Edit a Transcript - Part I

Discussion in 'CastingWords' started by nobody, Jul 29, 2012.

  1. nobody

    nobody User

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    I've done about 25 of these, not to be confused with the Improve a Transcript HITs. I've only done about 200 transcriptions for CW. These are my ratings with CW:
    [​IMG]
    In other words, take whatever I write with a big lump of salt.

    My first edit was a dud. I got a 5. The audio was about an hour long, the time before it expired was 4 hours and all the transcribers had been graded 9s. This was back when I thought a 9 meant that the transcript was near perfect. Live and learn. I only finished editing two-thirds of the transcript.

    I removed a crapton of filler words and made comma usage consistent. I then verified all names and acronyms. That alone took forever. I eventually ran out of time. I kept wondering how in the hell someone could get a 9 with all those style guide violations. In my transcriptions, I got negative feedback when I didn't verify names on Google, yet none of these people had done that. I wanted to scream.

    Anyway, I emailed them that I ran out of time. Rather than reject it, they gave me a 5. More than fair IMO. I took heart in the fact that out of the seven things mentioned in the feedback of that edit, only one was something that I had done. (I made a change like "Jogging's really healthy" to "Jogging is really healthy." Most transcribers do it and get 9s, I didn't. I paid for the other mistakes because I didn't have time to fix them. Again, OK with me since I didn't finish it.

    I waited for a month to try my next one. It was a 9. Since that first one, all but two have been 9s. The other two were 8s. Like the Improve HITs, you don't get to see where your problems were. To this day, I have no clue. I guess whatever I did wrong, resolved itself.
     
  2. nobody

    nobody User

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    Edit a Transcript - Part II

    Now I'll tell you how *I* edit. Like everything else I've posted in this forum, I'm doing this to help others and possibly help them avoid some of the pitfalls I faced. Some people think it's stupid to help other people that way, but I pay it forward man.

    First, I follow all instructions within the HIT regarding splices, xx's, spelling, style guide corrections, etc. After that, I look for consistency. I read through the transcript and make changes to ensure everything is grammatically correct, check all names and acronyms and make comma usage consistent. I use the client's website for odd spellings. If a client website isn't available, I use spelling and acronyms common to that particular industry, or use Google. Then I listen to the audio to verify the audio was transcribed accurately.

    I suck at comma usage, so all I can do is make it consistent. The hard and fast comma rules, I get. The rest, like "discretionary" commas (the ones you use for clarity that may not be grammatically correct), I don't get. Whenever you guys complain about edits with comma changes, I get nervous because I think it's one of my edits, lol. It just might be (although I only did a couple edits this week). :)

    When I grab an editing HIT, there is a section that shows the current grades. These can be changed by the editor. I still don't fully understand the grading system, so I never know if these are auto-graded or graded by a person.

    I haven't lowered any grades yet. They will just complain, and CW will likely raise their score because they have a high PPT and/or have worked with CW longer than I have. Whatevs. I do raise grades when it is blatantly clear that the person followed the style guide and transcribed accurately. Even if I change commas, spelling and acronyms, those things are either changed for consistency or are things that the transcriber couldn't know without context. If it's something simple that can be found on Google, I can't raise the grade because CW considers that a style guide violation (based on feedback I've received from them). I've only raised a grade 3 or 4 times because I have to be able to justify that to CW if asked about it.

    Well, that's about it. The most important advice I can give to newbies is to follow the style guide no matter what grades you get or what your final edits look like. Unlike my transcriptions, that's what I've done on my edits and it has served me well. CW is a great requester if you can manage to get past their rogue graders and editors, lol. Good luck to all. :)
     
    #2 nobody, Jul 29, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 29, 2012
  3. Whimsy

    Whimsy User

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    I like your style. I was going to post something from an editing perspective but it turned into a rant. I don't want to ruin the good vibe you've set =)
     
  4. nobody

    nobody User

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    Oh, mine is plenty ranty, lol. I just couldn't help myself. :)
     
  5. 2muchTurkin

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    Very informative. I get you on the 'keep following guidelines' That was something early on I didn't do. I would figure the guidelines were wrong (after perfectly following them and getting a bad grade)and change according to my last grading. Then it would get slammed for not following the guidelines. I still transcribe but not as much. I guess I can't handle the bad grades very well when I KNOW it wasn't deserved. Gets me red in the face and all. My blood pressure getting that high just can't be good..LOL.
     
