“Common Newbie Mistakes in Transcription (and How to Fix Them)”

 


“Common Newbie Mistakes in Transcription (and How to Fix Them)”

Beginner-friendly guide for anyone preparing for the TranscribeMe exam.

Introduction

When you're brand new to transcription, it’s totally normal to make mistakes — everyone does. The good news is these mistakes are easy to avoid once you know what to look for. This guide breaks down the most common errors beginners make when taking the TranscribeMe exam (or any transcription test) and how to correct them.

✔ 1. Adding Filler Words That Weren’t Spoken

New transcribers sometimes add their own little “and,” “that,” “so,” or “you know” without realizing it.

❌Wrong:

He was like, you know, really excited.
(Speaker did NOT say "you know")

✅Correct:

He was really excited.

Fix:
Stick exactly to what the speaker said. Don’t add extra connection words even if the sentence feels awkward.

✔ 2. Removing Words That Were Spoken

Sometimes beginners leave out words they think aren’t important.

❌Wrong:

I went store yesterday.

✅Correct:

I went to the store yesterday.

Fix:
You’re cleaning the transcript, not rewriting it. Keep all meaningful words.

✔ 3. Capitalizing Random Words

A super common mistake is over-capitalizing words that shouldn’t be capitalized.

❌Wrong:

  • He Lives in California.

  • The Judge Said…

✅Right:

  • He lives in California.

  • The judge said…

Fix:
Capitalize only:

  • Names

  • Places

  • Titles before a name (Judge Smith)

  • The start of a sentence

✔ 4. Using the Wrong Dash (hyphen vs double dash)

This gets a LOT of people.

❌Wrong:

I— I didn’t hear him. (using an em dash or hyphen)

✅Right:

I-- I didn’t hear him. (double dash)

Fix:
TranscribeMe requires two hyphens together (--) for interruptions or false starts.

✔ 5. Incorrect Comma Placement

Grammar mistakes are one of the top reasons new transcribers fail the exam.

❌Wrong:

After he arrived she started talking.

✅Right:

After he arrived, she started talking.

Fix:
Add commas after introductory phrases.

✔ 6. Not Using Brackets Correctly

Beginners often:

  • use parentheses instead of brackets

  • use the wrong tag

  • or make up their own wording

❌Wrong:

(laughter)
[loud noise in background]

✅Right:

[laughs]
[crosstalk]
[inaudible]

Fix:
Use the EXACT bracket tags TranscribeMe provides.

✔ 7. Changing the Speaker’s Meaning

This is a big one — and an instant fail if it’s bad enough.

❌Wrong:

She said she didn’t like it.
(when audio said she did like it)

✅Right:

She said she did like it.

Fix:
Listen carefully. Don’t guess. If you’re unsure, re-listen or mark as [inaudible].

✔ 8. Writing What You Think They Meant Instead of What They Said

Example:

❌Wrong:

I have to go to my doctor appointment at three.
(Speaker actually said “three-ish”)

✅Right:

I have to go to my doctor appointment at three-ish.

Fix:
Don’t “fix” their phrasing. Clean grammar, yes — but keep their meaning.

✔ 9. Forgetting to Start a New Line for Each Speaker

Beginners sometimes keep everything in one block.

❌Wrong:

A: I went home after that. B: Really? Why?

✅Right:

A: I went home after that.
B: Really? Why?

Fix:
Every speaker gets a new line every time.

✔ 10. Formatting Numbers Incorrectly

Another common mistake is writing numbers the wrong way.

❌Wrong:

I have 3 cats.
He worked for thirty-five years.

✅Right (Clean Verbatim rules):

I have three cats.
He worked for 35 years.

Fix:
Spell out numbers one through nine.
Use digits for 10 and above.


Conclusion

Mistakes are part of learning, so don’t beat yourself up if some of these look familiar. Every transcriber starts somewhere. The more you practice and read through these rules, the more natural they become — and the better your chances of passing the TranscribeMe exam on your next attempt.


Comments

Post a Comment