TRANSCRIBING AND TRANSCRIPTION--Why Transcribe?
Adapted from the Utah State Historical Society “How to Conduct an Oral History” Booklet.
Why Transcribe?
The reason for transcripts—are to record, to illuminate, to re-present, and to facilitate analysis. –Willow Roberts Powers, Transcription Techniques for the Spoken Word, 2.
The transcribed interview is much easier for researchers to use than an audio tape. There is value to listening to a transcript, but researchers overwhelmingly prefer a transcript for ease and speed of use.
A corrected transcript may be more accurate and complete because the recorded works were put down in writing while the narrator was still available to clear up obscurities. Words that are hard to hear can be checked by the actual speaker; questions that were inadequately answered can be expanded by written comments.
You have something to show for your efforts. A permanent record. A monument to a life.
It’s generally expected by the scholarly community.
The Time and Cost of Transcribing
Transcribing is hard, time-consuming work. Many people think it is also mechanical, neither challenging nor interesting. They are, ultimately, wrong. For those of us with an interest in human beings and language, the work of transcribing broadens our experience of speech, gives the analytical mind much more to play with than the text itself ever well, and strengthens our memory for the work that lies ahead….We talk a great deal; the opportunity to do nothing but listen is a rare treat. –Willow Roberts Powers, Transcription Techniques for the Spoken Word, 10.
You can expect to expend an average of six to twelve typing hours for each hour of recording. Then it will have to be edited, corrected, and final editing. The last quote I got for a transcription (2019) was $8 a transcribed page which is about $120 for an hour interview. This is something to plan for in your budget if you don’t plan doing the transcription yourself.
If you do plan to do the transcription yourself, you’ll need to budget your time. If you have good transcription software and a foot pedal, it will still take 3-6 minutes of transcription for audio, so you can anticipate 3 to six hours for an hour of audio. Donald Ritchie recommends every interviewer does at least one transcription to understand the importance of a good quality recording. This may also encourage you to avoid “uh-huh” and other interruptions during an interview.