How to do an Oral History

Step 7 - Audit-review of transcript

and

Editing as lightly as possible for clarity in reading the spoken word in print.

You will want to review and then edit your transcript as lightly as possible for clarity in reading the spoken word in print.

After the interview is transcribed verbatim, the interviewer should audit or review the original transcription by reading the transcription while listening to the tape.

The editing of the interview should begin after it is fully transcribed. The spoken word is edited slightly differently than the written word. Our goal in editing is that the spoken word in print is easily readable, while maintaining the integrity of the style, tempo and speech idiosyncrasies of the narrator's voice. If someone always uses a certain phase or pronunciation, use it in the transcription. (Examples: wanta instead of want to, flustrated instead of frustrated.)

Next step: 8 - Narrator review

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