TRANSCRIPTION – VILA – Aalborg University

What is transcription?

From Latin – to reproduce one medium into another.

Why transcribe?

1. Facilitates data analysis.

2. Documents data and findings – provides research transparency; therefore, others can
review it

What to be aware of

It is important to base transcription on a base of common rules and standards – that is, to set up a
system of conventions.

Be as detailed as possible – but also be selective.

Research approaches

Inductive approach – no clearly defined theory present to guide the research or transcription
process; data relevant to the research question must be sought out; transcription to a large
unedited collection of data; focus narrowed as work progresses

Deductive approach – clearly defined theory to start with; instances relating to the theory are
sought out; transcription will be made to these instances

What to be aware of

It is not always possible to work only inductively or deductively – what’s important is to know the
differences and document choices, to allow others to understand the process

Use the data to build a strong argument for the research – EMPIRIC EVIDENCE AND INDUCTION

Analytical vs. Narratical

The purpose of the transcription influences the way it is done. There are two main purposes for
transcription: a) narratical, which supports a certain narrative; and b) analytical, which supports
analysis of the data.

Narratical: the complex is made understandable through narration – rich and descriptive clips
should be sampled for the transcription, allowing to make a detailed account of the data; it is
inherently subjective, so the researcher’s perspective should be documented during the process
Analytical: the complex is simplified – quality and richness of the data are not necessary, rather it
should supply insight into the research question – objectivity should be aimed for, that is, the data
should be accounted for and not interpreted – patterns that support the inquiry should be
identified and documented

Being analytical does not exclude being narratical or viceversa – analysis does account for natural
occurring patterns, but that does stop the researcher from subsequently interpreting the data.

What to be aware of

It is important to know which approach guides the transcription, as this will affect the process.

Textual transcripts

Most frequently, it is similar to a dramatic script – speakers’ turns are placed below one another.
Each turns starts in a new line with the name or identifier of the speaker.

It must be decided whether the transcription should be done orthographically (conventional

spelling) or phonetically (variation in speech and vocalization).

Depending on the research question, focus may be placed on not only what is said but also how it
is said.

It is good to place a time stamp and a time number to each utterance, so it can be referenced
more easily.

Graphic transcripts

Hybrid – of a comic script and a textual script – it is important to be consistent with the rules of
the transcription and also make it understandable – it is useful for a) showing a longer trajectory
of an action, how it unfolded; and b) may be used to represent how the action progressed in
relation to talk and other elements of the transcribed event – less open to alternative analysis and
more time-consuming – thus better to be used in the later stage of the research process, when the
author wants to present the results and draw attention to some specific elements of the event – it
should not be done DURING the analysis of the data

Timeline transcripts

Multimodal - Represents time as a continuous horizontal line from left to right – different aspects
of interaction (or modalities) are placed one below another and arranged on the timeline.
Which aspects of interaction should be transcribed are up to the researcher. Typically, still-frame
images will be added to contextualize actions that are transcribed, e.g., speech, gaze direction,
pressing or releasing a mouse button.

It could also be useful to use visual aids such as symbols, lines, or colors to represent the duration
of events and their characteristics.

Allows complex situations to be represented, including many different aspects of interaction in a

readable manner. The reader should be able to examine simultaneous occurrences by looking at
the transcript vertically and see the progression of specific modalities by looking at it horizontally.

Ultimately, a timeline transcript provides information on interaction that would be difficult to

represent on text.