CastingWords Transcription Style Question

Discussion in 'CastingWords' started by ownedbytamater, Aug 18, 2012.

  1. ownedbytamater

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    Well my very first one was a six because I completely misread the section about labeling speaker names (I put them iside []'s for absolutely no reason), and after that so far I have two sevens and hoping to start ranking with at least 8's for now.

    I have a foot pedal, very fast typing skills, but not a lot of transcription skills (Have actually only ever transcribed with quicktate and that was for maybe a week or two). So I am trying my very best to learn the correct formatting and hopefully paving my way to some decent pay from transcribing.

    and I've been slowly working my way through some of the old forum posts on here trying to make sure I learn as much as possible. Thanks for all the helpful posts by the way!
     
  2. Whimsy

    Whimsy User

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    Maybe today there will be some good audio up that you'll be able to qualify for. Here's to hoping you get a PPT above 88 before too long =)
     
  3. Maggiemw

    Maggiemw User

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    Yes, don't let the results of your first transcripts get you down. It's an upward fight, and it seems to go on and on, but you can win it. Whimsy has written some great advice.

    As for my "majuscules missing 7" issue, now that I have seen the full edit, I've sent in a request for a review, with my original file... I don't know what kind of lovely ignorant creature [I promised myself I wouldn't swear at them] graded it, but someday karma will get them...bwahaha...
     
  4. Whimsy

    Whimsy User

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    ...I didn't use to save my stuff. Really. Copy-paste-delete.

    Now I keep them in a special folder. CastingWords. Then each day I do transcriptions for them I start a new folder with the date. They are then numbered starting with 001. That way I can look up which one I may get a comment on by looking at my "day" from the mturk dashboard. They stay in the same order there as I have them numbered...

    That sounded way more confusing than it actually is =/
     
  5. Whimsy

    Whimsy User

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    I really like CW support. I know I say it enough where it's like I'm kissin up, but really - everything is answered in a timely manner and always professional and polite. When I'm wrong, they aren't harsh or rude (so far) and since it was given with good intentions, I can take it that way.
     
  6. Maggiemw

    Maggiemw User

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    One of the things I've learned the hard way over the years is to always keep work done in dated files so that you can get at it if something comes up. If it's been deleted, there's no way you can prove anything!

    I like your 001 etc idea. Very pro!
     
  7. ownedbytamater

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    I hav another issue that has come up. On the math transcriptions they've been getting graded sevens and a few eights. Then one came in rated a six that honestly was one of the transcriptions I did the worst on but nothing major. Just a few commas and misspelled words.

    I sent a message to castingwords and they switched it to an eight. Now my problem is if one of my worst ones got an eight should I contest the sevens that were clearly better then that one or just let them go since the grade dispute really isn't all that big. I don't want to keep bugging them with small grade fixes
     
  8. angelface83

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    I would. I always did and they changed many grades for me. I only got a few sevens. Support is there to help and they never seem mad. IMO, I would contact them and contest it. They won't ban you or anything. I was able to grade after just a week with Cw :/ I dislike giving anyone a bad grade, So I only took 8-9 ones. I think it should take awhile and CW themselves should get to decide if you are able to grade based on past work. Then there wouldn't be so many rogue graders.

     
  9. Whimsy

    Whimsy User

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  10. ownedbytamater

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    Thank you everyone, once I get home I will review all of my improved transcripts to see if there are any that should definitely be changed and inquire about a manual review.

    My ppt has went up to 84 so one more and I'll have access to a bit more variety.

    I have set up an account on turkers.castingwords but I guess I forgot to do the one on their support site.
    Is there where its best to contact them? I have been going to the individual hit and sending a message that way
     
  11. Whimsy

    Whimsy User

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    No, but it is the best way to read the replies you've been sent. I figured out way late that their replies didn't always go to my email address.

    contacting them through a HIT works well because they've got the HIT information attached to it.
     
  12. ownedbytamater

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    Wow didn't realize I had all those spelling errors in my posts. (I was typing it from my phone while out and about today)

    Checking through some of my edited transcriptions and then I'll contact them from the support site. We will see how it goes
     
  13. Maggiemw

    Maggiemw User

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    Owned, their support is VERY good and VERY quick, especially if you go through the support site. I've had excellent experience with it.

    It's also really useful to study the full edits of your work, which I think Whimsy has told you about, over in your Castingwords account.

    Hope this helps!
     
  14. ownedbytamater

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    Thank you that does help. There is only one full edit for my transcriptions available at the moment, waiting until the others get finished.

    I decided to only go with one that was the absolute best, so I wouldn't be bugging them with just bumping by one grade.

    I'm happy to say the grade went from a seven to a nine :) which also brought my ppt up to 85 so I have a little more variety in the hits that I can accept now
     
  15. Whimsy

    Whimsy User

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    sounds great!

    so...if you keep with CW and you continue to do better with formatting, style guide, not making mistakes...
    expect 8s and hope for 9s, for a month or more. if you start getting a lot of 9s right away, consider yourself lucky =) it has been known to happen
     
  16. ownedbytamater

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    Wow, today I have no idea what possessed me. For some reason I decided that I should do a 13 minute long audio file just because. No premium or anything of the sort, just base pay and the bonus.

    I realized this would take me at least 5 to 6 times the length of the audio since that has consistently been my average.

    I finished typing and editing the file after an hour and twenty minutes. Which including the editing process took just a little over 5 times the length.

    Now I just really hope I didn't over look some huge style guide rule or forget to take out to many likes, buts, ands, so's, etc.

    Anyways regardless of what it gets grade, that was a horrible hourly pay rate. With a 8-9 grade it would come out to be around $3.

    I just worked for almost $1.5 an hour, I gurantee I will be checking to make sure the file either has a premium or has a higher per audio minute pay such as the express transcriptions. (i'm at least hoping that this file will bump my ppt from 87 to 88).
     
  17. Whimsy

    Whimsy User

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    Good job on your PPT rising =)

    Me? Two minutes or less is the only type I like to do. At about 2:30 in, I start to not really give a rip what anyone has to say. Kudos for making it through 13 minutes. I return 5 minute ones. I really do...cherry pick.
     
  18. angelface83

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    HAHA! I am the same- I loathe anything over 2 minutes unless I like the audio speaker- 5 minutes feels like a year. GAH! I don't know how you made it through 13 minutes- I would have thrown the comp by then. The 5 minute ones feel like murder sometimes...13..You are a saint. Yep they pay bad. I was at 87 for awhile too and haven't done CW in awhile. I got 87 in the first week and hovered there for awhile.
     
  19. ownedbytamater

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    You said they pay bad, is that just in general or the regular hits that aren't rushed or have premiums or do you mean in all.

    I was under the impression that you could work up to some better pay.
     
    #39 ownedbytamater, Aug 22, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 22, 2012
  20. Whimsy

    Whimsy User

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    As you do more transcriptions...

    Your speed will increase.
    You'll be able to train your ear to new speakers.
    You'll have more control of the software - I use ExpressScribe and have set up my hot keys to my liking.

    You'll have access to better-paying audio.

    When my favorite clips are up I can make at least 10 cents a minute (working minute, not audio minute) and that's working with many, many different clips in a row. For me, that's acceptable since I have absolutely no previous experience and I've only been doing this for a couple of months.
     

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