The transcription is a word-for-word written interpretation of the oral history interview. The purpose of transcription is to enhance the accessibility of the recorded interview. However, the important nuances of an interview itself may be lost during the process of recording and subsequent transcription, including but not limited to the gestures and facial expressions, verbal cadence and inflection, rapport between the interviewer and narrator, and tone of the conversation.
The transcription should reflect the words spoken by the narrator and interviewer along with a timestamp indicating when the words were spoken. Here is the basic format:
Narrator Name: Santa Claus
Interviewer Name: Easter Bunny
Interview Date (MM/DD/YYYY): 01/01/2001
Interview Location (place or address, city, state): Santa's workshop, North Pole
Acronyms: SC (Santa Claus), EB (Easter Bunny)
[Begin Transcript 00:02:00]
EB: Thank you for inviting me to your workshop. Today I would like to discuss changes in toy making over time. Let's get started by talking about today's toys. What do you consider to be today's most popular toys?
SC: Well, as you might expect, Mr. Bunny, electronic toys like video games are growing in popularity. But, the staples, like stuffed animals, toy cars and trucks, and musical instruments, are still very popular.
[End Transcript 00:03:30]
The key to good transcription is consistency. Here are a few basic tips for transcribing interviews:
Capitalize proper names of institutions, organizations, persons, places, and things according to standard English practice.
Use timestamps consistently (HH:MM:SS). For example, timestamp changes in conversation or changes in speaker.*
Avoid abbreviations. Spell out okay, Texas, et cetera
Use brackets for clarification. For example, They [the school board] voted down the proposal.
Crutch words (uh, um, etc.) or false starts (She – she said) may or may not be transcribed.*
Spell out numbers unless referring to dates or addresses (street numbers and postal codes)
Use parentheses or brackets for sounds other than talking. For example, (knock at door) or [dog barking]*
Take your time. Listen. Type. Listen again.
Recording Oral History by
In this second editon of Recording Oral History, Valerie Raleigh Yow builds on the foundation of her classic text. One of the most widely used and highly regarded textbooks ever published in the field, Yow's updated edition now includes new material on using the internet, an examination of the interactions between oral history and memory processes, and analysis of testimony and the interpretation of meanings in different contexts. Written in a clear, accessible style, this new volume offers historians, social scientists and other practitioners engaged in this difficult, rewarding work a scholarly and practical guide to the methods of oral history. It will interest researchers and students in a wide variety of disciplines including history, sociology, anthropology, education, psychology, social work and ethnographic methods.
The SAGE Handbook of Interview Research by
The new edition of this landmark volume emphasizes the dynamic, interactional and reflexive dimensions of the research interview. Contributors highlight the myriad dimensions of complexity that are emerging as researchers increasingly frame the interview as a communicative opportunity as much as a data-gathering format. The book begins with the history and conceptual transformations of the interview, which is followed by chapters that discuss the main components of interview practice. Taken together, the contributions to the Handbook encourage readers simultaneously to learn the frameworks and technologies of interviewing and to reflect on the epistemological foundations of the interview craft.
Explore the links below:
