Transcription of Academic Research, Market Research, Focus Groups, and Qualitative Research

Post date: 25-Jul-2014 17:45:05

Whether you are an academic researcher or someone doing market research, it's crucial to get your interviews and focus groups into written format so you can start your analysis. Note taking during interviews can be distracting and can even introduce nonverbal bias, not to mention that notes can be incomplete and might be deciphered later out of context, and it's important that you get accurate documentation for your research. And even if you digitally record your field interviews or focus groups, typing up hours and hours of content can be a time-consuming and daunting task.

In some cases, you may need a verbatim or exact word-for-word transcript to capture things like mispronunciation, improper grammar, vocalizations, hesitations, or if a video is available, physical gesticulations and fidgeting, that could be important in a social or behavioral context or for conversational analysis.

If you are compiling a qualitative database or using software such as nVivo in order to code or tag your content for easier analysis, transcripts that are already timestamped, coded for speaker identification, or formatted with headings are easier to import, access, and search than fast forwarding and rewinding through audio files. Also, for large projects with multiple interviews, using a standardized format or protocol for the entire collection creates an orderly and consistent database for high-quality analysis that can also be accessed in collaboration with a team of researchers.

If you must deliver examples of first-hand experience or anecdotal evidence, a transcript makes it easy to simply copy-and-paste exact quotes or even whole blocks of text directly into your report.

Finally, if you're writing a master's thesis, doctoral dissertation, white paper, or book, and you find it easier to dictate or hand-write your research, you can leave the typing to me. Additionally, if you speak English as a second language, and you want an extra set of eyes to review your spelling and grammar, I can proofread your work for a coherent and precise paper.

If you need transcription services for your academic research, marketing research, focus groups, or quantitative research; if you need a verbatim transcript or conversation analysis; if you need a specific template or format to import into a qualitative database; or if you simply need proofreading, please get in touch!