Transcript Transcription symbols

Designing a Transcription System for Faceto-face PhD Supervisory Discourse: A
Selective-specificity Model
Presenter: Wenwen Tian
Co-authors: Dr. Pattamawan Jimarkon
Asst. Prof. Dr. Wareesiri Singhasiri
22nd April 2011
Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Rationale
Overview of data
Theoretical background
Procedures
Conclusion
Reflections &Implications
2
1. Rationale
-
What should be transcribed?
How is it transcribed?
Who should do it? Why?
Research interests & data analysis focus?
Principles & conventions?
????……………………………………..
3
1. Rationale (Cont’d)

Recent research has been dominantly focused on
reviewing transcription principles and comparing
transcription conventions (e.g., Cook, 1995; Dressler &
Kreuz, 2000; Du Bois, 2010; O’Connell & Kowal, 1999,
2010).

Qualitative studies normally end up with several words
(e.g., “verbatim” or “detailed” transcription was completed)
documenting the transcription process as a take-for-grant
method rather than the result of a series of choices
(Davidson, 2009; Ochs, 1979).

Empirical accounts of transcription process are needed
(Davidson, 2009; Lapadat & Lindsay, 1998).
4
2. Overview of data
 Type: Audio-taped face-to-face supervisory meetings
 Time: June – September 2010
 Participants: supervisors & PhD candidates
 Setting: international doctoral program in Applied Linguistics
 Medium language: English
 Research purposes (PhD thesis research):
To investigate knowledge building & power manifestation
by exploring linguistic features & supervisory discourse patterns
5
3. Theoretical background
3.1 Transcription as theory—Theoretical decisions

Transcription is a selective process reflecting theoretical goals
and definitions” (Ochs,1979, p. 44).

Researchers make decisions about transcription that imprint the
discourse theories they hold (Lapadat & Lindsay,1998).

A continuum of discourse theories (Oliver, et al., 2005):
Naturalism_----------------- _denaturalism
Be dynamic/reflective by
interacting with data
6
3. Theoretical background (Cont’d)
3.2 Transcription as a method—Methodological decisions
- A series of methodological choices to seek, select, and
thereby develop a transcription system for specific
research purposes (Du, Bois, 1991; Ochs, 1979).
 How to organize the layout the transcripts?
 What conventions should be used?
 How paralinguistic and nonverbal information should be symbolized?
7
3. Theoretical background (Cont’d)
3.3 Transcription as a tool for data analysis
 Psathas and Anderson (1990) view that the process of
transcribing is analytical.
 Bucholtz (2000) argues that transcription is a reflective
discourse analysis involving both interpretive and
representational processes.
 Bailey (2008) perceives transcription as an interpretive
process therefore the first step in analyzing data.
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4. Procedures
4.1 Stage one: Select basic principles for designing a transcription
system (Fixed menu vs. buffet) --- Being selective & specific
Table1. A summary of four current transcription systems
Author
Title
Principle
Maxims
Du Bois
(1991, 1993)
Transcription design
Transcription is a broad-to-narrow
principles for spoken
way of understanding and
Discourse research ( DT) representing data.
- Category definition
- Accessibility
- Robustness
- Economy
- Adaptability
Ehlich (1993)
Heuristic Interpretative
Auditory Transcription
(HlAT)
Transcription is interpretative, and
segmentation and commentary of
data are based on researchers’
reflective knowledge.
- Simplicity and validity
- Good readability and
correctability
- Minimum of transcriber
and user training
Jefferson
( 1984, 1989)
Transcription notation
Transcription is practical for
apprehending naturally occurred
conversation and making it
available for extended analysis
- Explanatory
- Readability
- Systematic
MacWhinney
(1991)
Codes for the Human
Analysis of Transcripts
(CHAT)
Making the data compatible for
computer data entry
- Readability
- Clarity
(See details in O'Connell & Kowal, 2010)
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4. Procedures (Cont’d)
Stage two: Tuning in data

Listen to data back and forth---1st step to analyze data
- To interact & understand data
- To categorize/group data

Example 1
C2’s session: 2
Date: 06-07-2010, 1:30 am
Length: 17 minutes and 18 seconds
Note: C2 recorded her session and transferred data to R immediately
after her supervisory meeting. It should be noted that her 5-yearold son was sick that day and the young boy was playing alone
outside A’s office when C2 had her supervision.
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4. Procedures (Cont’d)
Stage three: Selecting transcription symbols
for a broad transcription

Why: Any established convention is not applicable to the current data.

