Finding Affordable Transcription for Research Interviews

If you?ve conducted some research including one-to-one interviews, and then realised how much work is involved in transcribing them, you?ll probably be looking for an affordable transcription service. There are many transcription services available but sometimes an affordable transcription service can seem hard to find. Transcription is not cheap, because it is a lot more involved than copy typing, but that doesn?t mean you can?t find affordable transcription, and what?s more, by providing good quality recordings you can make the transcription more affordable, as it will take less time to complete.

You could do the transcription yourself, but if you are not a fast touch-typist and do not have specialist transcription equipment then it will take you a very long time. I have had clients come to me saying they started the work themselves and it was taking them 20 hours to produce a transcript of a 1-hour recording. That?s why they ended up using a transcription service!

The most important thing to remember is that it?s just not possible to type as fast as you speak. Even an experienced transcriptionist will be able to average four times as long for a good, clear one-to-one interview ? so an hour of recording will take an average of four hours to transcribe. ( Industry standards obtained from the Industry Production Standards Guide (I998), published by OBC, Columbus, OH, USA) Transcriptionists also have to make sense of what?s being said, punctuate the speech correctly and use the right homophones (words like there/their/they?re that sound the same but are spelt differently.)

So how can you make sure that your transcript is clear, in order to get an affordable transcription price? Basically, the easier you make the transcription for the transcriptionist, the more likely they are to be able to give you an affordable transcription quote.

First of all, use the best transcription equipment you can afford, and make sure it?s fit for purpose. This means that for interviews you should have a recorded with an external microphone rather than one built into the recorder, which is only designed to pick up one voice dictating. For focus groups you should have several microphones so that all participants are close to a mike, and for conferences the speakers should have good microphones and there should also be people in the audience with ?roving? microphones to take around to any audience members wanting to ask a question.

More and more transcriptionists are only taking on digital work now, rather than tapes, so to give yourself the broadest base to chose from you might want to consider using a digital recording method. These are also usually better quality.

Next, you should prepare well before each interview. Make sure that, if at all possible you have arranged a quiet meeting room, as background noise will dramatically increase the time taken to transcribe the recording, as the transcriptionist may have to listen to sections several times in order to capture the interview speech. It is helpful to spell out your interviewee?s name at the beginning of the tape, before starting the interview, and speak out any information you would like on the transcript header e.g. the date, the job title of your interviewee etc.

During the interview, unless you need to interrupt in order to take back control of the interview, try not to speak over your interviewee. Often in a normal conversation we say ?yeah, yeah, yeah? or ?right? or ?OK? more to indicate we?re listening than for any other reason. Every time you say that you are likely to be obscuring a much more important word or group of words spoken by your interviewee.

After the interview, it is enormously helpful if you can include a list of key words for the transcriptionist. Although we?re happy to go on a ?Google hunt?, searching the internet to find out how to spell technical terms, names of drugs, names of organisations etc., if you can provide this info in advance it certainly saves time, and saving time saves you money, again reaching toward that goal of an affordable transcription price. Technical work will always be more expensive than non-technical, but providing a ?crib sheet? of key words should reduce the cost.

Most transcriptionists work in a standard format, whether that be tabular, tabbed, interviews shown as initials or full names etc. Again most are happy to work to your specifications, but the standard format might well be cheaper, so think carefully about whether you need something different or not. Find out what the standard format is in advance if it concerns you, and you may be able to adapt it to your needs. If, for instance, it?s essential that you have speakers in different fonts or different colours, this will add to the price. It might be more cost-effective for you to put this in when the basic transcript is returned to you!

Finally, give some serious thought to whether or not you need a verbatim transcription. Verbatim transcription includes every repeated word, every ?um? and ?erm?, all those ?filler? phrases like ?you know? and ?know what I mean? that may be repeated a hundred times in one interview, and can also include pauses, coughs, throat clearing etc. if required. Needless to say if this takes longer. If the transcriptionist can filter out all this stuff the transcript is quicker. In my company the cheapest level is what we call ?intelligent verbatim? which cuts out all these fillers but leaves the rest exactly as it?s spoken. Different transcriptionists work this differently though, so always check when you?re phoning for your quote. Here are some brief examples. Somewhat more expensive is edited, which corrects the grammar and any mispronounced words as well as knocking out all the fillers.

