Transcribing and Editing Oral Histories: Some Guidelines on What to Do
Chris Friday, Department of History, Western Washington University, 2007
Adapted from: Jane Rafal, "Guidance and Procedures," Presidential Oral History, Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia, http://millercenter.virginia.edu/programs/poh/styleguide.html; Oral History Association, "Evaluation Guidelines," http://omega.dickinson.edu/organizations/oha/pub_eg.html ; Library of Congress, "Veterans History Project: Indexing and Transcribing," http://www.loc.gov/vets/transcribe.html ; Northwest Lesbian and Gay History Museum Project, "Transcribing," http://home.earthlink.net/~ruthpett/lgbthistorynw/transcribing.htm
A transcript is a word-for-word (verbatim) written copy of a taped interview (audio or video). An index is a list of the major topics in the interview and the approximate places (by tape count or time) in the recording they occur. All oral histories should be should be transcribed if possible. If transcribing is not possible, at the very least an index should be made.
A transcript and/or index help researchers assess interviews and locate critical information. While the nature of the recording can be essential, often times the content is sufficient for researchers. Having a transcript saves wear and tear on the original voice recording on its disk or tape medium. When transcripts are also kept digitally, researchers can do key word searches of their own.
Archivists and oral historians will generally keep the original recording and its accompanying transcript in a hard-copy as well as digital format. Transcripts don't fully capture the tone of voice and emotion expressed in the spoken word, nor can they convey the facial expressions and mannerisms that come through in a video recording. In certain cases, transcripts may not be sufficient for researchers, so the audio and/or video recordings should also be archived.
Remember, an oral history interview is the creation of a historical document by the interviewer and interviewee. Thus the recordings and transcripts should faithfully reflect the interview itself.
Key questions to ask about your transcript:
What does transcribing and editing entail?
Transcribing and editing a transcript takes attention to detail and consistency. In transcribing, you will want to develop a standard way to handle things like names, punctuation, breaks in conversation, gestures, etc.
Editing--Style Issues:
Sentence fragments, incomplete phrases: Use a "dash " symbol to show changes in topic during a sentence or sentence fragments. (The dash symbol is entered in as two hyphens "--" in most word processing programs. Your word processing program may change this into what is known as an em-dash, which is fine.) If the sentence simply trails off or is interrupted by another person, such as the interviewer, use ellipses (three dots) followed by brackets with the word interrupted or phrase trails off to indicate what happened. E.g.: "The manager of the plant was... [trails off]."
Material inserted for clarification: Use brackets [ ] for any material you need to insert for clarity such as comments and/or annotation. This would include names or words. For example: "President [Franklin Delano] Roosevelt once said...," or "the [bleach] plant was always a problem...." In each case, the interviewer and/or editor have inserted a word to bring clarity to the statement by the interviewee. Also use this to indicate gestures, mood, etc.: [sadly], [three feet], [whispered], [[pause], and so on. Remember, this is a verbatim transcript, a complete record of the interview as it actually occurred. Resist the temptation to edit as you go, even if you are sure that the narrator intended to say something other than what he/she actually did. If you are very sure that the narrator intended a different word or phrase, you may add what you think was intended immediately following, in square brackets with a question mark. Also use brackets to indicate the end of a tape, etc.: [SIDE 1 ENDS] or [TAPE RUNS OUT].
Material removed by editor: Use ellipses (three dots plus punctuation: ...!) to indicate that something has been taken out of the transcript that was in the original transcript. This can include restricted material or conversation that doesn't relate to the interview in any way. This should also be indicated, when possible, with brackets [unrelated material edited out] or [restricted material removed].
Speaking style and Contractions: Some people use "crutch words" in speech, phrases such as " "like," "you know," "and so forth," or "right?" Usually they indicate nothing more than verbal pauses while collecting one's thoughts. Transcribe them as they occur unless the use completely distracts from the points being made. If so, make a note regarding the editing and leave them in at the beginning of the transcript, to indicate that they are part of the narrator's speaking style. After two to three pages, as you indicate in the note on editing, leave most of them out. Regional dialects can be problematic. In general, do not attempt to match the speaker's accent by using phonetic spellings such as "in' " for "ing" or "dis" for "this." Use these conventions only when the speaker is clearly and deliberately imitating or parodying someone. Otherwise, spell these words normally. Always include contractions when the speaker is using them exactly as spoken (I'm, We'll, etc.).
