What Is The Role Of Proofreader In Transcription?

Remote jobs are on the rise. And for good reason! You’ve probably thought about proofreading because it’s so flexible! It’s good for digital nomads or anyone who wants to make extra money in their free time.

Proofreading isn’t for everyone. But the people who love it, really love it! You might’ve heard about proofreading transcripts. This is a bit different from other types of proofreading.

If you’re at all overwhelmed by this concept, keep reading. We’ll break it down for you!

What Is Proofreading?

Proofreaders will read documents and fix any errors they find. They will look for common errors, such as punctuation errors or spelling errors. They might notice if the wrong word was used or fix any common grammatical mistakes.

Some people may struggle to find errors. Others may find errors with absolutely no problem. People in the latter group would make great transcript proofreaders!

What Is Transcription?

Transcription is simply turning conversation into a written document. This is usually done by listening to audio clips while typing. The transcription process isn’t quite as easy as it sounds. Transcribers figure out what the speaker is saying. They might have to research the context of the conversation. They then decide which punctuation to use.

You may listen to an audio recording over and over again until you can write down exactly what was said. You may even do a verbatim transcript. This includes filler words like “umm” or even repeated words if the speaker stammers.

Automated Transcription

Automated transcription is done by a computer. Some apps will listen to audio and then immediately transcribe what is heard. If you’ve used the speech-to-text function on your phone, you know it can make several mistakes. This is why proofreading transcripts can be so important!

Human Transcription

Hiring a human to transcribe audio can be expensive. However, humans make fewer mistakes. They can use common sense to figure out what is being said. They can also figure out what type of punctuation to use even when the speaker doesn’t specify it.

Humans tend to proofread as they transcribe. But they’re not trained to proofread. This is why transcript proofreaders are so vital.

How Do You Proofread A Transcript?

Transcript proofreading is a bit different from other types of proofreading. First, transcript proofreaders will look at the transcript. They will check for punctuation and spelling mistakes. They can also fix any basic grammatical errors.

Besides basic proofreading, they will also make sure the transcript is true to the audio file. For instance, the transcript may change the meaning of the audio. Perhaps there is a misplaced comma. Maybe the wrong word was used, transcript proofreaders will fix those errors.

Sometimes, the transcriber will accidentally change the words. The transcriber may have forgotten to include a few unnecessary words. The proofreader will notice this and include them.

Sometimes the audio quality is low. Background noise can make it hard to hear the relevant content of audio. If the audio transcription fails to get the point across, the proofreader should fix that. Proofreaders listen to the original audio recording and correct the transcript.

Transcript Proofreading Tips

Look over the entire document before getting started. This will give you an idea of what you are working with. Listen to the original audio recording while looking at the transcript. This will help you know if everything matches up.

Don’t be afraid to use Google! You might hear some new words or technical jargon that you don’t understand. A quick internet search will help make sure you’re using the right word.

Editing Vs. Proofreading

Editing changes the content. Maybe it will make the document more readable. Maybe it will help readers to better understand the message. Proofreading does not change anything. Proofreaders keep the original meaning the same. They only fix errors that the original writer missed.

It can be hard not to edit a transcript. You know that the speaker meant to say something else. You still have to write exactly what they said. When speaking, people may use extra words or omit a word. They may use the wrong word or repeat themselves. No matter what oral mistakes they make, you cannot fix them.

Proofreaders can only fix spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors. They can even fix typographical errors. These will improve the document without changing the spoken word.

If you’ve considered transcript proofreading, you should be ready to get started. After reading this article, you’ll know if it’s a good job for you!