Verbatim: Erm ? well, I dunno really, know what I mean? I mean, you know, when I asked them what Mary?s, er, um, condish, condit, condition was, they said like erm ?I?m afraid we can?t, erm, tell you that, Mrs. Smith, ?cause you ain?t a relative.?

Intelligent Verbatim: Well, I dunno really. I mean when I asked them what Mary?s condition was they said ?I?m afraid we can?t tell you that, Mrs Smith, ?cause you ain?t a relative.?

Edited: Well I don?t know really. I mean when I asked them what Mary?s condition was they said ?I?m afraid we can?t tell you that, Mrs Smith, because you are not a relative.?

You can see that a whole extra line of typing is required for the verbatim work in just those few short sentences.

There are occasions when verbatim is required ? depending on your topic it might be required for legal reasons, or you might be studying the language. But if you really don?t need it, don?t end up paying for it!

There are many excellent reasons for interviewing groups of people, but don?t do this in order to try to reduce the transcription cost! It takes much longer to transcribe a group of more than two or three people (including the moderator/interviewer) because of the time taken to distinguish the different voices and the fact that people will inevitably talk over each other, especially when they get excited, enthusiastic, impassioned or angry.

And finally, a note of caution: remember that the cheapest transcription quote might not be the most affordable one in the end. There is an oft-quoted phrase: if you pay peanuts you get monkeys. Will it really be cost-effective to send your hard-won interviews to the cheapest service if what comes back is gobbledygook and you have to go through the whole thing correcting every other word? How much time will you then waste that could have been spent more productively on your analysis?

Anne Hickley has many years experience in a wide variety of administrative posts. Roles have included provision of secretarial services, PA work, project management and administration, academic and business report writing and editing, and recruitment. She has worked for a range of companies and institutions from SMEs to multinational businesses. Anne has a degree and a doctorate, and also holds the Diploma in Recruitment Practice, the membership qualification for the Recruitment and Employment Confederation.

She runs her own small business, Penguin Office Services (http://www.penguinofficeservices.co.uk) and has a website specifically dedicated to transcription at http://www.penguin-transcription.co.uk These provide a wide variety of administrative services to clients around the world, from corporates to individuals.

This article is copyright, Anne Hickley, 2007.

Medical Transcription Business

Medical transcription refers to the transcribing of medical records that have been dictated by health care professionals. This could be analysis, progress reports, chart notes, physicals, histories, and even letters. However, given the lack of time, most healthcare professionals simply dictate notes. Converting them into typed documents has opened up opportunities for several transcription businesses. People who perform the task of a medical transcription are known as a medical transcriptionist or a medical transcriber. There is an increasing risk of litigation faced by health care professionals. Hence, keeping a record of every piece of information has become essential. For this very reason, many people are now looking forward to starting a medical transcription business.

If an individual has a strong understanding of medical terminology and procedures, he can use the expertise and can establish a successful business in medical transcription. Medical transcriptionists generally make good amount of money by transforming physicians' dictated medical records into written copies. People consider this a lucrative business. The start-up costs are fairly low; hence, financing is required in very few cases. The infrastructure that a medical transcription business would essentially require includes computers, word processing software, an audio cassette player, and an Internet connection.

Skills and training that are needed to succeed as medical transcribers include a degree that can be offered by many vocational schools, community colleges, or online courses. The transcriptionists must also have very good listening skills to be able to decipher dictated notes. They should be able to type fast and accurately. An aptitude for medical science and language can also help.

Hospitals, physicians, medical and diagnostic laboratories, outpatient care centers, offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, audiologists and counselors are typical clients requiring medical transcription services. Transcription businesses can approach these organizations in order to acquire their transcription work. They may present in the form of monthly assignments or projects. They can get paid according to these assignments or on monthly basis.

