Manchester University’s Realities centre has challenged many people’s view that transcription is a straightforward process that doesn’t need to be included in the project planning stage. This is why many students are taking advantage of the discounted rates we offer for a university transcription service.
The Manchester University Realities centre identify the following points:
● Project planning – every hour’s recording will take around four to seven hours to transcribe, depending on your typing skills, the quality of the recording and the complexity of the interview. If you do 40 interviews each lasting one hour, this translates into 160-240 hours transcribing, which means around 23 to 34 days solid typing. Allow extra time for poor quality recording, if the recordings involve more than one participant, if English is not the native tongue of the speaker(s) and if the student does not type quickly.
● Recording tips – good quality recordings are quicker to transcribe than poor quality ones. Even small recorders will often have adjustable settings for recording in different situations. Checking the manual and experimenting with different settings in advance can really help sound quality. Choose as quiet a location as possible.
● Equipment and software – you can transcribe using a standard media player, but it is much quicker to use a foot pedal and transcribing software.
● Redacting personal information – ensure you are compliant with new GDPR rules. If possible/applicable, redact any personal identifying information from the transcripts.
If you are a Manchester University student and you require a university transcription service, get in touch with us to let us know which language, the volume, subject matter and any particular formatting requirements. We can then calculate a discounted rate for your approval. Just mention this blog to qualify and one of our project managers will be happy to help you.
Learn more
You can also learn more about our transcriptions for academic research here: Transcriptions for Academic Research.
