putting the narrator's words on paper: from tape to transcript

"Yours is not to complete the task, but neither are you free to abstain from it." (Rabbi Tarfon)

Typically, several people work sequentially to create a transcript of a single interview.

First, listen and transcribe the interview according to these directions.

DO NOT TRANSCRIBE ANYTHING BEFORE THE FORMAL BEGINNING OF THE INTERVIEW. Sometimes the narrator and interview team will chat while they are setting up and they do not mean for their conversations to be part of the interview.

Second, a different person should audit the transcription, that is, sit with the written transcript in hand, listening to the interview, and comparing the spoken words with the written words. Mark any discrepancies on the written transcript of the audio and make corrections. The auditor should highlight any words he or she has questions about.

Third, choose a careful writer to proofread the transcript. The proofreader should check the spellings of names, towns, cases, and all other proper nouns as carefully as possible. The proofreader should look for common errors in punctuation and spelling, some of which are listed on the instructions for transcribing page. The proofreader should highlight (or leave highlighted) any words she or he has questions about.

Fourth, the director must review the transcript, highlighting potential problem areas.

Fifth, after the director reviews and approves the draft transcript, send two copies of draft interview transcript with a cover letter, donation form, and permission for web publication form to the narrator along with a big envelope with sufficient postage and addressed to the Texas After Violence Project. Follow these directions.

Edit or revise the transcript following the narrator's review. If the narrator corrects spelling, change the spelling according to the narrator's instructions. If the narrator changes something (for example, corrects himself about a year, write the corrected year in brackets: I started practicing law in [1985]. The brackets tell the reader and listener or viewer of an interview that the discrepancy between the tape and the transcript is purposeful.