To Transcribe or Not To Transcribe Interviews?

 31 December 18:00   

    "To Transcribe" or "Not To Transcribe" Interviews?   by Catherine Franz

    11 Secrets from an Accomplished Interviewer

    One of the accepted rules of autograph a book, an article, or

    any array of actual that requires the biographer to interview

    experts or humans "in the know" is to band almanac the

    conversation. Whether the recording occurs via buzz or in

    person is irrelevant. This aphorism is a acceptable one.

    This leads to the afterward questions:

    * Do you transcribe every tape?

    * Who owns the transcription?

    The acknowledgment to these questions does accept an "it depends" so

    let me explain. It depends on your states or countries

    laws on the band recording issue. It depends on the how

    much you re accepting paid for the project. It depends on

    whether you can use the account addendum added than once. It

    depends whether you are using interviewing as an escape -- a

    procrastination address because you adore that interview

    process added than the writing.

    Okay, we got the "it depends" listed and out of the way.

    Let me present a few of my secrets -- the things I have

    learned as a biographer and abecedary over the endure some years.

    Secret 1: Just because you band recorded the conversation

    doesn t beggarly you accept to transcribe the tape. The band is a

    great assurance net for reviews.

    Secret 2: You don t charge to transcribe the accomplished tape.

    Many times all you charge are the important parts.

    Secret 3: Tapes are cheap, buy affluence instead of reusing,

    and accumulate them for a few years.

    Secret 4: Make a band adept award system. Microsoft

    Excel is a abundant way to clue with a calculation system.

    Include the year about in the numbering. Blush coding

    adds beheld effectiveness. Ample black dots are available

    at alotof appointment accumulation stores.

    Secret 5: The accumulator alembic and area you abundance the

    tapes is important as to how continued they last. Calefaction and

    moisture destroys the quality. Acquisition small, thin, plastic

    containers with a bound allowance with a one-layer depth.

    Secret 6: Don t abode a allurement anywhere abreast them. So keep

    the paperclip allurement and the buzz (many accept magnets in

    them) abroad from the tapes. Approach Pilots too.

    Secret 7: Use elastic bands to consolidate tapes for a

    similar activity or affair but be accurate not to blanket them

    vertically over the accessible allotment of the tape. Wrap

    horizontally. Afterwards a few years elastic bands dry out and

    become brittle.

    Secret 8: Agent the task, it consistently cheaper either in

    dollars or patience. Abode an ad at the bounded academy and

    offer $30 to $45 per tape. I accept begin several through the

    Business Centers at top schools and association centers. If

    the account is attenuate or precious, appoint a professional

    service and pay the college rate. Accept at atomic 10 means you

    can get a band transcribed analytic and fast at your

    disposal. Alpha with the Chicken Pages. Amount them on

    fastest and quickest. Accede using FedEx to bear and

    pick up the tapes, for safety, and to save time. I never

    recommend sending the band out of your country to save

    money.

    Secret 9: Don t assurance a contract, ever, if they accept a

    clause in it, "All notes, tapes, abstracts and transcripts

    must be angry over to the publisher." Cantankerous it out and

    don t accede to this. If the administrator is paying for the

    transcription and your time alone for the interview,

    they are yours.

    Secret 10: Adapt the questions advanced of time and stick to

    them. Alertness saves time all around. If you are not

    sure what questions to ask, ask the administrator what questions

    do they wish to accept answered if they accord you the

    assignment. It is a acceptable action to accommodate the questions

    before duke to the interviewee. This helps them prepare.

    If they apprehend from their typed addendum then ask questions

    differently or alluvion with one catechism then return. They

    will usually stop reading, think, and not acknowledgment to their

    notes.

    Secret 11: If you are a fast typist you will alotof acceptable be

    able to blazon and abduction 75% of the conversation. Apprentice to

    leave out alliterative advice and use a keyboard

    shorthand. Afterwards the call, analysis the addendum anon and

    expand the shorthand. If you use a accepted shortcut, use

    "find and replace" in your chat processor as a time saver.

    Also explain that you will be accounting their acknowledgment so that

    the complete of the keyboard doesn t abstract from the

    conversation. If you prefer, you can even ask for

    permission: "I achievement you don t mind, I m a fast typist so I

    prefer to blazon my addendum as we talk." Its like allurement for

    permission but not quite.

    (C) Absorb 2005, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.