Full Verbatim Style Guide

Introduction to Full Verbatim

This style guide IS NOT for use in Clean Verbatim files. The most important aspect of Full Verbatim is that we must transcribe all utterances made by the main speaker(s). That is, include all speech: filler and feedback words, false starts, stutters, stammers, and repetitions, and always spell out spoken punctuation. Take time to carefully listen to the file again after transcribing it. Our brains get accustomed to automatically correcting for Clean Verbatim, and you will find that listening to the file again, you will catch utterances you missed the first time.

Stylistic Exceptions

Since Full Verbatim files are completed as single-step, you are allowed some stylistic wiggle room with spelling and formatting. Specific exceptions found in this style guide (e.g., always use double dashes followed by a space for false starts, informal spellings are permissible, etc.) will trump the Clean Verbatim style guidelines when completing Full Verbatim files.

Tags and Other Noises

Please use the same TM-approved tags as found in the TranscribeMe Style Guide. DO NOT use any other tags. Also, just like in Clean Verbatim, non-verbal or non-human sounds should be ignored. We only transcribe speech and use the tags specifically mentioned in the Style Guide.

Numbering

When formatting numbers, use your best judgment, convey the appropriate meaning, and be consistent. Number stutters, however, must be spelled out. See Number Stutters.

Full Verbatim Guidelines

Filler and Crutch Words

Since all utterances are transcribed in FV, be sure to capture all filler and crutch words as said by the main speakers. Note that all filler and most crutch words, particularly like and you know, should be offset with commas. Sort of, kind of, and other crutch words such as maybe, however, generally are NOT offset with commas, as this makes the text unnecessarily choppy.

• She, uh, she was sort of going to maybe, like, g-go to th-the bookstore.
• Uh-uh, no. I, you know, didn't read it.
• I was, like, you know, kind of amazed he, um, was there.

Approved Full Verbatim Spellings

Use the below spellings only.

• Speech Fillers: uh, ah, um, hmm (NOT mm)
• Affirmative: uh-huh, mm-hmm
• Negative: uh-uh, hmm-mm, mm-mm, huh-uh, nuh-uh

Yeah (NOT yea)
Yep or Yup (NOT yip or yap, etc.)
Okay or OK (NOT m'kay or 'k)

False Starts

Feedback Words

Since every word/utterance must be captured, this also means transcribing all feedback words, even if they add no meaning and clutter the transcript.

Stutters

Number Stutters

Repetitions

Repetition or False Start?

Repetitions and Crutch Words

Informal Pronunciation

While we want to type what the speakers actually say in Full Verbatim, we don't want to go overboard in making up unusual spellings to reflect the pronunciation. Also, please write out the full -ing suffix and the full word them rather than ending in -in' or typing 'em.

We do, however, include informal pronunciations as they are found in a dictionary, such as gonna, wanna, kinda, etc. If the word is listed in a standard dictionary, you can use it; otherwise, spell it out appropriately according to the dictionary.