Transcription Verbatim and Edited Transcription Techniques

Question 1

What is the defining characteristic of strict verbatim transcription?

Accepted Answer

Every spoken word, filler, and non-verbal sound is captured exactly as heard

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

Strict verbatim transcription

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

Transcribe it exactly as spoken, including the incomplete portion

Answer

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?

Accepted Answer

When a speaker begins a sentence, stops, and restarts before completing the thought

Answer

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'?

Accepted Answer

Intelligent verbatim (clean verbatim)

Answer

Intelligent verbatim (also called clean verbatim or edited transcription) removes filler words and false starts while preserving the speaker's meaning and sentence structure.

Transcription Practice Test

Transcription Practice Test

Transcription Verbatim and Edited Transcription Techniques