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Transcription Guidelines

Format
Format

Be sure to make the format clear and homogeneous

This means capitalizing the first letter of every speech, and any proper nouns (names, places, brands).

Correct

Did you always know that you wanted to get married? I was reading in the New York Times about how our parents just didn't talk about their marriage.

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Incorrect

did you always know that you wanted to get married? I was reading in the new york times about how our parents just didn't talk about their marriage.

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How to write numbers?

You can avoid writing numbers as words, whether it’s from 1 to 10 or higher.

Here are some examples:

If there are many numbers given in a row (if a speaker gives a phone number, for example, e.g. I told him, “Call me on 07678, ‘fore it’s too late”)

When exact times are emphasized ('It was 4:32')‍, be sure to add a.m. (ante meridiem) and p.m. (post meridiem) when necessary: (6 a.m., 8:30 p.m.)

When “o’clock” is used (4 o’clock, 11 o’clock)

Dates (e.g. April 5th, 1987; May 6, 1989)

Decades should also be written numerically, introduced with an apostrophe (“It was better in the ‘60s”)

If speakers are referring to a saga, feel free to not use numbers as words (e.g. “Scream Five” can be written “Scream 5”)

Don’t forget to add quotation marks when needed

You should use quotation marks when a speaker is describing a direct speech, it can be introduced by a comma, and you should capitalize the first letter of the quoted sentence.

Correct

And then I went to him and told him, “Grow up”

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Incorrect

And then I went to him and told him grow up

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When the speaker is naming an external source (such as books, films, songs, and so on) that can’t be found among the subject tags, you can simply use quotation marks.

Correct

Have you ever read “The sound and the fury?”

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Incorrect

Have you ever read the sound and the fury?

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Always write contractions using an apostrophe (‘)

Examples

it’s when referring to “it is” and its when describing possessives

you’re when referring to “you are” and your when describing possessives

ballin', not ballin (contraction of “balling”)

‘til, not til (contraction of “until”)

'em, not em (contraction of “them”)

‘cause for shortened 'because' and cause when used as verb

don’t not dont

Correct

I’ll love you ‘til the end

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Incorrect

I’ll love you til the end

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How to write a website address?

As you would do online, check out the following example 👇

Correct

Find out more on www.musixmatch.com

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Incorrect

Find out more on www dot musixmatch dot com

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And remember: you are transcribing not correcting!

If you encounter what you believe to be grammatical or other kinds of errors in the text of a podcast while curating, do not correct the text except for the elements mentioned in these guidelines.

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Next: Tagging

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Be sure to make the format clear and homogeneous

Correct

Incorrect

How to write numbers?

Don’t forget to add quotation marks when needed