How to practice transcription?

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Transcription is the process of converting spoken or recorded speech into text, usually in digital form on a computer for easy editing, manipulation and redistribution. Transcription practice can be obtained from a variety of different sources, although few offer any actual certification to indicate the development of transcription skills. The easiest way to practice transcribing is to play a recording of a speech and try to transcribe it as best you can by listening to it once, all the way through. Afterwards, various sections can be repeated to verify the transcription work. For a more complicated practice, movies and television programs can also be transcribed: this is a more advanced job because it requires the transcriber to keep track of several speakers.

There are several factors that contribute to effective transcription practice. The piece you are trying to transcribe should be challenging but still understandable enough to allow transcription. Seldom will you be called upon to write professionally to transcribe slow, clear speech, so practicing on slow, clear recordings is only useful if you need to develop rudimentary transcription skills. Recordings that demonstrate more realistic speech speeds and patterns provide much more useful and realistic practice. Transcribing practice involving multiple speakers can also be beneficial, as professional transcribers are often called upon to transcribe dialogue such as debates and official meetings.

When choosing which material to use for transcription practice, it is also important to consider how easy it will be for one to check one’s work. This is very simple when a transcript of a given recording already exists, but this is rarely the case. At the very least, one must be able to rewind and replay sections of a recording to ensure that an accurate transcription has been made. Without the ability to check your work, it is impossible to verify the accuracy of the transcript. This is not a problem if your transcription practice is aimed at increasing speed rather than accuracy.

Some colleges, companies, and other organizations offer transcription practices in formal classroom settings. Such classes typically cost money, but offer personalized training and tend to generate some form of official certification. Such certification can be useful for people looking for transcription jobs. Classes also tend to offer a variety of practice recordings, and teachers or assistants often correct student transcripts and make suggestions for improvement. The official certification that you can demonstrate to employers tends to be the most tangible benefit of such formal transcriptional practice programs.

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