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Marking Extended Incidents

How to mark background noise, asides, silence, music, and video incidents.

Marking Extended Incidents (Background Noise, Asides, Silence, Music, Video, etc.)

The context of the transcript determines the need to mark an extended incident.

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When to Mark Extended Incidents

Events that disrupt or replace speech for more than 10-15 seconds must be marked and timestamped.

These incidents include, but are not limited to:

  • Obscuring noise
  • Aside conversation
  • Someone taking a phone call
  • Periods of silence
  • Breaks in conversation
  • Music
  • Video playing

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Formatting Requirements

For incidents lasting longer than 15 seconds, insert start and end timestamps. The marker should follow this format:

[Description HH:MM:SS

  • HH:MM:SS]

    • #

    Example Descriptions

    • [Background noise]
    • [Aside conversation]
    • [Silence]
    • [Break in conversation]
    • [Music]
    • [Non-English speech]

    #

    Placement Rules

    • Place these markers on their own line, aligned with the main body of text
    • Do not place in the left-hand speaker column
    • Do not embed within a speaker's text
    • Use single returns if the same person continues to speak after, or hard returns if there is a change of speaker after the incident

    Other Document Formatting Guidelines

    Common Transcription Mistakes
    Key mistakes to avoid for accurate, professional transcripts.
    Template Formatting
    How to use and follow transcription templates for best results.
    Late-Start Audio
    How to transcribe audio files with delayed starts or extended silences.
    Combined Audio Files
    How to transcribe and format multiple audio files in a single document.
    Split Audio Files
    How to transcribe and format audio files that are split into multiple parts.
    Inaudibles Formatting
    How to mark and format inaudible sections for clarity and client review.