[TribeLeader]

I have about 7 hours (± 1 hour) of digital audio files (mp3s) that I need transcribed (doctoral research), and I'm open to advice!

I've looked at a number of transcription services online. Most seem to charge at least $1.50/minute, which could cost me over $700. So, I thought I'd ask around to see what others have done or if anyone has any great ideas!

Thanks!

[design219]

Does it matter if it is accurate?

[TribeLeader]

Accurate? Well, fairly accurate, I guess.

[imitchellg5]

I'll do it for $350. Half price.

[freudling]

Hi:

I own a business where we have done exactly what you are asking. The quotes you were given that averaged, as you claim, $700 are dubious. The industry standard is $15-$25 per minute. The people quoting you obviously have no idea what they are doing, or they have some secret transcription software that is able to convert audio to text from an audio file.

Transcriptions like this are incredibly time consuming. No sane professional would tackle this for $1.50 per minute. imitchellg5, you might want to rethink your quote. Once you commit to this, you are tied in to completing the job. I have seen, so many times, lowballers abandon the project after a day or two when they realize how much work is involved. TribeLeader, I assume at some conscious level, you realize how daunting it will be to have to transcribe all of that audio yourself.

Here is how much time it will take an experienced transcriber to do 7 hours of audio, or 420 minutes:

42 hours (industry averages). Count on at least 5 solid days of transcribing, likely devoting at least 10 hours per day, as breaks, etc. need to be calculated in.

But, there are always problems. And, this time does not include all the formatting you will have to do, spell checking, and rechecking your work on the audio. That means you have to run the 420 minutes through again and follow along with your script. Also, you won't be able to get everything all the time. You will have to keep scanning backwards and forwards, even very good transcribers must do this. All in all, count on about 65 hours of work minimum to produce a quality, polished, finished product. Based on $350, you will get paid $5.38 per hour.

[abe]

Call a court reporter or stenographer for a quote.

Then call a court reporting or secretarial school and ask for their best student(s) for samples of their work &/or Resume and a quote.

[angelmb]

Originally Posted by freudling 

Hi:

I own a business where we have done exactly what you are asking. The quotes you were given that averaged, as you claim, $700 are dubious. The industry standard is $15-$25 per minute. The people quoting you obviously have no idea what they are doing, or they have some secret transcription software that is able to convert audio to text from an audio file.

Transcriptions like this are incredibly time consuming. No sane professional would tackle this for $1.50 per minute. imitchellg5, you might want to rethink your quote. Once you commit to this, you are tied in to completing the job. I have seen, so many times, lowballers abandon the project after a day or two when they realize how much work is involved. TribeLeader, I assume at some conscious level, you realize how daunting it will be to have to transcribe all of that audio yourself.

Here is how much time it will take an experienced transcriber to do 7 hours of audio, or 420 minutes:

42 hours (industry averages). Count on at least 5 solid days of transcribing, likely devoting at least 10 hours per day, as breaks, etc. need to be calculated in.

But, there are always problems. And, this time does not include all the formatting you will have to do, spell checking, and rechecking your work on the audio. That means you have to run the 420 minutes through again and follow along with your script. Also, you won't be able to get everything all the time. You will have to keep scanning backwards and forwards, even very good transcribers must do this. All in all, count on about 65 hours of work minimum to produce a quality, polished, finished product. Based on $350, you will get paid $5.38 per hour.

I echo that. Translation/localization services are pretty much the same, I have done it with a good number of companies and it is really time consuming, software localizations are king, you have to test them once and again. Anyway, it sucks when you find weird translations like hum, the spanish user manual of the Chrysler 300M, now that sucks. It would made a good read about how not to translate english into spanish in any spanish class there in the States.

[imitchellg5]

Yeah I figured it would be a pain in the butt. But it's been snowing here for three days straight, I'm stuck at home with nothing to do. Anything sounds fun

[TribeLeader]

Originally Posted by freudling 

Hi:

I own a business where we have done exactly what you are asking. The quotes you were given that averaged, as you claim, $700 are dubious. The industry standard is $15-$25 per minute.

Thanks for your perspective. My quotes are based on most/all the websites I found (although certainly not an exhaustive search).

I'm still weighing my options. I have a possibility of a local medical transcriptionist who may do it for me. But we haven't discussed cost yet.

