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Gotranscripts Guidelines
Gotranscripts Guidelines
Gotranscripts Guidelines
We provide audio transcription services, which means that we convert audio and
video files into text.
In our system, you can pick the files you prefer to work on. You must have
a PayPal or Payoneer account as we make payments only with PayPal or Payoneer.
Payments are made every weekend, on Friday. Also, we cover the PayPal fee so you will
receive the exact amount which you earned and there will be no fee to receive payment. To
send a request for payment, go to the WORK section (STATS page). There you can send a
request for payment.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Every time a client uploads a file, you will receive an e-mail. After that, you need to
go to the transcription jobs page and choose the files you want to transcribe.
2. There you will also see the information about the turnaround time, text format (clean
or full verbatim) and timestamping type if one is required.
3. After your transcription is uploaded, you will see your current earnings on the stats
page.
4. Payments are made every weekend, on Friday. There will also be a statistics page
where you will see how much you have earned for each file.
5. All of your transcriptions are going to be checked by editors. You will receive a rating
and comments to help you improve your work.
6. If your average rating is better than 4.5, you can try to become an editor.
7. Sometimes, the quality of audio or video files is horrible, so please let us know about
that. We will contact the client and provide a refund for that file.
8. Use US (American) spelling. Only use different spelling if a client asks that in the
comments (use Grammarly).
CLEAN VERBATIM
The transcribed text does not include:
Speech errors
False starts (unless they add information)
Stutters
Repetitions. Note: Keep repetitions of words that express emphasis: No, no, no. I
am very, very happy.
Filler words: Words often excessively used by the speaker but when you take them
out, you’re left with perfectly understandable sentences. uh, um, *you know, *like, *I
mean, *so, *kind of, well, sort of… Be mindful of the context. Some of these filler
words do not always function as filler words.
Expressions should be kept regardless of verbatim type: Oh my God, Oh dear, Oh
my, Oh boy, Oh, et cetera.
Slang words must be written as "got you" instead of "gotcha", "going to" instead of
"gonna", "want to" instead of "wanna", "because" instead of "'cause" et cetera.
"Yeah", "yep", "yap", "yup", "mm-hmm" must be written as "yes"; "alright" must be
written as "all right."
Never spell "Ok" or "OK." It must always be spelled as "Okay."
Avoid starting phrases with conjunctions in clean verbatim. If you really need to add
the conjunction, just expand the sentence. For example: "I went outside but forgot to
bring my umbrella."
Note: For CV: Omit all the "yeah", "yes" reactions to retain a fluent text unless they are
answers to given questions.
DO NOT remove filler words if they change the meaning of the phrase.
FV EXAMPLE:
TIMESTAMPING TYPES:
Timestamping time format must be: [00:00:00] (always in bold)
ALWAYS CONSIDER THE WHOLE FILE WHEN YOU'RE TIME STAMPING.
For example, if you do the 20-30 minutes part, your time stamping should start at 20, not 00
Every 2 minutes:
Example: DOCX or PDF
MAJOR RULES:
1. If you cannot hear what word is being said, mark that as inaudible or unintelligible
and specify the time. Do NOT make up your own markings. Only use [inaudible
00:00:00] and [unintelligible 00:00:00]
Use [inaudible 00:00:00] when speech cannot be heard due to poor
recording or noise (keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + K).
Use [unintelligible 00:00:00] when speech can be heard but it cannot be
understood due to the speaker's manner of speech, accent, et cetera (Ctrl +
I).
2. When a speaker is using conjunctions like "and", "so", or "but" to connect longer
stretches of thought, it's often a good idea to create sentence divisions in those
places. Also, don't forget to cut out the conjunctions in those places when
they're not necessary. Divide sentences in a way that the meaning is clearest to
the reader.
3. Longer speeches should be separated into smaller paragraphs. Paragraphs
shouldn't be longer than 500 symbols (about 100 words or 3-4 lines in the
transcription tool).
4. Never paraphrase or reconstruct the speech in the audio you are transcribing.
5. Do not correct grammatical errors made by the speakers.
NOTE: Do not use [sic] tag
6. Always use the correct spelling for misspoken words.
Mark: Hello.
Speaker 1: Some text.
Speaker 2: Some more text.
