Style Guide

INTRODUCTION

Transcribing the interview is the most tedious part of the oral history process, but in many ways one of the
most important. A transcript provides future researchers a useful format to access information of historical
interest covered in an interview. Typically, it takes between 4-5 hours (minimum) to transcribe each hour of
speech. However, several factors may affect the speed of the transcription such as the speed of the
conversation, the number of persons speaking in the recording and its clarity, including the clarity of the
speaking voice of the speakers.

OVERVIEW OF RULES

Actually, quality expectations fall into two main categories: Accuracy and Formatting.
Accuracy - Can you correctly hear and transcribe what words were said and who said them? You must strive
to capture all speech relevant to the file. For words you cannot understand, use the appropriate tag(s) as
detailed in the Speech Tags section.
Formatting - Can you correctly communicate those words and notations in a way that is easily
readable and digestible?
Both categories have major errors and minor errors, which are the most common reasons
customers return files to be re-done.

Thus, you will be held to the following rules in your work at LOGIOS-System:

● Style guidelines must be strictly followed. This includes adhering to the correct style, Clean Verbatim or
otherwise, and the proper spelling.
● Research every name, company, and term mentioned in the audio to determine the proper spelling and
formatting. If you find multiple accepted spellings, choose one and be consistent.
● Spelling and grammar: You should demonstrate a strong grasp of English grammar, spelling, and
punctuation. Carefully proofread and spell-check each file before submitting it.
● Be consistent in each file. This includes consistency in spelling and punctuation style.
● Communication: When you encounter something unusual, such as an entirely silent or foreign file,
please contact us.

DIFFICULT AUDIO
In the transcription work, you will encounter some bad quality dictation. And what can you do when you
receive a poor-quality audio file to transcribe?
Poor-quality dictation includes background noise, muffled dictation, overlapping conversations, and speakers
that are recorded at different volumes. Any background noises on audio can make it more difficult for the
transcriptionist to hear what is being said and transcribe accurately. A bad audio recording may contain too
many inaudible to get a useful transcript. When an interview has background noise or the microphone is not
placed near the interviewees, the interviewer’s questions might be clear but the interviewees’ answers may
not be. This is a common challenge, especially when transcribing group discussions and other recordings
involving multiple people.
We don't expect perfection in such cases, but please give your best effort even when transcribing poor-
quality audio. Here are some tips for handling tricky audio:

1. Replay problem sections, adjusting the audio speed down and up.
 2. Context is key. Relistening to the entire file is crucial to deciphering words you struggled with the
first time. Perhaps the word or phrase was said more clearly later in the file, you become
accustomed to the speakers' voices, or you deduce what was said based on context.
3. Read for clarity. If what you have transcribed makes little or no sense, you have likely misheard
something. For example, if you type, "Funs of people will be there," listen again and decide what fits:
"Tons of people will be there." Don't transcribe words that don't make sense in context.
4. Use tags when necessary. If you cannot decipher the words after trying the above steps, then use the
appropriate tag(s) as described in the Speech Tags section.

FORMATTING
Using the format of the template provided in the email you receive. Usually, we use M (Moderator) and R
(Respondent) to indicate the interviewer and interviewee.

RESEARCH & VERIFICATION

Take time to research the correct capitalization and spelling of names, places, Note:
company names and jargon. Often the specialized names and places
are the most important words in a video.
Misspelling a company name when
Follow on-screen graphics. transcribing an audio/a video for that
company is like using the wrong name
▪ Match the spelling and capitalization of what you see on screen. when addressing someone. It’s
Verify using official websites wherever possible. important to get them right

▪ Spelling on an official website is more reliable than on a personal blog.

Use Google for jargon.
▪ If you can’t find an unfamiliar word, try a few spelling variations.
Do your best, but don’t waste time.
▪ Make a reasonable effort to research and verify terms, but don’t spend too long.
▪ If a name or term is not verifiable, make your best guess with common or phonetic spellings.
Represent inaudible content.
▪ If you can’t make out a word because the audio might be too faint or unclear, you should
represent this as (INAUDIBLE) in the captions.

