Book on transcribing on MTurk: what should it include?

Discussion in 'General' started by naturegirl, Oct 15, 2012.

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Would you buy a Kindle ebook to help you in transcribing on MTurk?

  1. Yes, if it were $2.99 or less.

    3 vote(s)
    6.5%
  2. Yes, if it had enough good info.

    7 vote(s)
    15.2%
  3. Yes, if it had good info AND it is $2.99 or less.

    23 vote(s)
    50.0%
  4. No, I'm not that interested in transcribing.

    2 vote(s)
    4.3%
  5. No, I would only want it free or am happy with information I can get elsewhere.

    8 vote(s)
    17.4%
  6. No, I don't bother with ebooks (or don't bother with Kindle) most of the time.

    3 vote(s)
    6.5%
  1. naturegirl

    naturegirl User

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    Hello!

    Doing a little market research. If you're a transcriber on MTurk (for any requester), what do you wish you had a good resource for?

    What are your burning questions?

    What are your complaints, meaning things that you don't know and don't know how to find out?

    If you want to transcribe on MTurk but don't because there are too many things you don't know, what are some of those things?

    Thank you in advance. :) And whether you respond to any of these, please consider voting in the poll, too! There are options for nontranscribers and people who don't read ebooks, and finding out how many of those are around will be useful too!
     
    #1 naturegirl, Oct 15, 2012
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  2. ewd76

    ewd76 User

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    If you made a post about it on this forum, I'd read it.:) Seriously though, if I did do Kindle/ebook(which I don't) I might, depending on how much I thought the info would get me from MTurk. Pretty much the only transcribing I do now are business cards and occasionally a store receipt. If I could do more than those, my earnings would probably be more.
     
  3. naturegirl

    naturegirl User

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    LOL! Pretty sure it's going to be too long for a post, or 6!

    But thank you for commenting. Any feedback and thoughts from all of you are really, really helpful, this included.
     
  4. Kris

    Kris User

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    Wow - depending on how you define transcribing, that could be one heckuva long book! It all runs the gamut, from CastingWords and SpeechInk through ClariTrans and Redwood, to Ignite, Franklin Harrell, Jon Brelig, Oscar, and I'm sure a bunch of others I'm completely forgetting.

    When I first started turking, not so long ago, I figured that since I used to do a lot of transcription when I worked for lawyers (although not doing verbatim work as a court reporter would), that it would be easy to pick up on. Wrong!! My life had been too sheltered from thick accents, background noise, phone recordings, heavy-duty math lectures, etc. The whole idea of transcribing snippets, or even chunks of several minutes, threw me for a loop. Where's the freaking context? I have no clue what they're talking about!!

    I'm still dealing with a lot of those basic issues, learning not to over-think or freak out at the least little thing. Starting with a general overview of expectations would be really awesome.
     
  5. naturegirl

    naturegirl User

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    Wow, you guys...

    I'm amazed at what great info is popping up in response to this question. Thank you, and please keep your comments and your poll responses coming. Both are of great value.

    Well, you are right! That never even occurred to me. I meant transcription from audio, like the first requesters on your list. Perhaps the others should be saved for a different book...maybe especially so in the case of Jon Brelig and Oscar, lol.

    This is so useful to go on. Yes, agreed that even just getting used to the whole idea of transcribing, especially in the snippets that it's done by MTurk requesters, can be a trial. OK, then. Count on expectations being part of what's included. :)
     
  6. ewd76

    ewd76 User

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    Yeah, searching for "transcribe" is how I found Oscar.
     
  7. naturegirl

    naturegirl User

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    That's really interesting! It's true that "transcribe" can mean the conversion of one form of text into another (PDF to Word, or handwritten on a contract to typed into a form).

    But when you look up "transcription," like on Wikipedia, it's all about speech being made into text, although the speech can come from the soundtrack of a video, too.

    I see why the confusion! Will definitely see that this gets made clear

    OK, can't wait to hear what thoughts others have about a book on MTurk transcription (from audio, lol). What else would you want to get from this book? And please keep voting in the poll---really appreciate it.
     
  8. ewd76

    ewd76 User

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    That makes me feel better since I don't even have that experience.
     
  9. naturegirl

    naturegirl User

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    Sounds like it makes sense for the book to be targeted to beginners at audio transcription. Partly also because experienced transcribers aren't likely to appreciate the rates here! At least not those in first-world economies.
     
  10. Whimsy

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    2.99 would pay you better (as opposed to $0.99, with the higher portion going to you - even if you may sell more copies at 99 cents), but the thing is - there's realtime help available that meets the needs of the person working for a specific requester. Like here. In an eBook, you wouldn't be able to copy the style guide for a company (unless given explicit permission) and it could lead to more questions than answers.

    A guide for audio transcription would be better in terms of list-building activities. Let's say you had a website of your very own for mturk. You want people to sign up for your aweber mail service. The freebie you promise people is a weekly newsletter that focuses on (audio transcription, weekly best requesters, requesters to avoid, how to [use scripts, determine hourly wage, use the search feature to optimize returns], etc.)

    Why a newsletter? Because you don't want them to unsubscribe.
    Why don't you want them to unsubscribe? Because you're going to give them such good free information - when you have something to sell they won't be able to resist.

