Only one post in the CastingWords section?

Discussion in 'CastingWords' started by Mayhem, May 23, 2012.

  1. idragonborn

    idragonborn Member

    Joined:
    May 29, 2012
    Messages:
    12
    Likes Received:
    0
    Is castingwords having trouble with their servers again? The amount of work available for PPT scores under 85 dried up over the weekend.
     
  2. melissa71642

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2009
    Messages:
    201
    Likes Received:
    0
    ALL work has dried up, it's not just the under 85. I don't know if they're having issues or if business is just super slow, but hopefully it will pick up soon.
     
  3. kristilec

    kristilec User

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2012
    Messages:
    85
    Likes Received:
    0
    I did a HIT for the first time for them today. They graded me a 6 but the grader gave me two mistakes that I did not make. I followed the style guide and used "OK" and not okay and they said I had okay. And they said I mispelled another word that I did not have incorrect. I have it on Express Scribe so I know what I submitted. Is this normal for Casting Words editors?
     
  4. mearek

    mearek Member

    Joined:
    May 26, 2012
    Messages:
    20
    Likes Received:
    0
    I have only done about 10 hits with them, but when I was graded a 4 when I was previously graded 8's and 9's, I emailed them about it and they looked into it and said it was a mistake on their part. I was paid, plus I received the bonus. It is worth it to email them about it.
     
  5. kristilec

    kristilec User

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2012
    Messages:
    85
    Likes Received:
    0
    Thank you! I figured out how to use their website to see how they graded me exactly and I understand better now what they are looking for- so that should help along with all of these tips. I actually think I like verbatim transcription better! Less thought to go into it! LOL!
     
  6. turkinallday

    turkinallday New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2012
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    something wrong?

    ive only done one transcription for casting words and i gotta 7.....now im at qualification level 79....does that mean i cant do anymore transcriptions for them? what do i do now?....i didnt even mess up really....





    http://www.clixsense.com/?4280482
     
    #26 turkinallday, Jun 9, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 9, 2012
  7. melissa71642

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2009
    Messages:
    201
    Likes Received:
    0
    I'm afraid so. If you got down to a 79, something went wrong somewhere and you should contact them through your Mturk dashboard and find out what it was and they may give you your qual back.
     
  8. turkinallday

    turkinallday New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2012
    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    yeah i did email them back but I'm just impatient.....i did submit another transcription and it hasn't been graded yet. does that affect the score?
     
  9. hapless

    hapless Guest

    I started transcribing for CW a few days ago, and I've received generally good feedback and high scores, except in one case.

    Yesterday, CW reduced my qualification level to 79. Apparently, an editor believes that I cheated on one transcription by including some content that was not in the audio file I received.

    That's not the case. My transcript was correct.

    I have submitted a complaint to CW. I hope to hear back from them during the week. (Until then, I am temporarily keeping my copy of the audio file, as it may be needed if CW asks me to prove that my transcript is correct.)

    _______________________

    UPDATE:

    CW has quickly corrected the problem.
    (I really appreciate their fast action on this.)
    My qualification level has been raised appropriately.
    Now I can get back to transcribing.
     
    #29 hapless, Jun 10, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 10, 2012
  10. hapless

    hapless Guest

    (Please note the "UPDATE" in my previous post.)

    CW Support sent me a detailed and helpful reply. As it turns out, I was mistaken about the reason why my qualification was temporarily reduced.

    I'll just quote one short excerpt from the (much longer) reply I received:

    > "... Almost all new workers have their qual dropped below 80 after the first few assignments. That is so [CW] can evaluate the work to date. ..."

    CW has quickly restored my qualification level. I can now continue transcribing.
     
  11. Whimsy

    Whimsy User

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2012
    Messages:
    805
    Likes Received:
    0
    It's cool you got a reply with the actual reason for the low qual "update". It makes sense they want time to review your work but tossing out a quick 79 without an initial explanation kinda sucks.
     
  12. melissa71642

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2009
    Messages:
    201
    Likes Received:
    0
    That's because over the years, they've been burned by some people going in and typing this is two people talking or something silly like that and turning it in trying to scam the hits. The way they do it now keeps their losses to a minimum because there have been times when good transcribers have gotten on auto-grade and went rogue. There have also been new people come in and literally copy/paste the style guide into the hit thinking they'll get paid. I seen several in grading last night that had "this is 2 person talking" and nothing more so it's still happening. They just like to check over new people's work to make sure they're adhering to the style guide and they actually know what they're doing before they put them in their worker's pool.
     
  13. Whimsy

    Whimsy User

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2012
    Messages:
    805
    Likes Received:
    0
    When you come across this as an editor, are you still obligated to then essentially DO the transcription and turn it in? The rates are lower for editors, right? Because you'd hopefully be getting a good transcription and just have to make a few (again, hopefully) trivial changes to meet the strict style guide?

    Just sayin, if you come across something like that it's like you're getting dicked out of money.
     
  14. melissa71642

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2009
    Messages:
    201
    Likes Received:
    0
    Generally those never even make it to editing. They are pulled and the hit is put back out for others to do it. If you do get one of those in editing, you can leave the splice in there as is, leave a note and DON't check the box ready for delivery at the bottom so CW will get it and it won't go out to the customer like it. If you do check that box with splice markers left in, it'll end up graded as a 4 or 5.
     
  15. Whimsy

    Whimsy User

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2012
    Messages:
    805
    Likes Received:
    0
    Good to know, thanks.

    I haven't done nearly enough transcription work to think about editing but it is nice to read about it ahead of time.
     
  16. melissa71642

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2009
    Messages:
    201
    Likes Received:
    0
    Before you do start editing, though, make sure to read that style guide again because things have changed and they don't really let us know that updates to it have been made. I look through it about once a week just to be on the safe side. That's how I found out that they no longer want spaces after the..., which was news to me because for years now, we've always had a space after...
     
  17. hapless

    hapless Guest

    Confusingly, the paragraph preceding the "Important! Style Change for Ellipsis Usage" section contains this:

    > "Use an ellipsis... to mark a break"

    To avoid confusion, perhaps they should remove the space after "ellipsis...".

    _____

    [Edit]

    I realize that the style guide itself is not a transcript, so it doesn't have to follow such rules as if it were. I'm just observing that some newcomers (such as myself) might be confused on this point at first. But we can learn quickly if we're paying attention to feedback.
     
    #37 hapless, Jun 10, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 10, 2012
  18. melissa71642

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2009
    Messages:
    201
    Likes Received:
    0
    There are a few transcript examples in that style guide, though, and yes, do make sure you check your feedback. After all these years, I still check mine on a daily basis.
     
  19. hapless

    hapless Guest

    BTW ...

    When I sent my support request via "Contact this Requester," CW did not send replies to my registered email address. The replies appeared only in the "Check your Existing Requests" section on the support site (support.castingwords.com). (I should ask them why the replies don't get emailed. Bug?)
     
  20. Mayhem

    Mayhem User

    Joined:
    May 21, 2012
    Messages:
    60
    Likes Received:
    0
    Hmm, I've never tried to contact them through "contact this requester." I usually contact them through the link to the left of the HIT on my dashboard.

    Edit: Through the dash I always get an email response.
     
    #40 Mayhem, Jun 10, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 10, 2012

Share This Page