PUNCTUATION
APOSTROPHE (‘’)
Not for plurals. Use for possessive. Eg. Mike’s cat is cute. The cat showed its tail.
COMMA (’)
BEFORE: ‘though’ and ‘however’. AFTER: ‘thanks’ ‘oh’ ‘well’
Thanks, Paul. Oh, I was expecting that, however I am not interested.
DASH (– )
Use for additional comment or sudden change of thought. Eg.
I had a great day today – then I saw you! Or: How to use a dash – correctly!
DOUBLE QUOTE (“”)
She said, “Use double quotes when quoting prose, poem or conversation.”
SINGLE QUOTE (‘’)
The answer is ‘A’.
ELLIPSIS (…)
Use with no space afterwards to indicate a pause to think.
- She wasn’t angry…she was just tired.
Also for interruption by another speaker or trailing off.
- I think that… Well, maybe…we should.
CAPITALIZATION
So, to keep the head banging to a minimum, let’s go through the rules of capitalization.
1. Capitalize the first word in a sentence.
This is the most basic rule of capitalization.
2. Capitalize the pronoun “I.”
Another basic one, but in today’s text-message driven world, it bears mentioning.
3. Capitalize proper nouns: the names of specific people, places, organizations, and sometimes things.
For instance, “Jakarta, Surabaya,” “Dewi Andayani,” “Telkomsel,” “Supreme Court.”
This seems to be the rule that trips up many people because they don’t know whether a word is a proper
noun. But as the Associated Press Stylebook points out:
“Capitalize nouns that constitute the unique identification for a specific person, place, or thing: John, Mary,
America, Boston, England. Some words, such as the examples given, are always proper nouns. Some
common nouns receive proper noun status when they are used as the name of a particular entity: General
Electric, Gulf Oil.”
There are also derivatives of proper nouns. Capitalize words that are derived from a proper noun and still
depend on it for their meaning, such as “American,” “French,” and “Shakespearean.”
But lower-case words that are derived from proper nouns that no longer depend on it for their meaning:
“french fries,” “pasteurize,” “darwinian.”
4. Capitalize family relationships when used as proper nouns.
Capitalize “Uncle John,” and “Grandma Jesse,” but leave it lower case when it’s not referring to a person’s
name. For instance, “We visit my cousin every Christmas.”

5. Capitalize directions that are names; North, South, East, and West when used as sections of the
country or province, but not as compass directions.
So, capitalize “Central Java” and “West Kalimantan.”

6. Capitalize the days of the week, the months of the year, and holidays, but not the seasons used
generally.
However, seasons are capitalized when used as a proper title. Some examples:
• “I will attend that conference in the fall.”
• “I have registered for three classes for Spring Semester 2013.”
• “We celebrate Valentine’s Day in July.”

7. Capitalize members of national, political, racial, social, civic, and athletic groups.
For instance, “Libertarians,” “Chinese.”

8. Capitalize periods and events, but not century numbers.

So that would be “Victorian Era” and “Great Depression,” and “first century.”

9. Capitalize trademarks.
Examples would be “Subaru,” “Coca-Cola,” “Apple.”

Note: “In general, avoid unnecessary capitals. Use a capital letter only if you can justify it by one of the
principles listed here.” And when in doubt about a word that doesn’t fit under any of these rules, check the
dictionary.

EXCLUDE BACKGROUND SPEAKERS

If people are speaking in the background but the file's main speakers have no interaction with them, do not
transcribe the background speech. Background speech can include conversations of other diners not at the
speakers' table in a restaurant, a PA system announcement, or voices coming from a TV or radio. But if the
main speakers interact with or acknowledge the other speaker(s), they become relevant to the transcript
and must be included.
For example, if a waiter at a restaurant takes your main speakers' orders, this exchange must be transcribed,
but don't transcribe the same waiter taking an order at another table. Likewise, transcribe speech coming
from a PA system, TV, or radio if the main speakers comment on it.

