When working in transcription, be mindful of acronyms. An acronym is a word formed from the first letters of a phrase, often spoken as a word, such as NASA or NATO. Correct handling of acronyms is important for maintaining accuracy in the transcript.
As a transcriber, you may encounter acronyms that are either widely recognized or specific to certain industries. Whether you’re using transcription workflow software like ScribeManager or audio typing tools such as FTW Transcriber (or its FTWT version), correctly capturing acronyms will streamline the transcription workflow system and save your client time.
Sometimes, during audio transcription, speakers will introduce and explain acronyms. For example:
Speaker 1: Have you heard of “roassee” – Return On Average Capital Employed?
In this case, you may hear “roassee,” but simply typing what you hear would be incorrect. The correct way to type it is:
Speaker 1: Have you heard of ROACE – Return On Average Capital Employed?
If the speaker uses an acronym without explaining it, the typist or transcriptionist may need to do a bit of research. Tools like Express Scribe, InqScribe, or ScribeManager can assist in ensuring accuracy. Even in fast-paced transcription using transcription software, taking the extra step to confirm acronyms will improve the overall quality of the final transcript.