[Oisín]

Based on $350, you will get paid $5.38 per hour.

Based on your numbers, you’d get paid about $160 per hour. I don’t know the transcription industry, but that seems a bit over the top for something that’s long and time-consuming, but still relatively unqualified, work, doesn’t it?

[freudling]

Oisin:

Obviously you are using the maximum amount possible. A job like this is about $15 per minute. The end result, based on 420 minutes of audio, is about $97 per hour, not $160 per hour. Of course, there is more involved than just transcription, like a project manager's time, dealing with the client, accounting, technical problems, blah blah. Formatting is time consuming, and you have to time code everything at least every minute.

In return, you get a quality product with minimal errors, support, and people who will meet your deadline. The only time we are really interested in doing this kind of stuff is for the film industry. Most individuals can't afford to have it done professionally, but they understand how time consuming and tedious it is, because they are looking for someone else to do it for them.

I am sort of looking out for TribeLeader here because I have seen too many times interns or lowballers not follow through with a transcription and then your deadline is shot. I am not trying to disrepute imitchellg5, just being realistic.

[Oisín]

Obviously you are using the maximum amount possible. A job like this is about $15 per minute. The end result, based on 420 minutes of audio, is about $97 per hour, not $160 per hour.

Yes, I was going by the maximum numbers. But even $97 per hour seems a lot to me. That’s what I’m paid for doing interpreting work for the national police force here. I wouldn’t have expected audio transcription to pay more than perhaps half that—though maybe that’s partly also to do with the fact that the film industry in general is better off than most other industries (especially government-funded ones).

[Mithras]

But you're talking salary, and he's talking price.

[MacosNerd]

Originally Posted by Oisín 

Yes, I was going by the maximum numbers. But even $97 per hour seems a lot to me. That’s what I’m paid for doing interpreting work for the national police force here. I wouldn’t have expected audio transcription to pay more than perhaps half that—though maybe that’s partly also to do with the fact that the film industry in general is better off than most other industries (especially government-funded ones).

Why not, in some ways both of you doing similar work. Both provide a service in "translating a language" You do a foreign language to a domestic one, and freudling, the spoken word to the written word.

neither of which is easy, and both have their own issues and problems. I can see as a service, why freudling charges what he charges. Its crucial, that you get a quality product.

[andi*pandi]

I have a friend who does medical transcription, the OP price does seem low. She took special classes in medical terminology, can convert abbreviations, shorthand, etc. Doesn't transcription go by the word, not minute? I'll ask her.

[Oisín]

Originally Posted by Mithras 

But you're talking salary, and he's talking price.

I thought he was talking salary, too (at least the last bits).

Why not, in some ways both of you doing similar work. Both provide a service in "translating a language" You do a foreign language to a domestic one, and freudling, the spoken word to the written word.

The difference is just that you don’t need to spend several years learning and perfecting a foreign language in order to be able to transcribe audio, since it’s still your own language. As far as I know, transcribing doesn’t require a four-year higher education, either, which interpreting (at least official interpreting) does.

[freudling]

Oisin:

Whether it calls for four-year higher education or not does not mean it is not worth the price that you are paid per hour. In fact, Oisin, you don't need four-years of higher education to be an interpreter. Anyone can pay $500 bucks to get tested nationally for certification as an interpreter and you can charge $150 an hour to interpret in court, at conferences, etc. once certified.

Interpreting can be draining, but transcription is nasty. You are better off interpreting, because there are always an array of problems with transcription. It is a big responsibility to take on a project like this. We just did some 300 minutes of transcription, although it was translating into another language. That project took 2 transcribers at 7 days solid working (~12-14 hours each day). Even still, I had to hire someone else to do all the editing to make sure the grammar, spelling and formatting was correct.

Whether you are translating, transcribing or interpreting, the yearly earnings are very similar. Interpreters get work sparsely, but are paid very well (~$800 per day - 8 hour day). Translators get more steady work and earn about $450 per day. Transcribers can get steady work and make about $500. $97 per hour covers: the transcriber's pay, the project manager's pay, the editor's pay, company overhead, and some profit built in.

[Oisín]

Whether it calls for four-year higher education or not does not mean it is not worth the price that you are paid per hour.

