Getting Started with Interview Transcripts

There are several ways in which interviews can be converted to text transcripts using automatic speech recognition.

Before we can create transcripts, we need to create audio recordings of our interviews. Naturally we need the permission of interviewees before making the recordings.

Source Audio - Interview recorded on iPhone

  • For testing purposes , we recorded the following text on the iPhone, as a m4a file.

"I don’t see anything here about options for transcribing calls – I had a query from a researcher a week ago around how to transcribe research interviews when using a phone rather than videoconferencing app. Do you have any thoughts around that? We recommended using recording functionality on phone and uploading the recording to Microsoft Stream for generating a transcript. I guess alternatives would be to use dictation on Mac/Windows while on call."

Transcript - Microsoft Stream

  • Stream didn't allow us to upload .m4a files.
  • We changed the file extension to .mp4 and Stream was able to upload the file.
  • Stream rendered a pretty accurate transcription, with timestamps
  • The sentences were broken into small fragments, for captioning purposes.
  • Stream took some time to create the transcription.

I don't see anything here about
00:11
options for transcript ING calls.
00:13
I had a query from a researcher a
00:15
week ago around how to transcribe
00:18
research interviews when using a phone
00:20
rather than video conferencing app.
00:23
Do you have any thoughts around
00:26
that we recommended using?
00:28
Recording functionality on phone and
00:30
uploading the recording to Microsoft
00:33
Stream for generating a transcript.
00:35
I guess alternatives would be to use
00:39
dictation on Mac Windows while on a call.

Transcript - Zoom

  • Zoom allowed us to play an audio file on our machine and transcribe the contents.
  • Tip: In order for Zoom to transcribe system audio, you need to:
    1. Click on 'More' > 'Live Transcript' > 'Enable'
    2. Click on 'More' > 'View Full Transcript'
    3. Click on 'Share Screen', check 'Share sound' and then click 'Share'
  • Zoom did seem to have a number of errors and the timestamps reflected the system time, rather than the meeting time.

10:27:37 I don't see anything here about options for transcript in calls. I had a query from a researcher a week ago, around how to transcribe research interviews.
10:27:48 When using a phone rather than video conferencing app. Do you have any thoughts around that we recommended using recording functionality on phone and uploading the recording to Microsoft stream for generating a transcript.
10:28:04 I guess alternatives would pay to use dictation on Mac, Windows, while on a call.

Transcript - Microsoft Word Office 365

  • Microsoft Word allowed us to upload an audio file and provide an accurate transcript, with timestamps.

00:00:08
I don't see anything here about options for transcript in calls.
00:00:13
I had a query from a researcher a week ago around how to transcribe research interviews when using a phone rather than video conferencing app.
00:00:23
Do you have any thoughts around that we recommended using?
00:00:28
Recording functionality on phone and uploading the recording to Microsoft Stream for generating a transcript.
00:00:35
I guess alternatives would be to use dictation on Mac Windows while on a call.