Description

How voice-recognition software presents a useful transcription tool for qualitative and mixed methods researchers

ANNA K FLETCHER AND GREG SHAW

Faculty of Education, Health and Science, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, Australia

ABSTRACT

Voice recognition (VR) software has increased in accuracy and ease of use over the last decade. While VR may carry the potential to significantly ease the transcription process, only recently has it gained enough accuracy and ease of use to become a valid option to manually typed transcription of qualitative data. However, the use of VR transcription in mixed methods research has largely remained unexplored. This article aims to illustrate how VR software is useful when transcribing open-ended questionnaires and interviews in mixed methods research. A significant amount of time was saved yet valuable insights of emerging themes were gained at an early stage of the data processing.

Keywords: transcription, voice recognition, MacSpeech, questionnaires, interviews, mixed methods research