14. Occasionally, customers dictate instructions to format the transcription while they are
speaking. These instructions should be followed when possible, but never
transcribed. Follow customer requests for spoken directions such as a new
paragraph, comma, period, or a bullet point (use a dash). Do not type out the
instruction.
If a speaker spells a word or a name: "My name is Anna. A-N-N-A." Don't put A-
N-N-A in if it's a dictation type transcript, but do put it in for all other types of
transcripts.
15. Italicize film, book, magazine, song titles, as well as artworks, plays, TV and radio
programs, foreign expressions, et cetera. Example: I watched an episode
of Friends the other day.
NOTE: There is no need to italicize social media sites, company names, the
Bible, books within the Bible, versions of it or other sacred writings (Koran, New
Testament, Genesis, et cetera). John 1:2–3. If multiple citations: John 1:3; 3:16;
6:14, 44.
17. Always research the proper capitalization e.g., iPhone, UCLA, SaaS
18. Always write links like this: www.facebook.com/groups/gotranscript. Never write it
like this: w ww dot facebook dot com slash groups slash gotranscript
19. Sound events
Sound events that are significant to the audio should also be noted
regardless of format (e.g. [laughs], [laughter], etc.). Use brackets [ ] for notes.
Do not put timestamps. The notes must be in present and/or progressive
tense, concise; must not exceed two words, grammatically correct, and
written in lower case regardless of the position in a sentence.
Use [background noise] on a separate line for ambiance noise. Use
[background noise] on the same line if a significant unidentified sound
occurs while the speaker is talking.
[crosstalk], [silence] - can be placed on a separate line or same line wherever
they occur. [silence] is used to demonstrate a short pause in speech; not less
than 4 seconds but not longer than 10 seconds.
[pause 00:00:00] bolded and time-stamped is used to demonstrate a pause
significant in a speech. It must be longer than 10 seconds for it to be marked.
It is always on a separate line.
When the audio is cut or edited, use [sound cut] on a separate line or the
same line; wherever the sound cut was done.
If a foreign language or a word (in this case, a language that is not English) is
spoken, mark it as [foreign language] or [French language], [German
language], et cetera if it can be identified.
Note: Authors/titles/personalities/common sense things are an exception
from this rule and must always be researched. For example: carpe diem,
Jacques Chirac, Frédéric Chopin, aleajactaest, et cetera.
20. Numbers
Spell out single-digit numbers, use numerals for all other numbers: zero, nine,
10, and so on.
Money: $1, $1.5 million, $1,000 (1 grand is 1,000, 5 bucks is $5, 8 quid is £8.
Half a million dollars is $500,000).
Years and eras: '90s, 1990s
Age: 70s, 30s
Percentages: 0.2%, 100%
Measurements: 3 degrees, 12 feet, 8 centimeters, 7 pounds, 1.5 kilos, 28
square meters
Mathematical equations and formulas: x = x + 2 or x ^ 3 = 8
Bible citation: John 1:2–3
Fractions: 1/3
Postal code: 91210
Phone number: 123-456-789
Combination: If a sentence combines small [0-9] and large numbers [10 and
up], transcribe all numbers in numerals.
21. Times of the day and dates: always capitalize AM and PM. Do this: 2:45 PM, 5:00
AM. When using o'clock, spell out the numbers: eleven o'clock.
22. Double dashes or a single dash
Use double dashes -- when there is a change of thought (false start) or a
speech error, or to mark an incomplete sentence. Do this:
FV Speech error: I went to the bank on Tu-Thursday-- no, Friday.
FV False start: I, um, wanted-- I have dreamed of becoming a
musician and--
CV False start that adds to information: Sage is-- You’re right, that
boy is my son.
INCOMPLETE SENTENCE regardless of verbatim type:
I wanted to say something but--
Are you done with that or--
Use single dash -
When the speech is interrupted in a conversation, but the speaker
continues his thought. Do this:
27. Do not remove the word et cetera unless the client asks otherwise in the comment
section.
28. If you do not prepare the transcriptions according to these requirements, you
might be removed from the team of transcribers.
My name is Gintare.G_I_N_T_A_R_E.
I met____ in Lithuania.
Jane
JANE
Jane
It is transcription. T-R-A-N-S-C-R-I-P-T-I-O-N.
It is transcription.T_R_A_N_S_C_R_I_P_T_I_O_N.
It is transcription. T.R.A.N.S.C.R.I.P.T.I.O.N.
It is transcription. TRANSCRITPTION.