How to learn transcription

You must practice typing, learn to listen carefully, and have a strong understanding of proper punctuation in order to learn transcription. Here are some details on these steps and others you can take to learn transcription:

• Practice typing. This is something you should do when you want to learn transcription. Though each company sets its own standard in terms of acceptable typing speeds, a good baseline goal is to be able to type at least 60 words per minute (wpm).

It is possible to pass transcription tests by typing as slowly as 35 wpm, but because companies have different standards, you should aim for 60 wpm.

If you are not able to type at least 35 wpm, passing a transcription test is going to be difficult. Try typing without looking at your fingers on the keyboard during your practice transcription tests.

Use videos on topics you enjoy when practicing transcription. This way, practicing stays fresh. Also, keep in mind that accuracy is more important than typing speed; however, both are critical to work in transcription.

• Learn to listen carefully. This is one of the most critical skills to have as a transcriber. Being able to hear and correctly understand words in audio recordings or videos is what transcription is all about.

If you are taking a transcription test and you type too many inaccurate or wrong words, this will severely affect your score. Listen to a wide variety of audio recordings and videos so that you can get familiar with the many different ways people speak, their cadences, etc.

When practicing listening, it is very important to make sure you are in a very quiet area with as little background noise as possible; ideally, the only thing you should be hearing is the recording. This means turning off your TV, music, and any device that might emit extraneous sounds.

There are going to be times when the speaker on your recording says something completely unintelligible; in this case, if you are practicing transcribing, you simply write a bracketed "[unintelligible]."

• Understanding punctuation. Punctuation can be a tricky area for transcribers because there are different rules for punctuation from different sources.

Academic writing, for example, has different strict rules for punctuation in the US versus the UK. For instance, in the US, periods and commas are placed inside quotes, while in the UK, they are placed outside of quotes.

It is extremely important to become educated on proper punctuation. Much of the AP style is derived from the American academic punctuation rules; however, media outlets that have more commentary-based programming often have looser rules for punctuation.

To play it safe, you should practice audio transcribing by using standard academic rules for punctuation. When it comes to being employed, you may need to make adjustments; however, it is good to be trained in the academic standard.

• Grammar and spelling. Even if you have an English-related education, it's a good idea to brush up on your grammar and spelling. Knowledge and skills in these areas are critical for passing transcription tests.

Be sure to use a spell-check program when you are practicing transcriptions so you can gauge your accuracy. Here are the most important grammar elements that you seek to master in understanding:

Reference one of the many books on proper grammar or utilize online video tutorials to help you brush up.

• Transcription formatting. Transcription formatting is something you must learn in order to pass transcription tests and obtain professional work in the field.

Transcription schools and services typically require specific formatting. You should do some research and try to expose yourself to as many transcription formats as you can.

Common items involved in transcription formatting include page layouts, margins, font types, and sizes, as well as file naming and other nuanced elements particular to each job.

• Critical thinking skills. Critical thinking is another skill you must hone when you are practicing transcription.

Often you are going to be confronted by things a speaker has said, and you must determine the context and word that was actually used. An example of this is the words "hear" and "here." You need to be paying attention to the context of the sentence, so you can transcribe the accurate word that was spoken.

• Get transcription tools. To learn and practice transcription, you need to invest in items like headphones, a computer, and transcription software.

These are all essential items for any professional transcriber. In addition, there are many free resources online where you can practice transcription.