Interjections, bridge words: Sometimes people use repetition of a word or insert "um," "er," "ah," and "oh" while speaking. Go ahead and transcribe them when they are used with meaning, or if they don't distract from the transcript too much. If they distracting make note of it in the prefatory section on editing. Do not transcribe stammering.
Yes/no interjections: Yes = uh-huh No = uh-uh (May use this if the person used either "h" or "m" to indicate.)
OK, O.K., Ok, Okay: Generally transcribe as OK.
Run-on sentences: Oral communication is markedly different than formal written communication. Many people do not speak in complete sentences or speak in what sound like continuous run-on sentences, using "and" instead of a period. You may break these up into reasonable-length sentences, at logical shifts of topic or emphasis. Keep the "And" as the beginning of a new sentence.
Emphasis: If your word processor offers
Italic formatting, you may use it for words the narrator used tone of voice to
emphasize, but this should be noted in the prefatory note on editing. Otherwise
you may use [emphasis].
Grammar: Do not attempt to clean up grammar. Type "He don't ..." if
that is what the narrator actually said.
Abbreviations: Use periods for abbreviations, such as D.C. and U.S.
Acronyms : These should be spelled out in the first instance. Always use brackets to set off the full name. Acronyms have no periods.
Commas: Overall, use your ear and common sense for comma placement. When in doubt, refer to: Chicago Manual of Style for guidelines.
Compound Words: Decisions are subjective, not engraved in stone. If in doubt, try to make the choice that best conveys the meaning. Be consistent.
Dates: No apostrophe–s is needed when indicating plural years, e.g. 1980s, or ’80s.
Homophones: Homophones are words that sound the same but are spelled differently. These are surprisingly easy to overlook. Some common examples: advise/advice; it’s (it is)/its (possessive pronoun); poor/pore/pour; rein/rain/reign; their/they’re/there; your/you’re; to/too/two; who’s/whose; yolk/yoke; and many, many more! Only careful attention to proof reading and context can help eliminate these common errors in transcribing.
Hyphens: Use hyphens only for modifiers and compound words such as "Taft-Hartley act" or "Twentieth-century man." (Note that in the latter, twentieth century modifies man. If the phrase was "In the twentieth century" there would be no hyphen.)
Inaudible and Indecipherable Passages: If all else fails and you just can't make out a section, use brackets around the word “inaudible” with the location on the tape or CD indicated by the counter: [inaudible – X].
Libelous Comments: No sensitivity to libelous comments is necessary. The respondent is given the opportunity to make stipulations after editing about the contents of the final transcript.
Money: If it is a specific amount, use the dollar sign instead of “dollars.” Example: The budget is $10 million. If it is a round number, write it out: Example: We spent two or three thousand dollars last month. If it is the currency itself, spell out the word.
Numbers: Spell out one through ten, above that use the number. For further details, study the Chicago Manual of Style.
Paragraphs: Long unbroken passages are hard to follow. It may be helpful to add paragraphs for long sections. Pay attention to changes in train of thought for clues as to where to break.
Profanity: Leave it in, as these words communicate the force with which a particular point is made.
Publication and Media Names: Italicize the titles of books, newspapers, magazines, movies, films, and TV shows. For example, War and Peace, In Cold Blood, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Law & Order, etc. Note that “the” is NOT italicized or capitalized before newspaper or magazine names.
Quotes: For quoted dialogue, always use double quote marks, and put a comma before the quoted passage, which should begin with a capital letter. Example: The President said to me, “Please have Sununu come to my office as soon as possible.”
Editing--Proofing, Compiling:
It is useful to think of going through the document more than once with a different purpose each time. Try these steps:
First Edit of Hard Copy (after transcription is completed for the first time)
Second Edit of Hard Copy
Third Edit of Hard Copy