  6. Whimsy

    Whimsy User

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    I'm going to preface this with: This is a rant. It is not directed towards anyone specifically (except the editor that pissed me off just now).

    To the new editors -
    Read the special instructions.
    If the person transcribing does, and then you go and mark them down for it, they're going to send a polite but firm request to CW. They won't ask for your head, but your name has been noted and further slips will also be noted.

    edit for this: I believe CW reads this on occasion so I really try not to put my rants in here - I've identified myself a thousand times over - but c'mon. That chapped me. I'm trying hard on these stinking things and I'm already back on auto-8s, no matter what grades the editors give me.
     
    #6 Whimsy, Aug 1, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 1, 2012
  7. nobody

    nobody User

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    Let the church say "Amen."
    So it's not just me? I've seen comments in feedback that made me think they were reading here. Why not just join in and alleviate some of the confusion? Or hell, just stop by and have a drink \~/.

    Recent edit: Editor added "Alright" to the thing. Huh? I get an 8 because I followed the style guide?
     
    #7 nobody, Aug 2, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 3, 2012
  8. Chytay

    Chytay User

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    If the customer has special instructions that are vastly different from regular style guide rules, I copy and paste the rules in the comment section with stars around it. This seems to help SOMETIMES. But, there are some editors/graders that are going to make changes regardless.

    I take great pains to make sure I'm spelling names correctly, especially company and product names. I had two different transcripts last week where the editor changed the spelling of the company name and graded down. What's so bad, the company name was in the hit header. No need to research spelling, it was IN THE HIT.
     
  9. angelface83

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    Don't worry because CW likes comma's. I was upset a few times because I didn't want to get bad grades from putting comma's where you don't. I was taught not to put comma's before and's, but's etc...and also not to have huge run on sentences. But CW likes that. So I do it now...only now..many of my edits include making short sentences, putting back IN filler words that don't make sense and taking out comma's,LOLLLLLLL.

    I can never win- Either way I do it, it gets edited either way. I guess the editors figure that they have to fix something. But CW did send me an actual edit they did, support, and they do like commas and long sentences if it doesn't make sense to split them up- so that's what I do.

    I don't envy you guys doing edits. I wouldn't want to do them.

    Also nobody- I don't know why that is. I always look up everything and completely edit my transcripts before turning them in. That is odd they got a 9. I remove all filler words unless it doesn't make sense not too as it says.
    Grades are not very consistent sometimes. Some people just don't want to take away someones bonus I guess. I have gotten 9's and then they were "improved" and wow...tons of stuff was done- And it didn't improve it at all,lol.
    I will never understand CW. All I can do is follow their guide and what support tells me, I know then I can't go wrong is support tells it to me themselves.

    Pay it forward is right. Sad that people tell you not too. Helping others will never be wrong and will only suffice to grow your soul. I put all kinds of helping stuff in the comments when I grade- I even put back in full sentences and then show them what needs to be fixed. This world is meant for us to help each other.

    You guys are BRAVE souls to do edits. I do not ever want too.

     
  10. angelface83

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    I understand. I did take a day off once when I couldn't take it. It is hard to see constant criticism on things that are not even wrong all day long! It is VERY stressful. I am just doing this too until I find better. It is fine for now..but definitely NOT good for the heart..or the pocketbook. Regular transcriptionists are paid very well. So unless it's all you have, it's not always worth it for the pennies and the heart palpitations,LOL.