I didn’t mean to imply that; but jobs that require longer educations tend to pay better, as well, usually as remuneration for the level of specialisation obtained during that education. A domain such as transcription is obviously an exception to this, since it’s a highly specialised field, but one that requires no formal training.

In fact, Oisin, you don't need four-years of higher education to be an interpreter. Anyone can pay $500 bucks to get tested nationally for certification as an interpreter and you can charge $150 an hour to interpret in court, at conferences, etc. once certified.

I can only speak for my own country, of course, but over here, if you wish to be accepted into the List of Interpreters and Translators for the Danish National Police, it is a requirement that you have completed either the four-year interpreter/translator education, or that you hold a degree in the language you’re applying with (my degree is in Chinese, for example, which is then the only language I’m qualified to translate or interpret from).

The closest we can come to the ‘national tests’ you have is a test that, if passed, provides you with a diploma that says you’re legally allowed to act as a translator or interpreter—to set up a private company, for instance, for translating books or translating for private individuals. But not for official translations (such as court proceedings, police questionings, preliminary hearings, etc.; even conferences and similar larger events will normally request an interpreter or translator from the List, rather than going for a private company).

$97 per hour covers: the transcriber's pay, the project manager's pay, the editor's pay, company overhead, and some profit built in.

Okay, then it’s more within the realm of the expectable to me.


(My excuses if there are any half sentences, typos, or things that just make no sense in this post. It’s 8.05 A.M. and I’m about to head off to bed.)

[Richard Middleton]

I read the replys to your reguest, and will only say this, Medical Transcriptions can be tricky, and you should concider having your MP3 transcribed by a Medical Transcription company, if you really wish them to be completed properly

I use a company that supports Medical Students that do a wonderful job of my transciptions, and they charge me approximatly 12 cents per 65 charater line of type

It is not a cost issue really, and at least you will be pleased to have your document back to you in the quality you would expect

LEt me know if you wish to send your document in to this company for proper medical transcription

Dr Richard Middleton
Toronto
write me at
[email protected]

[jdbcmcbride]

Originally Posted by TribeLeader 

I have about 7 hours (± 1 hour) of digital audio files (mp3s) that I need transcribed (doctoral research), and I'm open to advice!

I've looked at a number of transcription services online. Most seem to charge at least $1.50/minute, which could cost me over $700. So, I thought I'd ask around to see what others have done or if anyone has any great ideas!

Thanks!

I have done transcription for over 8 years including files for Allstate, Farmers, Distillery Pictures, and several research clients. I would be glad to do these for you for $70 per audio hour, prorated of course. Please contact me at [email protected] if you're still needing someone.

Thanks!

[WisdomFirst]

If you'd kindly all step aside and let the professional answer the question... Thank you. My transcription company's rates are rather standard -- and lower than in New York, Washington, D.C. and L.A. (We're in Chicago.) For standard transcription, we charge $2.25 per recorded minute (ergo, $135.00 per recorded hour). The average professional transcriptionist types high-quality audio with no voice overlap or foreign accent issues in about four hours. (My transcriptionists and I generally do it in a little less time than that.) Different transcription companies charge differently -- by the page, by the line, even by the word.

If you can type at all yourself, invest in a transcription software program such as InqScribe and type it yourself (assuming the recording is in the form of a digital .wav file). Otherwise, you will be able to find an individual by posting an ad on Craig's List who will type your stuff for you for a lower price than would a professional transcription company.

[ghporter]

Respectfully, anyone who wants to help TribeLeader with this task should contact him by private message. Further, posting your email addresses here is kind of like saying "please, web bots, harvest my address so I can get even more spam than I already do." Or "thank you sir, may I have another". Either way, you're asking for trouble.

[wallinbl]

I used to do this for money in college. I can generally do about 1 to 3-4 in terms of speed, assuming the speaker is audible and it's a single speaker (which the OP suggests it is). You should be able to find someone that can do this in 20-25 hours of work. Find someone local that does the work and is looking for work on the side. It's easier to deal in person and you can be sure that you're speaking directly to the actual transcriptionist and not having to go through some agency. It'll be quicker and easier. If you want to test a few people, send them 10 minute chunks and see how they do with it. Pay them $20 or so for the test work.

If this is your doctoral research, it may help to find someone with some experience related to your field. It can be darn near impossible to decipher a word you heard if you've never encountered it before.