    I'm not saying don't do an eBook, but I am suggesting you find other ways to find a profit from such information.
     
  11. naturegirl

    naturegirl User

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    Whimsy! Always pleased to have you weigh in. :) I enjoy how you look for the big picture.

    I agree that people can get real-time help with specific questions lots of places. So a book will have to provide information that is a lot more comprehensive than an answer to a specific issue for a particular audio, or one style-guide question. It has to be information that won't be out of date the next week, too. That will be the focus.

    There seems to be a ton of general help needed by beginning transcribers on MTurk, and most of that info is either timeless or should last awhile. It's all stuff that will make people a lot more comfortable and effective and profitable in transcribing, specifically in the MTurk setting.

    You also are correct that no one's style guide can be used directly in a book without their permission. Any style guide can, however, be interpreted and broken down in other ways that would really add value to a book...or as freebies that book buyers can access! Just saying. :)

    I appreciate the advice greatly. The core stuff, the best and most timeless stuff, that will all go in the book. There's always room for follow-ups and newsletters that go with it, later, if that turns out to be the thing.
     
    #11 naturegirl, Oct 15, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 16, 2012
  12. naturegirl

    naturegirl User

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    Pardon me for bumping. :)

    I would really, really love to have more responses to the poll. Even if you don't transcribe or have no interest in ebooks, there are categories for you!

    Thanks for everyone's help so far.
     
  13. erica

    erica Member

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    2.99 or less isn't terrible, but I'd want it to have the absolute best info all in one place. :)
     
  14. naturegirl

    naturegirl User

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    Thank you, erica! I'm the same way when shopping---I want it to be worth owning first. So that makes sense.

    I would still love any thoughts about what anyone thinks should absolutely be (or maybe...not be?) in the book. It is actually in the late stages, but it's absolutely not too late to add stuff or clarify or adjust.

    And thanks, everyone, for voting! If anyone hasn't and is willing to weigh in, please do. It's providing a very helpful picture of what the market looks like, which was the point of the post. So your time and thoughts are much appreciated.
     
    #14 naturegirl, Oct 16, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 16, 2012
  15. sage

    sage Member

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    What about on ebook available for Kindle or online for those that don't use Kindle? More options, more money. I'd be interested in something like this. I am a beginner at transcription but I know how just some of the stuff I know would be very useful to others. From how to setup templates, to text expanders, to software, to a few things here and there to shave off time. Even something that would tell people how to download the files and have them sent to the software directly to save time and make things easier. Kwim? I think all these things are very helpful, especially to the beginner. HTH.
     
  16. naturegirl

    naturegirl User

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    Thank you so much, sage, for stopping by and raising these points! They totally help!

    Actually, Amazon provides a free e-book reader as software: you can download it on your PC or Mac (it can be hacked for Linux but there is no native version). So you do not have to have an actual Kindle to read a Kindle ebook. I have a Kindle, but I have used the software, and it is very workable.

    Probably the book will be released exclusive to Kindle to start, but it will be able to go to other markets, too, eventually. Just not right away.

    (Interesting tidbit: Amazon is, like, over 85% of US ebook sales. Europe is different, but for the American market, there's not a big benefit to opening up beyond Kindle, so I don't see a rush to do that. Still, it will be interesting to see how sales change once the book can be put into other formats that might be more popular in Europe.)

    I do KWYM now! (I had never seen KWIM before and had to go look it up, so thanks for that, too.) Yes, the things you suggest make up some of the stuff that will be in the book, so it is great to hear that you think those will be helpful, too. It is funny how beginners can do all this trial and error. I think I would have loved it if someone could have saved me from reinventing the wheel in the start. That's a big part of why the book seemed like it would be useful.

    The book will also share other stuff that will help people move from beginner transcribers to way beyond, and I would love thoughts on those types of things, too, as far as what people would like to know or think would help them that they don't know.

    ETA: Please do keep voting, everyone, if you have not! It is incredibly helpful to my understanding of the market and audience when you do. And thanks, to everyone who has.
     
    #16 naturegirl, Oct 16, 2012
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  17. ash breaks stuff

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    I'm very interested in this book. I have no experience other than the occasional Redwood.
     
  18. naturegirl

    naturegirl User

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    Thanks, ash, for commenting!

    It definitely sounds like there's a lot of beginner interest here. I have really appreciated that feedback. The book will cater to beginner levels as well as cover more intermediate and advanced issues.
     
  19. naturegirl

    naturegirl User

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    Pardon me while I bump this a final time (I promise this is it) to catch folks who may only hang out here on the weekends.

    Please vote in the poll on this thread if you haven't. Remember, if you're not interested, I'd love to know more about that, as well---and there are poll choices for that, too. :)

    Anyone who would like to weigh in on anything else they want to be in the book is welcome to do so, also. I still have a little more time with it!
     
  20. naturegirl

    naturegirl User

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    Oh my gosh, you guys! More votes! So cool. :)

    Please come check out my site---it's in my sig, and there is, yes, book news there. Woohoo! Check the tab in the top navigation bar labeled, "Book yumminess."
     
    #20 naturegirl, Oct 29, 2012
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