STUTTERS AND STAMMERS

We remove repetitive words and sounds made while a speaker is stumbling over their thoughts. If, however,
the repetition adds meaning or emphasis, include it.
Said: Re-repeated s-s-sounds such as st-st-st-stammers and stutters should, should not be, be tr-transcribed.
But it is very, very important to include words that are repeated for emphasis.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. People do that sometimes.
Type: Repeated sounds such as stammers and stutters should not be transcribed. But it is
very, very important to include words that are repeated for emphasis.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. People do that sometimes.

FILLER WORDS
Remove filler words such as uh, um, er, hmm, uh-uh, or mm-hmm. But if it’s as an answer, write it down as
“Yes”, “Okay”, “Well”, etc.
Said: Did you go to the store?
Mm-hmm. Yeah, I went last night. Mm-hmm.
Hmm. Did you get milk?
Uh-huh.
Uh-huh. Okay. Thanks. Hmm. Are you ready for, uh, dinner now?

Type: Did you go to the store?

Yeah, I went last night.
Did you get milk?
Yes.
Okay. Thanks. Are you ready for dinner now?

THINKING SOUNDS
Do not transcribe meaningless thinking sounds.
Said: I want a... buh… tk tk tk... pizza.
Type: I want a pizza.

FALSE STARTS
When a speaker corrects their speech or changes direction of thought mid-sentence, causing them to begin a
phrase or sentence over again, we refer to their error as a false start. Indicate a false start by typing double
dashes (press the hyphen key twice) followed by a space before the next letter. The dashes attach to the
word before but not after them.
Here's an example of-- this is a false start.
Did you just say-- wait, can you repeat that?
Here's an example where the speaker decides to-- I'm changing direction mid-sentence.
My son said the lion was his-- the tiger was his favorite animal at the zoo.
INTERRUPTIONS
If the speaker doesn't finish their sentence after being interrupted, mark the interrupted thought with
double dashes, but begin their new thought as normal, with a capital letter and no dashes. For unfinished
questions, place a question mark after the dashes with no space in between.
I think--
So, did you--?
Sorry, you go ahead.
Did you have a good time--
I didn't catch that. What did you--?
--at the party the other night?
Oh, yeah. It was great.

SPEECH TAGS
If you cannot hear what word is being said, mark that as inaudible or unintelligible and specify the time. Do
NOT make up your own markings. Only use [00:00:00 – Inaudible] and [00:00:00 – incomprehensible]. Use
[00:00:00 – Inaudible] when speech cannot be heard due to poor recording or noise.
Use [00:00:00 – incomprehensible] when speech can be heard but it cannot be understood due to the
speaker's manner of speech, accent, etc.

One of the common things that happens that causes incomprehensibles is when multiple people are talking.

In the event of something like this, what to do is transcript the first one to speak, as usually moderators will
go back to the others after the initial speaker has finished OR transcript the clearest one(s). Should two or
more can be distinguished, seperate them accordingly.

NONSPEECH TAGS
The tags we use to represent nonspeech sounds are [silence], [music], [applause], and [laughter]. Ignore
any nonspeech sounds (coughs, sneezes, sighs, ringing phones, barking dogs, nuclear explosions, etc.) not
addressed by these tags.
Use the [silence] tag to denote at least 10 seconds of no speech, music, applause, or laughter. If the silence
is at least a minute, please use [00:00:00-00:01:00 – specific reason of silence]

NUMBERS AND SYMBOLS

When transcribing numbers and symbols, it is important to convey what the speaker says in a
suitable format. When in doubt about the speaker's intent, you may spell out the numbers as
spoken.
 So how much was the burger, and what time did you get back home?
 It was about six fifty.
 What was? The burger or the time you got back?