Due to the continually evolving medical industry and new terminologies, it is essential for businesses to keep themselves informed of the latest jargon used in the industry. It is essential to refresh the knowledge base every three years and get certificates to justify the same.

Medical Transcription provides detailed information on Medical Transcription, Medical Transcription Service, Medical Transcription Courses, Medical Transcription at Home and more. Medical Transcription is affiliated with Online Medical Transcription Courses.

Medical Transcription Resumes

In the constantly changing job market, a well-written, effective resume is an excellent tool for finding a desirable job. This applies to all fields, including that of medical transcription. A medical transcriber's resume needs to be written in such a manner that it instantly captivates the reader's attention. A well-written resume arouses interest in meeting candidates and learning more about them. Each resume has its own way of communicating and creating an impression. However, it is advisable for candidates to take into consideration certain things while writing a medical transcription resume.

The resume is required to clearly state the career objectives of candidates, which must match the job for which they are applying. It is essential to be precise on the skills and capabilities candidates have acquired in the field of medical transcription. It is advisable to mention personal interests only if they present talents or experience that support the career interest.

People writing medical transcription resumes need not focus on size constraints, as a resume can be of one or more pages depending on the experience of the person. On the other hand, it is also important to bear in mind that the number of pages does not necessarily increase with experience. Employers may be sometimes reluctant in picking and reading long resumes relating to medical transcription. Thus, a good medical transcription resumes should be brief, simple to read and interesting.

The skills and training that are needed to succeed as a medical transcriber are proven by a degree, which can be offered by many vocational schools, community colleges, and online courses. Many institutes also offer a Certified Medical Transcriptionist (CMT) designation from the American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT). Individuals who plan to write their resume need to mention their education qualifications. They can also state other qualifications and diplomas if any. It is important for a medical transcriber to possess an expert level of understanding of medical terms, spellings, and diagnostic procedures.

Medical transcribers can choose from a number of different types of resumes. This includes chronological resume, functional resume and combination resume.

Medical Transcription provides detailed information on Medical Transcription, Medical Transcription Service, Medical Transcription Courses, Medical Transcription at Home and more. Medical Transcription is affiliated with Online Medical Transcription Courses.

My Review of Systems as a Medical Transcriptionist

I am writing this article to pass on some of the wonderful experiences I have had through the profession of medical transcription. This wonderful part of my life started like this. I have been a medical transcriptionist for 20 years, but I did not know about this profession until after I had tried nursing, waitressing and insurance sales. After wandering through these other occupations unfulfilled, I was primed and ready for a career I felt I was suited for. But what could I possibly be suited for? I was equipped with a degree in nursing, but what do you do with a nursing degree when you don?t like nursing? Starvation was a very real consequence when I sold insurance, so I knew I was not a sales person. I could always wait tables, but how much longer would my feet hold out? During this time when I was soul searching and trying to figure out what to do, I took a job as a medical secretary which involved scheduling surgery, making appointments, filing and a very small amount of transcribing office notes. In the job interview, I told the office manager I had a good bit of medical terminology knowledge and some, ?experience,? in a hospital. I deliberately did not tell her I had an RN degree and wanted this job as a secretary instead as this would probably have led to her looking at me wide eyed and then saying,?I?m sorry, you?re over qualified.? This job perked along just adequately, but it was here I realized I found transcription to be fun. I looked forward to it and was disappointed every day when the tape ran out after only an hour. I was one step closer to finding the profession of my dreams.

My first full-time transcription job (heaven!) was in a hospital in the city where I live. For the first time, I knew the career area in my life had gelled. All my education and experiences (good and bad, recent and distant) had come together and culminated in my becoming a medical transcriptionist. Any other kind of transcription simply is not the same as the medical field. Legal transcription, for example, I found to be extraordinarily boring. It is both the medical field and the transcription field put together that produces this unique profession.

