Quick answer
Define your transcript convention, use AI for a first pass, have a human verify each recording and keep both the source audio and corrected version. Then code the reviewed text, not the raw draft.
Turn your recording into text
Drop or choose an audio or video file. Upload starts immediately; your transcript opens on TranscribeNext.
MP3, WAV, M4A, MP4, WebM
Choose a transcript convention
Decide whether to retain filler words, pauses, false starts and interviewer prompts. A study of language use may need verbatim detail; a thematic study may use clean verbatim text. Document the choice so every researcher edits in the same way.
Protect the link to the source
Keep speaker labels and timestamps where they help coders return to the recording. If a passage is inaudible, mark it rather than inventing a phrase. When personal data needs removing, create a redacted working version while preserving the controlled original according to the project’s policy.
Check the sample that matters
Use clips that represent the actual interview settings: telephone, video call, quiet room and field recording if all occur in the study. A single clean sample is not enough to choose a transcription method for the entire project. Create human references and compare error types, not only one percentage.
From transcript to insight
Code the corrected text, then revisit audio when tone or hesitation changes interpretation. A summary is useful for orientation, but it should not replace the evidence behind a research claim. Our accuracy checker can measure a short sample locally in your browser.