Numbers
Spell out single-digit numbers (zero through nine), and format multi-digit numbers (10 and above)
as numerals. There are exceptions to this General Rule, however, for certain categories of
numbers. Read the following sections for details.

Symbols
We use the symbols for percent, dollars, pounds, and euros (%, $, £, and €) if the speaker says
the word. Do not use a symbol if the speaker did not state it. Except for conventional formatting
or a trademarked name, spell out other signs and symbols.
 I paid $500 for my college physics course and got a B plus.
  I'll bet you €50 that it's at least negative two degrees outside right now. I'm like 90%
sure.

Do not use symbols for general references, nonstandard numbers, ranges, or currencies not
listed above.
● How many US dollars are in a Canadian dollar?
● What percent of my time would you need?
● It'd be around 30-something percent.
● I can't believe you paid 60 bucks for a pair of socks.

Exceptions
NUMERICAL RANGES AND SERIES
For a range or series, spell out any common denominator shared between values, but follow our
standard rules for formatting the rest. We spell out the word to when used in a range. Use a
comma between numbers if the speaker doesn't use a connecting word such as or, to, or and.
 It would take 13 to 14 hundred man-hours to get this done.
 I need 30, 40 thousand widgets by next week.
 There were maybe three to four hundred thousand people there.

Symbols should be spelled out if they apply to multiple numbers spoken in the immediate context.
 Maybe 50 or 60 percent of my time is actually useful.
 We had three donations of 30, 40, and 50 thousand dollars.
CONSISTENCY
Where multiple numbers occur within the same sentence or paragraph, format them consistently
in the immediate context. If, according to our rules, you must use numerals for one number in a
certain category, use numerals for all in that category. Items in one category may be formatted
as numerals while items in another are spelled out.

 A mixture of buildings - one of 103 stories, five of 50 or more, and a dozen of only 3 or 4
– ha been suggested for the area.
 He had 15 ties but only 2 socks. (Both are the same category, articles of clothing)
 It's $3 for one and I had five of them.

Conventional Formatting
Transcribe common terms and names according to standard convention, even if it clashes with our
usual style for spelling, numbers, symbols, and punctuation.
 Q&A / R&D / M&A
 and/or / 50/50 / 24/7
 Mazda 6 / Windows 7 / iPhone 5s
 Elizabeth II / World War I (Said: Elizabeth the second, World War One)
 Type 2 diabetes
 6'2" (Said: six two or six foot two or six foot two inches, referring to height)
 A Title IV school
 Interstate 7
 2x4s / 8.5x11 (Said: two by fours, eight and a half by eleven)
 401(k)
 K-8 (Said: K through eight, K to eight, or K eight)

Military Time:
 0600 hours (Said: Oh six hundred hours)
 1400 (Said: fourteen hundred)

Phone Numbers:
 USA: 1-508-555-2232/ 1-800-686-MORE
 UK: 44 7700 900632

Social Security Numbers:

 USA: 123-45-6789
 UK: QQ 12 34 56 C

Serial Numbers:
 Patient ID number 0543268
 Product number 2256-4012 (If the dash is spoken or known from context)

NUMBERS THAT ARE ALWAYS SPELLED OUT

Fractions
Spell out fractions. Any whole number preceding the fraction will follow our standard number
rules.
 Eleven-thirteenths
 Three and a half apples
 12 and one-tenth of a percent
Inexact Numbers
When a person gives a rough estimate of a large number, spell it out in words.
 Tens of thousands of birds ate a couple hundred pancakes.
 It cost hundreds of dollars to fix dozens of fallen fences.

Exact numbers used as part of an estimation still follow our usual rules.
 Eight or so cats
 30-some thousand bean bags
 50-plus years old

Very Large Numbers

The word million and larger numbers - billions, trillions, etc. - are spelled out; however, the
number part follows our usual rules. Use numerals for very specific large numbers.
 Five million chocolate bars
 15 billion gallons
 10,506,012 diapers

NUMBERS THAT ARE ALWAYS NUMERALS

Money, percentages, decimals, scales, times, dates, addresses, religious references, and math
equations should be written numerically, with our approved symbols when spoken.

