Transcription Services - A Free Beginner's Guide [Infographic]

We all know that transcription involves the conversion of any audio/video format into a written form, and this term has increasingly been in use ever since 17th Century. So now when, quick and efficient transcription services are the need for all major business sectors, it has become vital to have a thorough understanding of the subject.

Hence, concerned over this fastest growing legitimate work option in the US, GMR Transcription brings to you A Free Beginner’s Guide. This knowledge sharing infographic will not only help you in understanding the transcription process better, but will also facilitate your goal setting as a transcriber.

Transcription Acronym Reference: Virtuadmin Transcription Service

Transcription – A Quick Intro

The word ‘transcription’ has been derived from the Latin word transcribere, where trans means ‘across’ and scribere means ‘write’. This word has been in use since the 17th Century, and the first known use was in 1598.

Basically, transcription involves listening to a recorded or live speech, or a video and then converting it into written form. Essentially, it is the process of preparing a written record of any audio or video file, which contains spoken words in any language. Transcription services are being widely used for transcribing interviews, conferences, seminars, lectures, meetings, webinars, court hearings and more.

Transcribing – Stats and Facts

The person who is responsible for the transcription process, i.e, converting audio or video files in written form, is called a transcriber. The job of a professional transcriber looks very easy, but in fact, it’s just the opposite. Here are a few stats and facts related to the transcribing process.

1. A professional transcriber can type between 80 to 100 words per minute.
2. It takes 4 to 6 hours to transcribe an interview of 1 hour. This means that it takes a transcriber 2.35 minutes to transcribe 1 minute of talking.
3. On an average, we apeak 140 words per minute. An English word contains an average of 4.5 letters, i.e., 140*4.5=630 characters. For these 630 characters, more than 170 characters are added for punctuations making it a total of 800 characters. The transcriber has to patiently and carefully break these down on paper.

A transcriber has to pay great attention to every utterance and interjection. Also, looking up the definitions of technical jargon or unfamiliar words is sometimes time-consuming. The transcriber pays close attention to side comments added during the speech as well.

Transcription Then & Now

1998
In 1998, the typists used two fingers to type on a computer.

• 40 words per minute was considered fast
• 35 words per minute was considered moderate
• 23 words per minute was considered slow

2015
In the current era, professional typists type at a much faster speed. In 2015, 50-60 words per minute is considered to be an average typing speed. However, for some positions, it is 80-90 words per minute. 120 words per minute is considered advanced. The typing speed of professionals under various situations are-

• 37 words per minute for memorized text
• 27 words per minute while copying text
• 60 to 70 words per minute in bursts

When do you need professional transcription?

1. Videos on websites - Transcribing your videos and posting the text on your website with relevant keywords will help in SEO ranking.
2. Subtitling - Subtitling is vital for viewers who have trouble with accent recognition, hearing and those who cannot understand a spoken language.
3. Translation - It is always good to promote your content globally in multiple languages; as is making your videos, audio and text available in other languages. 
4. Legal and court hearings - Transcribers record all technical details, proceedings, evidence evaluation and other important details during the case proceedings.
5. Market research and focus groups - Professional transcription is highly beneficial for market research and focus groups. Without a professional transcription, the research project could be less successful.
6. Organization conferences - Professional transcription services at conferences can add an advantage, ensuring that every spoken word is captured and recorded for the benefit of others.
7. Press conference for Journalists - Transcriptions act as proof of announcements or commitments,  which are made during press conferences.
8. Transcribing HR meetings and grievance proceedings - Professional HR transcripts record each and every utterance and pause during a meeting, which helps in determining the intent and tone of the spoken words. 

Transcription – The Benefits

With the advent of online merchandising, transcription has reached new heights. Let’s have a look at a few benefits of using transcription services.

1. Transcription services can be used to prepare written records of business meetings.
2. Transcription services are helpful for people who are hard of hearing, or those who don’t understand a foreign language or those with difficulty understanding accents.
3. Transcription of educational and training seminars are helpful for future reference.
4. Publishing text versions of informational audio or video on a website with relevant keywords can help in getting higher traffic with improved SERPs.
5. Transcription for TV programming and videos ensure maximum visibility and availability of information.  

Quick Facts

1. We speak at a rate of 150 to 170 words per minute. In total, an average of 10,000 words per hour.
2. We speak 7 times faster than we write and 4 times faster than we type.
3. In 1946, Stella Pajunas continuously typed at a speed of 216 words per minute for a duration of 50 minutes.
4. Barbara Blackburn holds the record of typing in bursts of 150, 170 and 212 words per minute.

How does it work?

With professional Transcription services, you can keep and share the text form of podcasts, films, videos, webinars and interviews by converting them into-

• Blogs
• Articles
• White Paper or Case Studies
• Newsletters
• PDFs
• E-Books

GMR Transcription – The Reliable Transcription Service Provider

Whether you are a transcriber or a client who is getting his/her work transcribed, understanding the nuances of the transcription process as well as the different types of transcription services being provided is important. We at GMR Transcription stringently believe in the industry-standard specifications, and promise to deliver what our clients' need.

What makes us different from others?

• 10+ Years of experience
• 9000+ Satisfied Clients
• 3 Million minutes transcribed
• 100% US-based professional transcribers
• Lightening-fast turnarounds
• Quality control to maintain high accuracy standards
• 100% focus on client satisfaction
• Security & confidentiality guaranteed
• Affordable rates, discount on bulk projects
• 24/7 SupporT

Also Read: The Critical Role Online Transcription Plays In HR