When I have trained new transcriptionists who were really new with no experience in the field, I could decide within 15 minutes if they were going to stay at the job or leave flabbergasted and astounded that we actually do this. They never get comfortable sitting at the keyboard and actually look as if they are about to get up at any time. The keyboard is an awkward contraption that?s impossible to operate with only 10 fingers. Word Perfect is Word Insanity to them. Their headphones are an awkward instrument of sensory deprivation. After they have entered the correct directory, pulled up the proper form and named it, they always look at you wanting to know how much money they have made so far. When they look up a word, they aimlessly wander around the book, hoping the correct term will jump up and say hello. I give these poor souls one day at the most, but there was one pitiful girl who lasted less than one day, unfortunately because of something I said.

Three-quarters of the way through the day, I stupidly asked her if she had remembered to save before leaving the document. She replied she had left the computer turned on. Long story short, she never even came back to get her glasses. There was one new recruit who actually exclaimed, ?Why do you do this?? to which I responded, ?I enjoy it and the money?s good.? This has always gotten me a look from them that meant they thought I was insane. A physician told me once, ? I don?t see why you don?t go stark raving mad, sitting here all day and typing.? I replied, ?who says we don?t?? I?ve always felt you had to be a little quirky to honestly want to do this job. After all, you sit and type and sit and type and sit and type, and then you sit and type some more. It?s not unusual to continue to hear doctor?s voices dictating in your head after you?ve gone home from work, although I?ve learned to be careful how I say that, especially to someone who?s not a transcriptionist. Another occasion where someone looked at me like they thought I was insane (who says I?m not?).

Having been in this profession for so long, I have also become able to spot the, ?real,? transcriptionists, so they are called by the veterans. You judge for yourself. The, ?real,? transcriptionists actually enjoy sitting and typing, plugged into headphones for hours on end. Production is their passion, and they pound away tediously, completely content, pausing only to look up words or do the ever necessary proofreading.

Then, (eyes rolling) there are the people who like to call themselves transcriptionists and end up irritating the life out of the rest of us who really are. They come to work chattering, they work chattering and they leave chattering. When your concentration is broken , it takes a few minutes to get back to that point. These guys rattle on and on about every doctor, every patient, every irrelevant detail they can think of to talk out loud about. This usually results in the serious transcriptionists staring steadily at the chatterbox and typing all the while (which is a real transcriptionist?s talent akin to patting your head and scratching your stomach) until the offender notices they are being stared down by a clerical lynch mob and finally hush. Then, they give the rest of us that, ?you?re insane,? look with a hint of, ?I?m offended, I thought I was entertaining you guys.?

A so-called transcriptionist who asks the same question three times in one week is usually dubbed an, ?Alzheimer?s patient.? These people have a defective short-term memory and cannot remember what they were told or what they looked up for longer than a couple days. A good transcriptionist has a memory that never fails. The Alzheimer?s patients are also the people who ask about a word out loud instead of looking it up. They get in as much trouble as the chatterboxes.

There are also the comedians who have to announce to everyone in the room something humorous (or is it humerus?) they heard in dictation. This produces a polite, very small smile from the rest of us while never missing a keystroke (or the lynch mob might gather), silently hoping the, ?typist,? would either hush or go home. To be labeled a typist is the strongest putdown that can be bestowed. You see, a typist is someone who mechanically manipulates the keys on a keyboard, and nothing more. Your average monkey could accomplish this. They usually hunt and peck which produces a large silent grin (never missing a keystroke) from the rest of us that they never know about. A transcriptionist (harrumph!) is a professional with an extensive knowledge of medical terminology, editing, spelling, punctuation, English, word processing, pharmacology, lab and pathology, and sometimes foreign accent interpretation who melds all these abilities together seamlessly at 100 words per minute. We also have the necessary ability to communicate with each other with our eyes and expressions. As mentioned before, the professional transcriptionist is capable of transcribing and socializing silently at the same time.

Another valuable source of experience is the mental hospital. Let me explain! The patients there are usually required to have a general physical exam before they start having psychotherapy with their psychiatrists. In my mental hospital experience (as an employee, not a patient, mind you), I found the social histories fascinating. They read like good books and are very interesting.