Money
We transcribe money in numeric form. Do not use a currency symbol unless it is stated, and
remember to only use our approved currency symbols ($, £, and €).
 The hat cost 11.50. (Said: eleven fifty)
 I wish I had $5 million, but I only have about 15K.
 8 grand / 12 sterling / 5 bucks / 8 cents

Inexact numbers are still spelled out.

 My car is worth thousands, but my house is worth hundreds of thousands.

Percentages
We format percentages as numerals. Remember to use the % sign except for ranges.
 2%
 Between 6 and 7 percent

Decimals
Decimals should be formatted as numerals. If the number is less than one, we include a leading
zero to make the decimal more readable (e.g., transcribe point six as 0.6). You can also
transcribe decimals based on context, even if the speaker doesn't say the word point.
 The average score was 65.3, give or take 0.75. (Said: sixty-five point three, point seven
five)
 The renovation cost 1.5 million. (Said: a million five)
 My favorite burger costs 3.99. (Said: three ninety-nine.
Scales
For survey-type questions when an interviewer asks for a rating on a scale of one number to
another, we format these numbers as numerals.

- On a scale of 1 to 7, with 7 being extremely likely, how likely are you to recommend
this product to a friend or colleague?
- I'd say probably about a 5.
- 5. Okay. And what would it take for it to be a 7?

Time
Express time in numerals. If you are certain that the speaker is indicating a time, then format it as
such, e.g.,
5:00, even if they do not use an explicit indicator such as o'clock. If the speaker says o'clock, then
use a plain numeral with the word o'clock, e.g., 5 o'clock. Capitalize AM and PM.
 I got up at 5:00 AM this morning and left for work at 6:00. (Said: five AM, six)
 9 o'clock was when the train crashed. (Said: nine o'clock)

Measures of Time
The time-is-always-numerals rule does not apply to measures of time. These follow our usual
rules for numbers (spell out zero to nine; use numerals for 10 and above).
 It took me 30 minutes to drive two miles.
 It's five minutes past 3:00.
 I spent two weeks in Hawaii.

Dates
Use numerals for dates. If a speaker says a date in short format, use slashes.
 He was born in the 2nd century CE.
 That's August 5th, 8/5. (Said: August fifth, eight five)
 I was born in the late '80s, 12/11/88 to be exact. (Said: eighties, twelve eleven eighty-
eight)

Addresses
Numbers in an address should be formatted as numerals.
 He lives on 2 Bourbon Street.
 Mail it to 414 East 63rd Street, Apartment 5.

Religious References
Use numerals and follow conventional written formatting for chapter/verse references of
religious texts.
 Acts 27:1 (Said: Acts 27 verse 1)
 2 Corinthians 11:28-30 (Said: Second Corinthians chapter 11, verses 28 to 30)
Math Equations
Use numerals for math equations, but fractions are still spelled out. Also, spell out math symbols
as spoken, e.g., plus, minus, divided by, or negative.
 One-half times 4 minus 4 equals negative 2.
 It's 3 to the 3rd power.
Sentence Structure
Run-On Sentences
Whenever possible, break up long-winded or run-on sentences into separate full sentences. In
doing this, it's okay to start a sentence with a conjunction, but don't make the sentences choppy.

Sentence Fragments
Don't break up long sentences by separating them into sentence fragments, i.e., incomplete
sentences. Even if a speaker pauses between clauses, please punctuate as per standard English
conventions. It helps to proofread and punctuate without listening to the audio so as not to be
influenced by the speaker's style of speech.
Yes → I love speaking in long sentences, although they can be tough to transcribe.
No → I love speaking in long sentences. Although they can be tough to transcribe.

