How to get a more accurate transcript?
Getting accurate transcripts is a tedious and time consuming task. We look at a few simple ways to make it easier.
Getting accurate transcripts is a tedious and time consuming task. We look at a few simple ways to make it easier.
We often get asked why the accuracy of the automatically generated transcript varies. One of the most common reasons is the quality of the audio and is in direct correlation with how accurate the transcript will be. The better the quality of the audio file uploaded, the fewer the errors likely to be found in the transcript. Sounds simple when put like that doesn’t it? Below, are some few simple steps you can follow to ensure a high quality of your audio:
Ideally, it would be brilliant if you could record in complete silence but this is near enough impossible, so here’s a few little to tips to ensure it remains as quiet as possible during a recording:
Make sure you are in a quiet room. Let everyone know that you are conducting a recording so nobody barges in without knocking.
Turn off any device likely to produce a sound at any given time. This could be as simple as putting a phone on silent (not vibrate). Also, things like air conditioning units, printers, or your computer. Now turning down the sound on your computer is not enough as many modern computers contain inbuilt fans that produce a loud hum that could affect the quality of the audio recording.
Whilst its often true in the case of microphones that the more expensive, the better the audio quality. Having said this, you can ensure a good enough quality by placing a cheap microphone at an appropriate distance from the speaker. Too close and the audio quality will be reduced by the sounds of the person breathing and too far and the microphone won’t be able to pick up all the words clearly. Note: when conducting interviews in a public arena i.e. coffee shops, restaurants it would be ideal to invest in a good quality microphone to minimise the background noise.
Besides being considered plain rude to interrupt another person whilst they are talking, it is also not ideal for transcription software as it can lead to confusion. It is therefore pertinent to let one person finish their sentence before the next person can speak. This makes it easier for our software to distinguish between different people and allows for a trouble-free transcription process. It is also important to speak in a clear, concise manner and as free of accent as possible.
By following the above simple tips, the quality of your audio will improve greatly and we here at Go Transcribe can convert your audio recordings to text and hopefully leaving you with very few adjustments to make.
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