If you’re new to transcribing interviews, it might help to have an interview transcript example to work from. An example can help you see how to structure your transcriptions, the typical format, and how much detail is worth including.
Interview Transcript Example
Transcript details vary from one company to the next, but having a starting point can greatly help. In our previous piece about transcribing interviews, we talked about the three different types of transcriptions:
- Verbatim
- True Verbatim
- Intelligent Verbatim
Each of these options comes with a specific level of detail, structure, and information. Below, we include an interview transcript example for each one.
Verbatim Interview Transcription
With Verbatim transcription, the reader will see everything said throughout the interview other than what isn’t relevant to the conversation.
That means that the random pauses, “ums,” and “you know” that might break up a conversation are taken away. What the reader is left with is the meat and bones of the conversation.
The transcript will begin with the name of those included in the interview, the date and location, as well as any acronyms that might be used. From there, an acronym will be used for each speaker, and timestamps will be featured throughout to help the reader understand the flow of the conversation.
This is a typical verbatim interview transcription example and what most companies ask for when they request one.
Interview Example Title
11/20/19
John Doe (JD) & Jessica Smith (JS)
JD: Welcome to our review of transcription… of various interview transcriptions.
JS: Today we will be reviewing transcriptions of each different type. That includes verbatim, true verbatim, and intelligent verbatim. And if you have any questions throughout, please be sure to raise your hand. We will stop as needed.
JD: Before we begin… Jessica is a professional transcriptionist and I conduct interviews here at Company Title.
JS: I work closely with John to get transcriptions of our interviews out the door to higher-ups in the company. As you’ll see, the various transcription types can make all the difference in understanding whether interviews went well or right.
True Verbatim Interview Transcription
With a true verbatim transcription, the reader will not only get all of the interviews, but they’ll also get all those extra additions that aren’t always necessary. These transcriptions can be much longer, as they don’t cut out the pauses and filler words.
However, they’re still similar to the verbatim transcriptions in that they include a lot of the same details. Interview names, date, and location, as well as timestamps and acronyms.
While there is little editing involved in this type of transcription, it’s useful if you need a full understanding of the interview itself. It’s typed as it was heard on the recording and can often include how someone phrased their words.
Interview Example Title
11/20/19
John Doe (JD) & Jessica Smith (JS)
JD: Welcome to our review of transcription… um the various interview transcriptions.
JS: Today we will be reviewing transcriptions of each different type. (pause) That includes verbatim, true verbatim, and intelligent verbatim. And uh, if you have any questions throughout, please be sure to raise your hand. We will stop as needed.
JD: Before we begin… Jessica is a professional transcriptionist and I conduct um (unintelligible) interviews here at Company Title.
JS: I work closely with John to get transcriptions of our interviews out the door to higher-ups in the company. As you’ll see, the various transcription types can make all the difference in understanding whether interviews went well or… right. (laughs)
Intelligent Verbatim Interview Transcriptions
Intelligent transcriptions are great if your interview is going to be in print. It allows for strategic editing that makes things easier to read and takes out the small details that might not be relevant. When this type of transcription is used, you’re often not reading the entire interaction between interviewer and interviewee. Instead, you’re getting a shortened, cleaned-up version of it.
Still, when it comes to this transcription format, it works pretty much the same way. You want to include all of the details from the first two examples. The reader always needs to know who was involved in the conversation, even if they don’t need the extra details.
Interview Example Title
11/20/19
John Doe (JD) & Jessica Smith (JS)
JD: Welcome to our review of the various interview transcriptions.
JS: Today we will be reviewing transcriptions of each different type. That includes verbatim, true verbatim, and intelligent verbatim. Please raise your hand throughout and we will pause to answer.
JD: Jessica is a professional transcriptionist and I conduct interviews here at Company Title.
JS: I work closely with John to get transcriptions of our interviews out the door to higher-ups in the company. As you’ll see, the various transcription types can make all the difference in understanding whether interviews went well.
Where To Find Examples
If you need visual examples of interview transcripts, you can check out a simple Google image search or sites like Indeed that include a few examples in their write-ups. If it’s your first time writing a transcript, having a visual can keep you on track.
A great interview transcription example will give you a solid place to start when it comes to growing as a transcriber.
