | transcriptionist with both a speaker list and a |
| and supremely clear speakers, with minimal question | | | | delegate list. Then during the conference ask the |
| and answer sessions or workshops (the point of | | | | chairman to ask all delegates to state their name and |
| which I will explain in a moment) the time taken to | | | | position before asking the question. The |
| transcribe is going to be four times as long as the | | | | transcriptionist may not be sure of the spelling but |
| recording — so you’re looking at an | | | | can then refer back to the delegate list to insert the |
| absolute minimum length of time taken in this | | | | correct spelling into the transcript. The same applies, |
| example of 20 hours. Twenty hours of work is | | | | of course, to speakers. |
| probably a minimum of three days work for one | | | | It is also very useful to provide the transcriptionist |
| person, and there’s a very good chance it will | | | | with any supporting material on the conference that |
| take longer. | | | | you have available as this will help to establish key |
| Now if you start ringing round transcription companies | | | | words’, words that may be not in common |
| once you have the recording ready to send, and | | | | usage but particularly relevant to the topic of the |
| you’re hoping to have the transcript returned | | | | conference. A good transcriptionist will also probably |
| to you in two or three days, you’re probably | | | | be able to search out most unusual words using |
| going to be out of luck. A good, established | | | | Google or a similar search engine, but this takes extra |
| transcription company, employing fully trained and | | | | time, and if you have already provided material to |
| competent transcriptionists who are able not just to | | | | help time will be saved. |
| type but also to proof-read and edit, recognise the | | | | Finally, if at all possible (and you may be at the |
| correct homophones (words that sound the same | | | | mercy of the conference venue) make a digital |
| but are spelt differently), and punctuate English | | | | recording, rather than a recording on cassette tapes. |
| correctly, is probably not going to be sitting there | | | | Digital recordings have a variety of advantages |
| waiting for your call. Although you might strike lucky | | | | (please see some of my other articles for details) but |
| they will probably be booked up for at least a few | | | | importantly they are usually better quality than tapes |
| days! | | | | and they can be worked on by more than one |
| So if you book in your recording before the | | | | transcriptionist at the same time, meaning that your |
| conference and agree to send it on a certain date, | | | | transcription will be completed sooner. |