Introduction to Jefferson Transcription Notation

Key principles:

• Accuracy and fidelity: Transcribe as close to the audio as possible; avoid interpreting or summarizing.


• Selectivity: Include only details relevant to your analysis (e.g., pauses for hesitation, overlaps for interruptions).


• Symbols: Use standardized notation (I'll outline the basics below). For full details, refer to Jefferson's original works or resources like "Transcribing Talk and Interaction" by Max Atkinson and Paul Drew.


• Tools: Software like ELAN, Transana, or Praat can help align transcripts with audio timestamps.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Detailed Transcripts

• Preparation


• Listen repeatedly: Play the recording multiple times at normal speed, then slowed down (e.g., 0.5x in Audacity or VLC). Note timestamps for key moments.


• Contextualize: Start each transcript with metadata: date, participants (use pseudonyms like "Doc" for doctor, "Pat" for patient), setting, and total duration.


• Segment the interaction: Break into "turns" (speaker changes) or "episodes" (thematic units like greetings or questions). Use line numbers for easy reference.


• Ethical note: Ensure you have permissions for recording and anonymize sensitive info (e.g., names, locations).


• Basic Structure of a Transcript


• Speaker labels: Left-align, in CAPS or bold (e.g., IRA:).


• Utterances: Indent under the speaker. Use colons after labels for immediate speech.


• Timestamps: Optional but useful—add [00:01.5] for start of a line.


• Line breaks: Each new turn or significant pause gets a new line.

[Interaction: Doctor-Patient Consultation, 2023-10-01]
   Participants: DOC, PAT
   Duration: 2:30
   1  DOC: So:: (0.3) what brings you in today?
   2  (0.2)
   3  PAT: Well I have this pain in my (.) knee.

• Core Jefferson Notation Symbols

• Timing and Pauses


• (0.5): Within-turn pause of 0.5 seconds (use actual measured time for pauses >0.2s; shorter ones as (.)).


• (.) : Very brief pause (micropause, <0.2s).


• No notation for "normal" flow—only mark disruptions.


• Prosody and Sound Quality


• °soft°: Quiet speech (degree symbols enclose).


• >fast<: Speeded-up talk (angle brackets).


• : Slowed-down talk.


• ↑ : Rising intonation (pitch shift).


• ↓ : Falling intonation.


• : : Prolonged sound (e.g., so:: for stretched "so").


• (h): Inbreath (audible breath).


• .h: Outbreath.


• ((sniffles)): Non-verbal actions or sounds in double parentheses (descriptive).


• Overlaps and Interruptions


• Simultaneous speech: Mark with [ on the first line and ] on the overlapping line.

4  DOC: Have you tried [ice?
       5  PAT:             [Yeah but it doesn't help.

• Latching: = at end of one line and start of next (no pause, immediate continuation).

6  PAT: It hurts when I walk=
       7  DOC: =Uh huh.

• Unintelligible or Uncertain Speech


• (word): Guess in single parentheses.


• ((unclear)): If inaudible.


• yeah ( ): Trailing off or cut off.


• Stress and Emphasis


• und: Underlining for stress (or bold in digital formats).


• CAPS: Loud volume.


• Other Elements


• °°very soft°°: Multiple degrees for varying intensity.


• >°quiet and fast°<: Combine symbols.


• Line up overlaps vertically for clarity: Use spaces to align [ and ].


• Building the Transcript Iteratively


• Pass 1: Words only: Transcribe raw talk, ignoring filler words like "um" initially (but include them later—they're data!).


• Pass 2: Add timing: Insert pauses and latches. Time everything.


• Pass 3: Prosody: Mark intonation, volume, speed.


• Pass 4: Interactions: Add overlaps, repairs (e.g., self-corrections like "I mean"), and non-verbals (e.g., ((coughs)) or ((looks away))).


• Pass 5: Refine: Check for accuracy by re-listening. Add footnotes for context (e.g., Note: Background noise from phone).


• Full Example Transcript Snippet

[Consultation, Clinic, 2023-10-01]
   Participants: DOC (female, 40s), PAT (male, 50s)
   Duration excerpt: 0:45-1:15
    1  DOC: Good morning Mister Smith (.) how are you↑ feeling today?
    2  (0.4)
    3  PAT: Not grea:t °actually° (h) I got this (.) head↓ache that won’t go away.
    4  DOC: [Uh huh=
    5  PAT:    [It’s been (.) three days now=
    6  DOC:     =Mhm. .hh When did it start exactly?
    7  (0.2)
    8  PAT: >Last Friday< I think (.) after work.
    9  ((DOC nods, types on computer))
   10  DOC: °Okay° (.) any nausea with that?
   11  (1.2)  <<long pause, PAT looks thoughtful>>
   12  PAT: Yeah (.) sometimes.

Analysis notes (for your use): The 1.2s pause in line 11 might indicate hesitation or recall effort, common in medical histories.

• Best Practices and Common Pitfalls


• Consistency: Stick to one font/spacing system (e.g., Courier for monospacing alignments).


• Objectivity: Don't add interpretations in the transcript itself—save for separate analysis (e.g., "This overlap shows competing turns").


• Length: For long recordings, transcribe key segments first; full transcripts can be exhaustive.


• Pitfalls to avoid:


• Over-notating: Only include what's audible and relevant—don't guess.


• Ignoring context: Note if speech is overlapped by noise.


• Punctuation: Use sparingly—colons for continuations, periods for stops, but intonation symbols handle most.


• Analysis Tie-In: Once transcribed, code for patterns like turn-taking violations, repair sequences, or adjacency pairs (question-answer).

Next Steps for Your Analysis

• Resources:


• Jefferson, G. (2004). "Glossary of Transcript Symbols with an Introduction."


• Online: CA tools at talkbank.org or the Jefferson transcription tutorial on YouTube.


• Practice: Start with a 1-minute clip from your recordings. Share a sample (anonymized) if you want feedback on notation.


• Customization: If your interactions involve specific elements (e.g., multilingual overlaps or video non-verbals), adapt symbols accordingly—Jefferson is flexible.