How: Select transcription symbols from different conventions

Purposes:
- Get a sketch of each supervisory session
- Note down constraints & problems of using the selected
transcription symbols

See Table 2 for selected transcription symbols
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Table 2 Selected transcription symbols
Symbols
Descriptions
…
Three dots indicate a perceptible pause less more than 3 seconds within a turn.
(.3)
Numbers in parentheses show length of pauses which are more than 3 seconds.
.
A full stop indicates a sentence-final falling intonation
?
A question mark indicates rising inflection not necessarily indicating a question.
CAPS
Capitals indicate an emphatic tone
/
A forward slash indicates repeated utterances by a same speaker.
=
Equal signs indicate latched utterances spoken one after the other without a pause.
{}
A description enclosed in an empty parenthesis indicates transcriber’s comments
(?)
A question mark in bracket indicates an unclear fragment on the tape.
@
An “@” mark indicates laughter of a speaker.
(Selected from: Bucholtz, 2007; Dressler & Kreuz, 2000; Du Bois et al., 1993; Jefferson, 1984, 1989; Schiffrin, 1994; Tannen, 1989)
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4. Procedures (Cont’d)
Stage four: Identifying problematic cases and
providing solutions







Case 1: Unexpected visitor(s)
Case 2: Sensitive information
Case 3: Overlapped turn
Case 4: Laughter
Case 5: Silence gaps within and between utterances
Case 6: Unclear utterances
Case 7: Errors and slips
(Please see data examples in handouts.)
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5. Conclusion


Figure 1--A selective-specificity model
Appendix--Transcription symbols
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Figure 1 A selective-specificity model for
designing a transcription system
Research interests
Audio-taped recordings
Decide positions on
discourse theories
continuum
Decide transcription
principles,
conventions and
symbols
Decide analysis focuses
Transcription as theory
Being selective and
reflective
Transcription as method
Being
selective
and specific
Transcription as analysis
Being interpretive
and reflective
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Company Logo
Appendix Transcription Symbols
A
B1, B2, B3
C1, C2, C3
D. J, O, T, U, W, R
…
(.3)
.
?
CAPS
/
=
{}
<>
@@@
(@)
(xxx)
Main supervisor
Co-supervisor in different supervisory teams
PhD student in different supervisory teams
Pseudonyms for people who appear or being mentioned
Three dots indicate a perceptible pause less than 3 seconds.
Numbers in parentheses show a pause more than 3 seconds.
A full stop indicates a sentence-final falling intonation.
A question mark indicates a question or a rising intonation statement.
Capitals indicate an emphatic tone.
A forward slash indicates repeated utterances by a same speaker.
Equal signs indicate latched utterances spoken one after the other without
a pause.
A description enclosed in an empty parenthesis indicates transcriber’s
comments.
Pointed brackets indicate an inserted turn within a stream of talk.
One or more “@” indicate quality of laughter of a speaker
A “@” mark in a bracket indicates shared-laughter of speakers.
Three xs in a bracket indicate unclear utterances
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6. Reflections & Implications
6.1 Pains & Gains
Lyn Richards,
Adjunct Professor of RMIT
University, Founder of QSR
Garden Path Analysis— A pleasant
pathway while playing with data: ‘Here
are roses, there are jonquils, and
aren’t daffodils lovely today!’
Everything seems interesting BUT…!?
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6. Reflections & Implications (Cont’d)
Gains
Pains



Transcription process is
time-consuming.
Problematic cases
Gloomy and demotivated

Learn how to think & explain
logically, reasonably, &
critically in order to cook a
delicious ‘ data soup’

Develop a transcription
protocol for recording
procedures and cases

Interact closely with and
learn from academics
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6. Reflections & Implications (Cont’d)



Hands-on experience helps to shed lights on the
process of doing transcription
Boost novice researchers’ confidence
Stay open-minded and explore more cases and
features along the process of doing transcription
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THANKS for
your attention!
Your questions,
comments &
suggestions,
PLEASE!