     
  11. hapless

    hapless Guest

    I've found more than a couple of CW HITs with misspellings in the title or notes. As a result, I never trust the title or notes anymore, if I can find (preferably multiple) reliable or official references to positively confirm the correct spelling of a name.
     
    #11 hapless, Aug 2, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 2, 2012
  12. Whimsy

    Whimsy User

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    is anyone here editing the math ones?

    Oh Dear Lord. I did one Improve job for it and it was auto-approved...so there's no real feedback. I'm not going to do more of them because paragraphs and math are confusing -- and how I want to put something may not be how an editor sees it. I was just hoping for someone with experience with the math/equation editing to give some tips? I did hear back from CW on some basics, just wondering if there are any finer points I should watch for.
     
  13. ayeembored

    ayeembored Active Member

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    Since there were no express or expediteds around, I decided to do my good deed for the day and do some approval and grading...

    I just flat out rejected a whole pile of the math ones, due to somebody ignoring the special instructions. They'll have to be retranscribed. There's no point in improving a whole section where it's all math and all of the numerals are spelled out, the operations are spelled out.

    I shouldn't touch grading or improves/edits when I'm in a grumpy mood. They only make me angrier.
     
  14. Whimsy

    Whimsy User

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    Yeah, when I first came across the math ones - there were no special instructions. It was an Improve a Transcript job and I had to write and ask 'wtf do i do here?'

    Then he told me. And special instructions added to the work. I still stayed away. I guess I could've gone through and checked those in terms of grading. Usually the only time I touch the grading is to reject an obvious cheater.

    Welcome to the forum, by the way.
     
  15. ayeembored

    ayeembored Active Member

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    Glad to see a forum that isn't hidden behind a wall of secrecy. I just found this place. I was a lurker at "the other place" before it became unfriendly to lurkers. I'm a 100 PPT CW transcriber and get auto-approved 9s the vast majority of the time (with a different handle for mTurk and CastingWords), so I think I know a bit about what I'm doing.
     
  16. Whimsy

    Whimsy User

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    so that's two here now with 100 =) congrats

    yeah...nothing too hidden here. i'm up to a 97 with CW.
     
  17. osies

    osies New Member

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    shout out to the editors that are apparently running their transcripts through something that automatically removes "filler words." you're awesome! that works perfectly and doesn't mangle the transcript beyond recognition, because every instance of phrases like "I think" and "you know" are always extraneous to the meaning conveyed! great job!
     
  18. ayeembored

    ayeembored Active Member

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    I hope to whatever higher power you believe in that you've reported the sumbitch to CW!
     
  19. naturegirl

    naturegirl User

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    Somehow, I've managed to always miss this thread before! So I'm glad to have found it now.

    I agree that someone needs to report it. I'll mention it, actually, in case no one else has.

    I edit too, by the way. I think of the work as making sure the meaning of the conversation comes through. A lot of times, to me, that means putting back in words that were missed and especially fixing the ones that were misheard, or just mistyped. There's also a lot of making sure the sentences and paragraphs break topically (as well as grammatically). Finally, I think editing involves a lot more research than straight transcribing, since you're the one who needs to verify everything. And I totally downgrade, all the time, if way more stuff is missed than should be, based on the original grade. Sorry.

    Definitely agree that special instructions need to be followed first, before the style guide. Sometimes I downgrade for not doing that, too. (Yikes, I'm just realizing how mean this sounds, but I guess I'm brave enough to say it anyway.)

    Thanks to everyone who transcribes for your hard work, though! I still transcribe too, and I think we can all use more appreciation.
     
  20. Whimsy

    Whimsy User

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    I say...don't apologize. Just make sure you're consistent and not marking things down arbitrarily. You're following the style guide, making sure things are consistent, keeping the tone of the speaker; editors have to bring work from different people with different personal styles (they do come into play) and make the final product presentable.

    As you've read - transcribers will drop a note to CW if an editor messed up (or we just think they have). Overall, I am happy with how things are done and how they work out.
     

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