Transcription Conventions
SUNY – The Walking Around Project Transcription Guidelines Explains how to work with recordings via Audacity, including steps and photos. There are transcription guidelines that explain how to structure speech and how to transcribe and spell fillers, noises, interjections, and partial words. It explains how to name and save the file for future access.
PAC Programme – Phonology of Contemporary English Lists transcription conventions similar to a style guide. These conventions seek to develop uniform transcriptions for researchers so to better compare data. This includes punctuation, overlapping turns, repetition, and other features of spoken English and spelling.
Smithsonian – Transcribing Audio Collections Instructions Best for navigating transcription within collections. Offers video tutorials on inserting timestamps and getting started with TC sound projects. Includes information on speaker sounds, background noise, interruptions, and unknowns. There is instructions for navigating the collections held at the Smithsonian
General Resources
University of Michigan – Audio Transcription Resources Includes guidelines alongside a comparative table of audio transcription services, broken down by accuracy, ease of use, cost, response time, editing time, and other notes. Includes step-by-step how to use each service. The services use AI or human transcription.
UPenn – Penn Libraries: Audio Recording and Editing Guides Offers platforms for individuals seeking to transcribe audio or visual material, such as Audacity or GarageBand, with resources and steps for each. This includes notes on sharing audio files, formatting, and other services and software for transcription. Many other resources for audio transcription generally.
W3 – Web Accessibility Initiative Offers transcription practices that are useful for both deaf and blind. Useful for a descriptive breakdown to the process of transcribing, what audio needs transcription, skills and tools, and how to create and save files. The website offers other pages with more guidelines for audio and visual media.
Oral History
Baylor University – Institute for Oral History: Style Guide Thorough style guidelines for beginners. It explains the common issues and important distinctions to make while transcribing audio. The style guide includes abbreviations, capitalization, addresses, crutch words, division of words, false starts, feedback, grades, incomplete sentences, and more. It offers helpful visual examples.
UPitt Library System – Transcribing Oral History Thorough guide for transcription, file formatting, metadata, hardware and software considerations, and other information regarding oral history collections and resources (especially in the Pittsburgh area). This offers PDFs for tracking a transcription project and audiovisual collections transcription guidelines. Many included examples accompanying procedures.
Oregon Dept. of Transportation Research – Guide to Transcribing and Summarizing Oral Histories Suitable for audio transcription projects that seek to explain transcription method and methodology. Offers guidelines for editing and writing a summary. Examples of developing a purpose and goal for a transcription project. Explains how to transcribe profanity and inaudible passages or non-verbals.
University of South Florida – Oral History Program: Resources for the Oral Historian Offers a collection of resources for oral historians. Categorized by internet resources, reference books, and collecting oral histories. The resources cover style, best practices, and sample transcripts, with books and collections on sustainability, Florida history, and practicing oral history.
Columbia University – Oral History Transcription Style Guide Comprehensive guide that includes guiding principles, process, formatting, fact-checking, editing and review, and style. The 40-page PDF includes examples of a transcript, word list creation, use of “sic,” citations, and formatting a preface, title page, metadata, and session breaks.
Interviews
Veterans History Project – Indexing and Transcribing Interviews Useful for beginners who are working on a project. Offers rational for transcribing and explanation of processes involving or not involving transcribing audio. This includes the relationship between the transcript and recording, how much time it should take. The length of transcript, editing the transcript, and resources for further information.