Single Dashes
We use single dashes to offset information within a sentence when either a complete sentence
or a list of items is inserted into the main sentence, providing we convey the speaker's intent
and the sentence outside the dashes would still flow if the text between the dashes were
removed. Place a space before and after each dash.
 As soon as we go to the bookstore - there are several of them down this street alone -
we can go home.
 We talked to three major tech company founders - Bill Gates of Microsoft, Sergey Brin of
Google, and Steve Jobs of Apple - about what they feel made those companies succeed.

If the additional information is neither a list nor a complete sentence, use commas rather than
dashes. If the surrounding sentence would not be cohesive if you removed the additional
information, treat it as a false start.
 As soon as we go to the bookstore, which is down the street, we can go home.
 The teacher, who is obviously really smart, thought my idea was inventive.
 As soon as we go to the bookstore-- there are several of them down this street alone.
After the store, we can go home

Colons and Semicolons

Colons and semicolons should be used sparingly in transcription. Only use a colon:

1. When you have a complete sentence introducing a list.

 I will need very few supplies for school: pens, paper, and highlighters.

2. For a complete sentence introducing another complete sentence or thought.

 Let me assure you of this: our potential with Africa is limitless.
 The word was out: smoking causes cancer.
And you may use a semicolon:

1. To join two closely related sentences without a conjunction.

 I don't like ice cream; I prefer cake.
2. To separate items in a complex list where the items contain internal commas. The
semicolon in such cases clearly distinguishes each list item.
 I'm going to the beach, and I'm going to bring, A, an alligator-shaped beach towel,
which I will lie down on all day; B, a butter sandwich, so I'll have something to eat;
and C, my favorite crime TV show downloaded to my tablet.
 Adelaide, Australia; Rotorua, New Zealand; Taveuni, Fiji; and Hauula, Hawaii are my
favorite vacation spots.

Commas
This section will outline a few quick guidelines to prevent common comma errors.

WHEN TO USE A COMMA

Serial Comma (Oxford Comma)

When transcribing a list of three or more items, place a comma after each item, including the
final item before the conjunction. If the list items are separated by conjunctions, do not use
commas.
 We had apples, bananas, and strawberries in the fruit salad.
 We had apples and bananas and strawberries in the fruit salad.

DIRECT ADDRESS
When a speaker addresses someone, offset their name (or title, etc.) with a comma or a pair of
commas.

 I told you, sir, that this wouldn't work.

 Jim, you didn't even give it a chance.
 Thanks for your input, Nancy.
Interjections and Adverbs
Interjections and adverbs are usually offset with a comma (or two).
 Oh, I don't know about that.
 Fortunately, he agreed with my idea.
 He wasn't paying attention and ran into a fence, basically.
 The toddler was wearing a sturdy helmet, thankfully, the day she fell off her tricycle.

WHEN NOT TO US A COMMA

After a Conjunction
Don't use a comma after a conjunction unless it is required for a dependent clause that follows.
Yes → So I decided to get a new job as a professional mime.
No → So, I decided to get a new job as a professional mime.
Yes → But I didn't want to overstep my boundaries.
No → But, I didn't want to overstep my boundaries.

Either of these are acceptable according to our style:

Yes → But, although I wanted to go, I didn't want to overstep my boundaries.
Yes → But although I wanted to go, I didn't want to overstep my boundaries.

Between a Subject and Verb

Never separate the subject from its verb with a comma.
Yes → She looked over my proposal and approved it.
No → She looked over my proposal, and approved it.

TO REPRESENT SPEAKER PAUSES

Although people sometimes speak in halting and unusual ways, do not add commas just because
a speaker pauses. Remember that you are creating a written transcript and whoever reads it
may not have the benefit of listening to the audio while they are reading. Commas should follow
standard writing rules as much as possible.

QUOTATION MARKS
Use quotation marks for direct and hypothetical speech, whether spoken, thought, or written.
This can sometimes be a judgment call, so remember that the goal is readability. If quotation
marks lend clarity to the text, use them.

