Dictation recordings can be highly useful for a lot of purposes. But to get the most out of the technology, it’s important that you understand how to make the most effective use of it. With a little bit of instruction and practice, you can get much better at using dictation tools and improve the quality of your transcriptions.
Here are a few tips that will help you make better use of professional dictation products in Seattle, WA.
Familiarize yourself with the equipment
Before you begin to make regular use of your dictation recording tools, take some time to experiment with them and get to know them. You should learn how to operate the device and use some of the advanced recording and editing functions. Pay attention to the distance you keep between your mouth and the microphone and see how that distance impacts recording accuracy. Read through the manual for specific tips for your equipment. All of this will make it easier for your speech recognition software or typist to create an accurate transcription.
Speak clearly and confidently
Whenever using the dictation equipment, do your best to speak clearly, enunciating each word correctly. Avoid trailing off at the end of sentences, and maintain a consistent flow and volume at all times with your dictations. All of this will make it easier for a transcriptionist or for speech recognition software to understand what you are saying and generate an accurate text document from your dictation.
Spell out certain types of terms
If you are using a transcriptionist, you should be sure to spell out technical terms, proper nouns or other difficult or unfamiliar words to prevent errors in the transcription. This will not be possible with speech-to-text transcription software, but a human transcriptionist will find this extremely helpful.
Record in the right environment
When preparing to make a dictation recording, plan ahead and find a quiet area where you will not be interrupted. Minimize background noise as much as possible so you can make sure your voice comes through crisply and clearly. While it might not be entirely possible to eradicate background noise, you should at least do whatever you can to reduce or cancel it out.
Be sure to plan out what you intend to record so you don’t go on tangents, or finding yourself having to strike entire sections of the recording. This could quickly become a nuisance for the transcriptionist.
Know how to sign off
When you’re wrapping up your recording, make sure you have a way to clearly sign off so the assistant knows when the transcription is finished. Simply say “end of dictation” or something similar that cannot have its meaning misunderstood and will indicate that you no longer have any audio to listen for.
Interested in getting more tips about how you can get the best results out of your dictation recordings? For more information about using your professional dictation products in Seattle, WA to their fullest, get in touch with the team at Efficiency, Inc. today.