I?ve always thought it would be risky for me or any transcriptionist to undergo general anesthesia because I just might spout someone?s private information. Incidentally, knowing a celebrity?s medical diagnoses is unnerving, not exciting, especially if it?s something like a sexually transmitted disease or a mental problem. Public figures and movie stars see doctors also; they are not immune needing medical treatment. Needless to say, that?s all the details I?ll put in this particular paragraph, citing confidentiality! You can?t be a transcriptionist and play Rona Barrett or a reporter for the National Enquirer.

When I worked in medical records in a mental hospital, I found that mental illness can strike anyone at any time. In this job, the psychiatrists (shrinks) visit their patients every day and dictate daily progress notes. Now, you have a serial TV show-type situation where every day there are new developments. When we heard that old familiar whir and click of the machine activating, we waited anxiously like housewives waiting for their favorite soap opera to come on. The machine would stop and the lucky one of us to grab the dictation first would tell us the news (only within the transcription room, mind you!) Some patients sank deeper and deeper into insanity, and others made a wonderful recovery. Just a bit of trivia; shrinks have the most entertaining sense of humor of all doctors I have ever known.

Back to maintaining confidentiality, this includes not repeating to anyone the statements or innuendoes made on the dictation whether knowingly or accidentally by the dictator. A word of advice: don?t dictate in bed. If someone remembers something they need to dictate after climbing into bed, then they should get up before dictating and be doubly sure the recording has ended lest they document whatever else takes place in their bed and who it takes place with! Sorry, no more details with this one, except to mention that dictating right after you eat can provide the transcriptionist with some entertainment, accidental or not. Everyone should remember, most recorders pick up all sound that occurs in the room, and some dictators foolishly think they are, ?alone,? in the room even when the recorder is running. We don?t type in ?eructation,? or ?flatus;? we just laugh and report it to everyone in the room. For the aspiring transcriptionist, look up eructation and flatus, and get a good laugh. Due to events described in this paragraph, there are doctors I can?t look in the eye any more and they don?t know why.

So many good experiences, so little space. I?ll sign off now with no chief complaints, only a review of systems within wonderful limits and a bright prognosis. See you in a follow-up visit!

You can contact Carol Roberts through by email at: meditrans@aol.com

Carol has been a medical transcriptionist for over 20 years and has been certified by the American Association for Medical Transcription. She owns and operates Carol Roberts Transcription in Pembroke Georgia and is a staff consultant for Meditrans Help, the medical transcription help site, http://www.meditranshelp.com

Audio Transcription

Audio Transcription is the process of changing audio files into verbatim transcripts for companies across industries - from medicine and insurance to airlines and automobiles, to corporate and media companies and many more. By outsourcing audio transcription, you'll save both money and cost and create a more productive atmosphere for your employees.

There are different types of audio transcriptions like audio transcription for business groups, for speakers, teleconferences, for media companies and production houses. In addition the above-mentioned services can also be available for transcribing of press conferences, scripts, educational institutes, corporate and government agencies.

The main benefit of using an audio transcriptionist is the fact that they are available 24/7, 365 days a year. Other benefit is that you can only pay for the time that an audio transcriptionist takes to do the work. You just pick up the phone; send a fax or e-mail explaining your requirements.

You can make use of an audio transcriptionist for convenience and flexibility. You use an audio transcriptionist when secretaries are not available due to bad weather, train delays or sickness. You don't need to train an audio transcriptionist; they use their own equipment. The cost depends on the job. They can charge by the hour, per taped minute, by the page or by the line. We can also charge by the item.

The author presents the website on audio transcription http://www.audiotranscriptionoutsourcing.com/ . It covers meaning of audio transcription, different types of audio transcriptions and benefits of audio transcriptionist course. You can visit his site on http://www.getaudiotranscriptionoutsourcing.info/

A Career in Medical Transcription

If you're looking to switch careers, you might consider becoming a medical transcriptionist. This is someone who interprets and transcribes dictation by healthcare professionals. There are many benefits to a career in this field. For instance, you can, in many cases, work out of your own home at your own pace. Also, the demand for jobs is pretty high right now, provided you know what you're doing. Most professionals seeking out a transcription service prefer someone who has been through training at a community college or trade school and has some work experience.

