Transcription Business and General Transcription Standards 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the industry-standard accuracy rate expected for professional transcription deliverables?
- 98–99% or higher (Correct answer)
- 90–95%
- 85–90%
- 100% with no exceptions
Correct answer: 98–99% or higher
Professional transcription services are generally expected to deliver 98–99%+ accuracy, as errors below this threshold can significantly impact the usability of the transcript.
Question 2: What is a 'non-disclosure agreement' (NDA) in the context of transcription work?
- A contract requiring the transcriptionist to keep client content confidential (Correct answer)
- A billing agreement between transcriptionist and client
- A quality assurance checklist for completed transcripts
- A licensing agreement for transcription software
Correct answer: A contract requiring the transcriptionist to keep client content confidential
An NDA in transcription requires the transcriptionist to keep all audio content and transcripts strictly confidential and not share them with third parties.
Question 3: What does 'per audio minute' pricing mean in transcription billing?
- The client is charged based on the length of the audio file, not the time it takes to transcribe (Correct answer)
- The transcriptionist is paid by how many minutes they spend working
- The rate applies only to audio under 60 minutes
- The price changes based on how fast the speaker talks
Correct answer: The client is charged based on the length of the audio file, not the time it takes to transcribe
Per audio minute pricing bills the client based on the duration of the recording, making it predictable and standard across the transcription industry.
Question 4: What is a 'style sheet' provided to a transcriptionist before a project?
- Client-specific formatting rules, terminology preferences, and output requirements (Correct answer)
- A template for invoicing completed work
- A list of abbreviations used in the audio
- A guide to the speaker's accent and speaking style
Correct answer: Client-specific formatting rules, terminology preferences, and output requirements
A style sheet defines the client's preferred formatting conventions, punctuation styles, speaker labeling, and terminology to ensure consistent output.
Question 5: In business transcription, what type of recording is most commonly submitted for transcription services?
- Meeting recordings and conference calls (Correct answer)
- Courtroom proceedings
- Medical dictations
- Personal diary entries
Correct answer: Meeting recordings and conference calls
Business meetings and conference calls are the most common source of audio submitted to general transcription services by corporate clients.
Question 6: What does 'transcription turnaround time' of '24-hour TAT' mean for a client?
- The completed transcript will be delivered within 24 hours of the audio file being submitted (Correct answer)
- The transcription will take exactly 24 hours of actual work
- The client must review and approve the transcript within 24 hours
- The file will be deleted from the system after 24 hours
Correct answer: The completed transcript will be delivered within 24 hours of the audio file being submitted
A 24-hour TAT commitment means the client will receive the completed transcript within one calendar day of submitting the audio file.
Transcription Business and General Transcription Standards 1
What is the industry-standard accuracy rate expected for professional transcription deliverables?