beyond the qualitative interview
TRANSCRIPT
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Eleanor McLellan, Kathleen McQueen, JudithNeidig
Ysabel Carlos
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The inapproriate or inadequate preparation of transcripts from audioor digital recordings can delay or negatively affect the analysisprocess. (MacQueen and Milstein 1999)
This article focuses on the preparation if transcribed, audiotaped,structured, unstructured, or semistructured interviews for QDA.
Mergenthaler and Stinsons 7 Principles for developing transcription
rules:1. Preserve the morphologic naturalness of transcription
2. Preserve the naturalness of the transcript structure
3. The transcript should be an exact production
4. The transciption rules should be universal
5. The transciption rules should be complete
6. The transcription rules should be independent
7. The transciption rules should be intellectually elegant
Beyond the Qualitative Interview: DataPreparation and Transcription
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Researchers must decide whether their analysis is best supported by transcription or
by researchers notes derived from or supplemented by a review of the audiotapes.
(Patton 2002:380-84)
Essentially researchers undertake their first data reduction step when they decide
what will be transcribed and what will be left out. (Miles andHuberman 1994)
For example, a researcher must make choices whether a textual document should
include non-linguistic observations, be transcribed verbatim and identify speech
patterns, vernacular expressions, intonations, or emotions.
In this transcription protocol, an audiotape should be transcribed in its entirety andprovide a verbatim account of the interview. (Including elisions, mispronunciations,
slang, grammatical errors, nonverbal sounds)
Assist transcribers by specifying what you want included, to ensure that transcripts are
prepared in a standardized manner and is consistently prepared.
DATA PREPARATION
Beyond the Qualitative Interview: DataPreparation and Transcription
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Beyond the Qualitative Interview: DataPreparation and Transcription
For ease of readability, transcripts are formatted identically and support either manual or
computer-assisted coding:
Arial, size 10, 1-inch margins (top, bottom, right left), left-justified text
**For some analyses, it may not be necessary to transcribe the whole interview. Only
those related to the research question or theory.
The level of transcription should complement the level of the analysis. (Drisko, 1997)
What to include should always be driven by the research question that an analysis
attempts to answer.
Always identify the interviewer and interviewee. Assign a speaker label (i.e., source ID) to
further assist in navigating through hard copy or electronic versions of the transcript.
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Beyond the Qualitative Interview: DataPreparation and Transcription
TEXT FORMATTING
1. Arial, size 102. One-inch margins
3. All text shall begin at the left hand margin (no indents)
4. Entire document should be justified
LABELLING FOR INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS
Example:
Participant ID:
Interview Name:
Interviewee Category/Subgroup:
Site/Location:
Date of Interview:
Interviewer ID:Transcriber:
LABELLING FOR FOCUS GROUPTRANSCRIPTS
Site:
#Participants:
Focus Group Sample: (e.g., women, men)
Focus Group Interview No.Date of Interview:
Facilitator ID:
Recorder ID:
Transcriber:
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Beyond the Qualitative Interview: DataPreparation and Transcription
The transcribers should insert a single blank line between the file labelling information and
the actual interview transcription. A double pound sign ## shall precede and follow each
participant identification label (i.e., source ID)
A single hard return shall be inserted after the Source ID. The individualsresponse/comment shall begin on the next line.
SOUR
CE ID
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Beyond the Qualitative Interview: DataPreparation and Transcription
Audiotape changes
Transcriber should inidicate when the interview is recorded on a new tape and include info verifying thatthe second side of the tape is blank as well as the total number of audiotapes associated with theinterview.
Type in UPPERCASE LETTERS.
End of interview
Type END OF INTERVIEW in uppercase letters on the last line of the transcript along with info
regarding the total number of audiotapes associated with the interview and verification that the
second side of the type is blank. A double space should precede this information.
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Beyond the Qualitative Interview: DataPreparation and Transcription
SOURCE LABELLING
INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS
Source IDs shall begin with the alpha character that designates data collection site/location followed by theindividuals three-digit identification number
Example; F100 = Fenway interviewee #100
Interviewer IDs shall begin with alpha character Ifollowed by the location and interviewers three-digit identification number
Example; IF002 = Fenway Interviewer #002
GROUP INTERVIEWS
Group participants and facilitators shall be assigned a unique source ID.
Example;R500 = Rhode Island focus group participant #500
Group facilitator source IDs must begin with alpha character F followed by a three-digit identification number
Example; FR101 = Rhode Island focus group facilitator #101
Focus group recorder (notetaker)s alpha character shall begin with R
Example;RR002 = Rhode Island focus group recorder #002
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Beyond the Qualitative Interview: DataPreparation and Transcription
content
Audiotapes shall be transcribed verbatim (i.e. Recorded word for word) including nonverbalbackground sounds (e.g. Laughter, sighs, coughs, claps)
Nonverbal sounds shall be typed in parentheses, for example, (short sharp laugh), (group laughter),
(siren in the background)
If theres mispronunciation of words, these shall be transcribed as how the individual said them.
Transcript should not be cleaned up by removing foul language, slang, grammatical errors, or
misuse of words or concepts.
If the incorrect word results in difficulties in comprehension of text, type the correct word within square
brackets.
Example: I thought that was pretty pacific [/specific/], but they disagreed.
Filler words such as uh, hm, huh, mm, mhm, yeah, yuhuh, huh, ugh shall be transcribed.
Word or phrase repetitions shall be transcribed.
If a word is cut off, a hyphen shall be inserted at the end of the last letter or audible sound.
Example: He wen- he went and did what I told he shouldnve.
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Beyond the Qualitative Interview: DataPreparation and Transcription
INAUDIBLE INFORMATION The transcribers shall identify portions of the audiotape that are inaudible or difficult to decipher.
If the inaudible part is relatively small, the transcriber shall call this inaudible segment. This
information shall appear in square brackets.
Example: The process of indentifying missing words in an audiotaped interview of poor quality is
[inaudible segment]/
If the part is lengthy, or there is dead air, transcriber should record this information in square
brackets plus the time estimate for information that could not be transcribed.
Example: [Inaudible: 2 minutes of interview missing]
OVERLAPPING SPEECH When individuals are speaking at the same time and it is not possible to distinguish what each
person is saying. Place crosstalk in square brackets after the last identifiable text and pick up
with the next audible speaker.
Example: People may contribute to the conversation, making it difficult to differentiate between one
persons statement [cross talk]. Resulting in loss of information.
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Beyond the Qualitative Interview: DataPreparation and Transcription
STORAGE OF AUDIOTAPES
If not actively being transcribed, secure in a locked cabinet.
REVIEWING FOR ACCURACYCheck all transcriptions against the audiotape and revise the transcript accordingly. Listen to each tape against
the transcript three times before it is submitted.
SAVING TRANSCRIPTS
Save each file as an individual MS-DOS ASCII text file with a .txt extension or a rich text file with an .rtf
extension.
Individual interview transcript files shall be assigned the interview name followed by the participant ID (e.g.
VaxC071.txt = Vaccine Interview for UIC participant #071)
For focus groups, the second character shall be a number designating the focus group number for thesite/location. Remaining characters shall designate the sample population. (e.g. CIWOMEN.RTF = UIC
focus group #1, women)
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BACKUP TRANSCRIPT FILES
Back up files on a diskette or CD. Store in the same location as theaudiotapes.