Just as Important - Transcribe

Transcribing is just as important as interviewing. This transcription can be used to record a life story or to make the interview information available to researchers.

Cassettes, reel-to-reel, and VHS tapes decompose over time. If you use any of these mediums to interview then it is imperative to digitize them with a free downloadable software like Audacity or Goldwave. There are even free online tutorials on how to these softwares online. One Touch Video Capture works well to transfer video to digital copy.

Old-fashioned transcription machines had pedals that allowed you to play, rewind, or fast forward a tape without taking your fingers off the keyboard. How do you transcribe digitized audio or video now? Software like, Express Scribe, makes this very easy. They have a free downloadable version of their software. It creates “hot keys” on the keyboard that you can use to stop or play back information, or you can purchase pedals that attach to your computer that do the same thing old-fashined transcription machines did. These pedals work with the software and be found on the Express Scribe website. In addition to the free software, this company also has a professional version for purchase.

We recommend that you use the rules for transcribing found in, “Guide to Transcribing and Summarizing Oral Histories,” provided by the Oregon Department of Transportation Research Section (ODOT) developed for their Historic Columbia River Highway Oral History Project beginning on the next page. A special thank you to ODOT Research Section for granting us permission to use their guide.

Plan on several hours transcribing and revising for every hour of interview.