As an academic, note-taking is one of the most time consuming and monotonous things you have to do.
It is unfortunately a necessary evil, because without notes you won’t be able to generate the needed content.
Taking notes by hand is cumbersome and takes up too much physical space, especially if it’s for a long interview or lecture.
The best option today is to utilize transcription services.
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Online Transcription Services
A transcription service is a company that provides full transcripts of audio recordings or videos.
In modern times, the prevalence of online transcription has greatly increased, as it further increases the convenience.
Online transcription can also reach a greater audience than a physical business, as anyone with an internet connection can upload and have files transcribed.
Taking Advantage of Transcription Services
To take advantage of transcription, put down the pen and paper and pull out your phone or any other audio recording device.
Be sure to be in a quiet environment where only the subjects can be heard clearly.
Transcription and Note-Taking
This also takes the burden off of the note-taker to sit and listen more clearly to what is being said.
If it is an interview, it’s easier to ask questions and listen to the answers without having to furiously scribble while they speak.
Once you have the recording, it’s time to upload it to an online transcription service.
The secret of Keywords and Phrases!
If possible, try and include certain key words or phrases contained within the file that may not be clear to the average person. These services charge a fee based on the length of the project, and will have a deadline for completion.
This deadline will vary depending on the length of the project, as longer files will take longer to transcribe.
Once the file is completed, you will be delivered a full transcript of the uploaded file.
Once this is done, you can open and view your transcript. It will contain everything that is said on the file, and the speakers will be identified
Timestamp
The speakers will be time coded to the corresponding time that they spoke in the audio recording.
Any words that were mumbled or unclear will be marked as inaudible, and people speaking at the same time as cross-talk.
If the audio provided was clear, not very many of these should appear. If a file is too unclear or has missing audio, it will not be transcribed.
Once you have this, it’s time for the real note-taking to begin. If you’re writing content for a book or paper, you can easily find the best nuggets according to the time code.
This allows you to compile notes after the fact, instead of having to scramble on the fly. Now that there is a fully transcribed conversation or interview, you can create a new file of notes of the best bits, or things that need improvement.
Utilizing online transcription services is a must for academics.
The amount of time saved, added focus during recording, and ease of note-taking afterwards makes life substantially easier. So for your next paper or project, save yourself some hassle by ordering here!
