Transcribing Guidelines Rigpa reference material Last updated: Dec 4, 2006 If you are using the electronic version of this document, click on topic heading to go to the corresponding section. Introduction .........................................................................................................................4 What is a transcript?...........................................................................................................4 Why are we transcribing?...................................................................................................4 Starting and Finishing a Transcribing Session or Transcript............................................5 Starting a transcribing session ............................................................................................5 Transcribing the file ...........................................................................................................6 When you finish a transcribing session...............................................................................6 When you complete the transcript for an audio file.............................................................6 Essential Points for Transcribing........................................................................................8 Points for new transcribers .................................................................................................8 Listen carefully and transcribe everything said ...................................................................8 Break text into meaningful paragraphs ...............................................................................9 Indicate gaps in the sound file ............................................................................................9 Add information about what is happening during the teaching............................................9 If you can’t hear properly.................................................................................................10 If you don’t recognize a word (e.g. Tibetan words)...........................................................10 If a spoken sentence is not completed...............................................................................10 Changing or leaving out words? .......................................................................................10 Applying the three principles of shamatha........................................................................11 Transcribing Details for Specific Cases.............................................................................13 When Rinpoche says something for the first time.............................................................13 Transcribing a short quote from a text ..............................................................................13 Transcribing a passage read from teaching notes or a Rigpa publication...........................13 Transcribing passages from texts not published by Rigpa .................................................17 Transcribing teachings given in Tibetan or another language............................................17 When a translator reads directly from a translated (non-English) text ...............................18 When a video is played ....................................................................................................18 Comments or questions from students ..............................................................................18 Rigpa Transcribing Guidelines December 2006 1 Transcribing prayers and practices ...................................................................................18 Defining Tibetan, Sanskrit, or other terms ........................................................................20 Style and Punctuation........................................................................................................20 British English spelling and punctuation...........................................................................20 Dates and numbers ...........................................................................................................20 Abbreviations...................................................................................................................21 Tibetan and Sanskrit words ..............................................................................................21 Capitals and italics – General usage..................................................................................22 Capitals and italics – Buddhist terminology......................................................................22 Quotation marks...............................................................................................................23 Never use round brackets .................................................................................................23 Reference materials for spelling .......................................................................................23 Common spelling mistakes...............................................................................................24 Assembling and Spell-Checking a Transcript...................................................................24 Appendix 1: Checking the Transcript...............................................................................26 Checking the teaching details (e.g. teacher, time and place)..............................................26 Checking the body of the transcript ..................................................................................26 Adding subject headings and other information................................................................27 Sample of a checked transcript .........................................................................................29 Providing feedback for transcribers ..................................................................................29 Identifying restricted transcripts .......................................................................................30 Appendix 2: Transcribing From Home.............................................................................32 Appendix 3: Transcribing on a Retreat ............................................................................32 Audio files and templates .................................................................................................32 Overview of transcription process for a retreat .................................................................34 Appendix 4: Setting Up a Transcript Document ..............................................................36 Document set up ..............................................................................................................36 Setting Indentation ...........................................................................................................37 Changing settings to use centimetres rather than inches....................................................38 Appendix 5: Using Express Scribe ....................................................................................39 Installation for PC ............................................................................................................39 Installation for Mac..........................................................................................................40 Loading an audio file........................................................................................................40 Express Scribe text pad or word processor?......................................................................43 Rigpa Transcribing Guidelines December 2006 2 Playback control keys.......................................................................................................43 Finding your place in the audio file ..................................................................................44 Adjusting the volume and playback speed ........................................................................44 Typical transcribing session .............................................................................................44 Removing and recovering audio files without deleting them.............................................45 Configuration options.......................................................................................................45 Appendix 6: Finer Points on Punctuation and Spelling....................................................48 Punctuation marks – guidelines for usage.........................................................................48 Notes on British English spelling .....................................................................................49 Rigpa Transcribing Guidelines December 2006 3 Introduction What is a transcript? A transcript is a word-for-word record of everything that happens during a teaching. It is a faithful reproduction of Rinpoche’s teaching, conveying his exact words, significant movements of body language, significant events that happened during the teaching, use of other materials. It is a document that enables people in the future to go back over a teaching and to have a precise idea of what happened and what was said. The transcript is a precise written record of everything that exists on the sound file. It is important to have this exact record as a basis and reference before and after any changes are made in the process of editing or working with the teachings. Why are we transcribing? As a transcriber you have a unique opportunity