Transcription Verbatim and Edited Transcription Techniques 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the defining characteristic of strict verbatim transcription?
- Every spoken word, filler, and non-verbal sound is captured exactly as heard (Correct answer)
- Only the main ideas and key points are recorded
- Grammar errors are corrected while preserving meaning
- Speaker identification tags are always omitted
Correct answer: Every spoken word, filler, and non-verbal sound is captured exactly as heard
Strict verbatim transcription captures every utterance exactly as spoken, including fillers like 'um,' false starts, repetitions, and non-verbal sounds.
Question 2: Which type of transcription is most commonly required for legal depositions?
- Edited/clean transcription
- Strict verbatim transcription (Correct answer)
- Intelligent verbatim transcription
- Summarized transcription
Correct answer: Strict verbatim transcription
Legal depositions require strict verbatim transcription because every word spoken under oath must be preserved exactly, including hesitations and corrections, as they can be legally significant.
Question 3: In verbatim transcription, how should a false start be handled?
- Delete it and only transcribe the completed sentence
- Correct it to show what the speaker meant to say
- Transcribe it exactly as spoken, including the incomplete portion (Correct answer)
- Replace it with an ellipsis and continue with the next complete sentence
Correct answer: Transcribe it exactly as spoken, including the incomplete portion
False starts must be transcribed exactly as spoken in verbatim transcription because omitting them would alter the authentic record of what was said.
Question 4: What is a 'false start' in the context of transcription?
- A recording that begins before the speaker is ready
- When a speaker begins a sentence, stops, and restarts before completing the thought (Correct answer)
- An inaudible section at the start of an audio file
- A mispronounced word that is corrected mid-sentence
Correct answer: When a speaker begins a sentence, stops, and restarts before completing the thought
A false start occurs when a speaker begins to say something, stops mid-thought, and then restarts — for example, 'I was — we were going to the store.'
Question 5: Which type of transcription removes filler words such as 'um,' 'uh,' and 'you know'?
- Strict verbatim
- Phonetic transcription
- Intelligent verbatim (clean verbatim) (Correct answer)
- Phonemic transcription
Correct answer: Intelligent verbatim (clean verbatim)
Intelligent verbatim (also called clean verbatim or edited transcription) removes filler words and false starts while preserving the speaker's meaning and sentence structure.
Question 6: In strict verbatim transcription, how should audible laughter be represented?
- It is silently omitted as it is not speech
- It is written out phonetically as 'ha ha ha'
- It is noted with a bracketed descriptor such as [laughter] (Correct answer)
- It is replaced with '(pause)' to indicate the interruption
Correct answer: It is noted with a bracketed descriptor such as [laughter]
Non-verbal sounds like laughter are captured in strict verbatim transcription using bracketed descriptors (e.g., [laughter]) to provide a complete record of the interaction.
Question 7: For which project type is strict verbatim transcription most appropriate?
- A corporate training video meant to be read by employees
- A research interview where the speaker's exact hesitations and emotions matter (Correct answer)
- A podcast transcript published on a website for readability
- A keynote speech summary for an executive briefing
Correct answer: A research interview where the speaker's exact hesitations and emotions matter
Research interviews often require strict verbatim transcription because hesitations, pauses, and emotional cues are data points that researchers analyze for qualitative studies.
Transcription Verbatim and Edited Transcription Techniques 1
What is the defining characteristic of strict verbatim transcription?