Transcription Study Guide 2026

Everything you need to pass the Transcription exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.

📋 Transcription Exam Format at a Glance

157
Questions
120 min
Time Limit
80.00%
Passing Score

📚 Transcription Topics to Study (21)

✍️ Sample Transcription Questions & Answers

1. What is the purpose of 'speaker identification' in a multi-speaker transcript?
To clearly label who is speaking at each point so the transcript is easy to follow

Identifying and labeling each speaker makes the transcript readable and useful, especially in interviews, focus groups, or multi-party meetings.

2. What is the process of converting audio and video files into text called?
Media transcription

The specific term for converting both audio and video files into written text is "media transcription." This encompasses a broad range of content, from interviews and podcasts to films and documentaries. It is a specialized form of transcription that deals with the complexities of various media formats.

3. What is the standard way to handle a speaker's laughter in a verbatim transcript?
Use [laughter] in brackets to indicate the non-verbal sound

Bracketed notations like [laughter] are the standard way to capture non-verbal sounds in verbatim transcripts without disrupting the readability of the text.

4. In business transcription, what type of recording is most commonly submitted for transcription services?
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.

5. What does 'time coding' every 30 seconds in a transcript enable the client to do?
Quickly navigate to any specific moment in the audio using the text as a guide

Regular time codes allow clients to jump directly to any part of the audio by finding the nearest time code in the transcript.

6. What is the correct transcription of the Latin abbreviation 'qid'?
Four times a day

'Qid' stands for 'quater in die,' a Latin phrase meaning four times a day, commonly used in medication dosing.

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Your Transcription Study Path
1. Learn with Flashcards → 2. Drill Practice Tests → 3. Take the Full Exam Simulation