Punctuate quotes using standard American English conventions, remembering to capitalize the first
word of the quote. At the end of the quote, punctuate the quoted sentence and then close the
quotation marks.
 So, she said to me, "This is the best coffee shop in the world."
 "Why do we have to study math, Mr. Edwards?" the children asked.
 In a class for my master's, I had to start every answer with, "My answer is blah, blah,
blah."
If the sentence outside the quote requires punctuation other than a comma or period, place it
outside the quotation marks.
 Did you really come all this way just to say, "I lost my pencil"?

If a quote is nested within another, use single quotation marks for the inner quote. Remember
to close both sets of quotes.
 I heard a guy say, "My favorite movie line is, 'Dreams die hard, and you hold them in your
hands long after they've turned to dust,' but I can't remember what movie it's from." So I
told him, "Dude, it's from Dragonheart. The next part goes, 'I will not be that naive
again.'"

Don't use quotation marks for indirect quotes.

 He told me that he really wanted me to come on this trip.

INTERRUPTED QUOTES
When a speaker interrupts their quote by inserting additional information before continuing, use
commas or single dashes as per our usual rules to offset the interruption, and do not capitalize
the second part of the quoted sentence. If each part of the quote is a separate sentence, then
start the second quote with a capital letter.
 He told me, "I walked all the way out there," which is quite a long walk, I assure you, "to the
mall." Then he goes, "But once I got there" - I can't remember how long it took him - "it
was already closed."
 She told her team, "Let's decide next week," but a minute later, she said, "Actually, let's
decide now."

If a quote is interrupted by another speaker, use double dashes inside the quotation marks.

- So I told him, I says, "I was on my way to the polls--"

- As in voting?
- "--and I got into a car accident."

MEDIA TITLES
Titles of books, movies, etc. are written as you normally see titles, with capitals for the first and
important words, such as The Lord of the Rings or Cooking Light. Do not use quotations or italics
for titles.

APOSTROPHES
Use apostrophes as per standard English conventions. Plurals generally do not take an
apostrophe. Most possessives are formed by adding apostrophe S, but for plurals ending in S,
make the possessive by adding just an apostrophe.
 Eight cats/ 12 TVs / the 1990s
 My father's house / the TV's antenna / Kansas's state legislature
 All 12 TVs' antennas / our fathers' houses

If a year is abbreviated, an apostrophe takes the missing digits' place.

 It happened in the summer of 19-- or rather, in the fall of '08.
 I wish I'd been alive in the '70s.
HYPHENS
Hyphens are commonly used in transcription when multiple words combine to make a
compound adjective. At TM, we hyphenate compound adjectives only when they precede
the noun. Never attach a hyphen to the end of a word ending in -ly.
 I have a custom-built computer. It's custom built because I built it myself.
 The employee of the month is usually a smartly dressed individual.

SPOKEN PUNCTUATION
When a speaker dictates punctuation, please punctuate as instructed in addition to using
standard punctuation throughout the text. In other words, use the punctuation dictated,
but don't limit yourself to only that punctuation. This style is often used in medical notes.

Said: Patient presented with a runny nose, comma, sore throat, comma, and
red, itchy eyes, stop.
Type: Patient presented with a runny nose, sore throat, and red, itchy eyes.

If the spoken punctuation is used for emphasis, then type the word(s).

Said: She was quote unquote friendly to me, and I wanted to respect that,
period.
Type: She was, quote-unquote, "friendly" to me, and I wanted to respect that,
period.

NO PARENTHESES OR ELLIPSES
We don't use parentheses to offset information within a sentence, and neither do we
use ellipses. They may, however, be used for conventional formatting, e.g., 401(k) or Wait
Wait...Don't Tell Me!

Tips and Reminders

1. Tags are always lowercase within square brackets [ ]. The [inaudible], [crosstalk],
[foreign], and Guess tags are punctuated as you would text. The [silence] tag sits
on a line by itself with no punctuation. We recommend making snippets of your
tags to avoid errors.
2. Spell-check every file with a program such as Grammarly or Word to avoid typos
and other errors.