There are three basic types of transcription services to choose from: verbatim, intelligent, and edited transcription. In this post, we’ll walk you through the differences between each type of transcription, so you can determine which is best for your needs.
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What is Verbatim Transcription?
When you request a verbatim transcription, you’re going to receive a text document that has been transcribed word-for-word.
You should expect to receive a dense file that will read like a normal colloquial conversation, because it will be documented as spoken. This means it will have pauses, false starts, repeated words, and incomplete sentences. Verbatim transcription is unedited, so it may also include natural sounds that occur in conversation like coughing, laughing, ums and uhs, and throat clearing.
This transcription service is often the most expensive, because it takes the most time to transcribe.
Why Use Verbatim Transcription?
When clients first begin outsourcing their transcription work, many choose verbatim transcription. They’re under the impression they’ll need every bit of information in an audio file—and end up overpaying. Verbatim transcription should be used in situations where a person's behavior and reactions need to be analyzed alongside their speech.
In short, this type of transcription is ideal for projects that require deep analysis of densely packed, detailed audio files—and in cases where sub-context is essential to interpreting meaning.
What Does Verbatim Transcription Look Like?
“Well, uh, today I had a piece of toast with strawberry jam and butter for breakfast… a boiled egg… and… uh, and a cup of coffee with sugar and cream.”
What Fields Use Verbatim Transcription?
Here are a few of the fields that rely on verbatim transcription:
Legal
Market Research
Advertising
Film
Hiring
What is Intelligent Transcription?
Intelligent transcription, also known as intelligent verbatim transcription, focuses on clarifying the meaning of a text. This is achieved with light editing that filters out all the unnecessary verbal colloquialisms of conversation. The transcriptionist removes false starts, pauses, verbal confirmations, and excess noises so the reader can quickly grasp the meaning of the text.
Why Use Intelligent Transcription?
Intelligent transcription is ideal for documents that need to be read quickly, understood, and shared. Since the key focus is to extract the meaning and put it into a format that can be easily and quickly understood, this type of transcription is suitable for a wide variety of business purposes.
What Does Intelligent Transcription Look Like?
“Well, today I had a piece of toast with strawberry jam and butter for breakfast, a boiled egg, and a cup of coffee with sugar and cream.”
What Fields Use Intelligent Transcription?
Here are some of the fields that utilize intelligent transcription:
Hiring
Publishing
Academia
Speeches and Conferences
Podcasts
And more
What is Edited Transcription?
Edited transcription is the most intensively proofread, formatted, and edited type of transcription service. The transcriptionist will turn out a final product that should be ready to publish in the format of a formalized script. It will be fully edited for the utmost clarity and readability.
Why Use Edited Transcription?
You’ll want to use this type of transcription when you need clean, formal, and professional texts. If you intend to publish the text once it’s been transcribed and share it with a public audience, this is a good choice for you.
What Does Edited Transcription Look Like?
“Today, I had a piece of toast with strawberry jam and butter, a boiled egg, and coffee with cream and sugar for breakfast.”
What Fields Use Edited Transcription?
The fields often requesting edited transcription are:
Medical
Podcasts
Speeches and Conferences
Business Communication
Translation
And more
Get High Quality Transcripts Today
We hope this guide to verbatim, intelligent and edited transcription helps you determine the right service for your needs. If you’re ready to have your content transcribed, consider Intentional Reach.
Intentional Reach is the leading sermon transcription service provider. Have your sermons, podcasts, speeches, and more transcribed so you can reach three times more people with your message!
