Ten Simple Ways Transcriptions Can Help in Qualitative Research

In qualitative research, being meticulous is crucial. One missing detail or error in your findings can leave a gaping hole in your research. The best solution for this is adding transcription to your research process. While the transcribing process is tedious, your research will benefit significantly from the rewards.

Here are ten simple ways adding transcription to your research process can help you greatly.

1. Lets you pick up every detail 

Transcription typically involves an audio recording of the discussion using a recording device. The result is a verbatim transcription of the discussion which captures every word, sentence, and utterance. Alternatively, you can have a smart verbatim transcript that takes out unnecessary details like filler words and irrelevant false starts.

Either way, transcription is more accurate and reliable than note-taking, where you usually face the risk of missing some details. For best results, you can rely on a transcription service like TranscriptionWing™ for high-quality transcripts made in your chosen format.

2. Keeps you focused on the conversation

Since you’ll use a recording device to capture the discussion, you can put your entire focus on the inputs of the respondents. Besides maintaining the flow of the discussion, this allows you to ask follow-up questions to make the discussion even more fruitful for your research.

3. Enhances understanding

One of the key features of transcripts is speaker labeling, which helps you get a better grasp of the context of the discussion by labeling each line in the transcript based on the respective speakers. Thus, transcripts can give you a full understanding of the finished discussion, whereas traditional note-taking tends to paint only part of the picture.

4. Speeds up data analysis

Because transcripts are in text form, you get to use techniques in quickly navigating documents to look for specific information. The best example of this is the search function of any word processor. Simply look up the keyword or key phrase, and you’ll land instantly at the information you’re finding.

5. Saves time and energy

Finished transcripts can save you a lot of time and energy from going back and forth with your data. This lets you exert effort on other tasks that need your attention and reduce stress during your research.

The transcribing process itself, however, is grueling. If you want to reap the benefits of the transcription process in qualitative research without the hassle, use a transcription service like TranscriptionWing™.

6. Enables collaboration

A glaring weakness in notetaking is that it can be difficult for other researchers outside the notetaker to interpret. With an audio recording and transcription, a research group can seamlessly work together without worrying about having misinterpretations of the same source.

7. Gives you reliable references 

Transcription has two main outputs: the audio recording, and the transcript itself. Both are superbly reliable in providing data, as they’re literally a recreation of the whole discussion. Thus, transcription can be invaluable to come up with top-notch qualitative research.

8. Helps streamline the research process

Ideally, you’d want your team to proceed smoothly along the research process without backtracking, which may happen when you miss out on details or need to capture the full context. Having a full transcript ensures that you can avoid retracing your steps and ensure that the flow of your research goes uninterrupted.

9. Improves quality control

Errors in your findings can prove fatal without a reference to go back to for correction. With transcription, you can easily surmount this obstacle; transcripts are basically a full recreation of the focus group itself but in text form. This makes quality control of your research a lot better and easier.

10. Increases overall accessibility

Transcripts, in general, can make your research far  more accessible to everyone. This is important especially when you need to establish credence when presenting your research during a peer review. Having an audio recording and transcript in hand leaves no room for doubt in your findings.

Use TranscriptionWing™ to help you in your research

Transcription is a fantastic addition to your qualitative research process. However, there are many other steps along the way that you have to worry about; it can be tasking and slow down your team if you have to focus too much on just transcribing alone.

Instead of doing it yourself, outsource the transcription process to TranscriptionWing™  so you can focus on your other tasks. Simply send your audio recording, and you will receive a reliable, professionally-made transcript in as short as four hours.