Most of the time audio recordings need to be transcribed. However there are times when the audio is of poor quality or badly dictated and this makes it very difficult for the typist to transcribe the document correctly. Here are some helpful tips to ensure that your recordings can be easily transcribed with minimal errors and editing.
DOs and DON’Ts of Dictation:
- DO speak naturally and clearly at a good volume level
- DON’T speak quietly or in a rushed tone
- DO make sure you are recording on a high quality setting to ensure crisper, clearer recordings
- DO Speak with your mouth at the recommended distance from your particular brand of microphone for optimum sound levels
- DO Spell unusual technical words that are not in day to day use within your profession
- DON’T record on low speed/quality which will use up less memory but will also affect the sound quality of the recordings
- DO try and do your dictations in a quiet environment away from loud noises, music, noisy fans or air conditioning
- DO utilize a recorder which is optimized for the right recording setting. Using a meeting recorder to record your minutes will work much better than a personal note taker
- DON’T say “period” for the end of a sentence. The proper phrase when dictating is “stop” or preferably “full stop”.
- DON’T forget to say “End of Dictation” at the end of your dictation, so the transcriptionist will know there is no more dictation to follow
- You should be aware of similar-sounding and other confusing words and spell them or dictate them clearly. Some words should always be spelled to avoid confusion or to make sure an inattentive transcriptionist does not transcribe the word incorrectly.
Dictation is a skill that can easily be learned and always improved upon. If you make the effort to do it correctly, you will find your dictation is often transcribed easily and without error, meaning you do not have to spend time reviewing what you have already dealt with.
Philips’ dictation solutions allow you to create high quality dictation files and send them electronically to your typist. Dictation has never been this easy and let’s your get more done in less time.
Contributed by:
Powerhouse Dictation | Philips
011 887 1056
info@speech.co.za
www.speech.co.za