Besides the proper training, you'll need the proper equipment. Since a medical transcriptionist listens to dictated information using a recording device and headset, you'll need to purchase these items. A foot peddle is also necessary to start and stop the recording device and the information you gather will have to be entered onto a computer or word processor. You will also need medical and pharmaceutical directories since you'll be expected to know the proper terminology. If any words or phrases are unfamiliar to you, it will be your responsibility to look them up in one of the aforementioned reference books. You should know the principles of basic grammar and be able to spell check and proof read your own work. Since you'll be transcribing dictated information, you'll also need to be a good listener.

Whether you're working through a medical transcription service or on your own as an independent contractor, the type of clients you have will probably include doctor's offices, hospitals, free clinics and rehab centers. You'll be transcribing any number of documents including patient histories, autopsy reports, referral letters, consultation reports and other medical records.

If you're interested in becoming a medical transcriptionist, you must first get the proper education. Courses in this field are available at colleges, trade schools and even online. Most programs take about two years and some require you to work an internship at a medical facility. Further information regarding a career in this rewarding field can be gathered at the library or on the Internet. Good luck!

James Hunt has spent 15 years as a professional writer and researcher covering stories that cover a whole spectrum of interest. Read more at www.transcription-services-guide.info

Professional Transcription and Your Business

Professional Transcription and Your Business

 by: Kate Smalley

Got stacks of audio tapes that need to be converted to a more user-friendly format? Professional transcription services may be the answer.

Professional transcriptionists can take standard or micro cassette tapes and produce a typed version of the text in a format that's clear, consistent and correct. They can create transcripts of taped meetings, training sessions, seminars and conventions, as well as dictated letters, reports and manuscripts. Once the information is transcribed, you can easily email, fax or post it to a Website.

Accuracy Is Essential

Transcribing actually covers a variety of services. It can include whatever editing is necessary to make a report or letter 'flow'. It can also include the tweaking sentence syntax, adjusting paragraphs, removing redundancies, and repairing general grammatical errors.

For some professions, a high degree of accuracy in transcripts is crucial. For example, medical transcriptionists must carefully listen to dictated recordings made by physicians and other healthcare professionals and accurately transcribe them into reports, correspondence and other administrative materials that eventually become part of patients' permanent files. Their ability to understand and correctly transcribe patient assessments and treatments reduces the chance of patients receiving ineffective or even harmful treatments and ultimately ensures high quality patient care.

Accuracy in transcripts is equally as important in other fields. In legal matters, it's essential because all testimony must be rendered exactly as it's spoken. Likewise, police detectives require precise transcripts of statements by suspects and witnesses. In the corporate arena, letters, meetings and training sessions must be properly transcribed for the sake of effective education and communication.

Requirements For A Good Transcriptionist

Whether you need medical, legal or general transcribing for your business, accurate transcribing requires a unique set of skills. But if your staff lacks the expertise or time to transcribe materials in house, an outside company can easily fill the void.

Working with an outside vendor offers a variety of cost-saving benefits, including:

• No cost of special equipment.

• No hourly employee downtime. You pay only for production.

• No Social Security, payroll or unemployment taxes.

• No medical insurance benefits, paid vacations and sick leave

But before you run out and hire the first transcription company available, make sure it has the skills to meet your needs. The outsourcer you choose should be:

• Well-versed in the English language

• Knowledgeable of the rules of grammar

• Familiar with your industry

• Easily accessible for questions

  For more information about professional transcription services, contact Kate Smalley, Connecticut Secretary, at 203-641-3739 or mailto:kms@connecticutsecretary.com

  Connecticut SecretaryFreelance Secretarial and Transcription Services
  http://www.connecticutsecretary.com
  203.641.3739 mailto:kms@connecticutsecretary.com