Verbatim transcription: everything, literally everything
A verbatim transcript captures exactly what was said, including slips, repetitions, filler words ("uh", "well"), broken-off sentences and sometimes non-verbal cues such as laughter or a long silence. Example:
"Well, uh… I think, I think it's mostly, how do you say this [laughs], mostly about trust."
Use verbatim when not just what was said matters but also how: conversation analysis, discourse analysis and some forms of psychological research. Legal contexts also often require verbatim.
Intelligent verbatim: literal, but readable
An intelligent verbatim (or "woordelijk") transcript follows the spoken text faithfully but drops filler words, repetitions and false starts. The same example becomes:
"I think it's mostly about trust."
This is the standard for most qualitative analyses (thematic analysis, grounded theory) and for journalistic interviews: the content is preserved exactly, and the transcript is pleasant to read and quote.
Summarised transcription: the main lines
A summarised transcript renders the essence of the conversation in your own words, often per topic or time block. It is not a literal record and therefore not quotable, but it suffices for meeting minutes or an internal conversation report.
Which form should I choose for my thesis?
Check your methodology description or ask your supervisor. Rule of thumb: if you analyse what people say, intelligent verbatim suffices; if you also analyse how they say it, you need full verbatim. State your choice explicitly in your methodology chapter, including how the transcripts were produced and checked.
How Murmel helps
Murmel delivers an intelligent verbatim transcription of your recording as a starting point. In the editor you replay the audio next to the text and adjust in either direction: restoring fillers and repetitions for strict verbatim, or editing further towards a summary. You skip the time-consuming typing while keeping full control over the end result. For theses there are prepaid credits without a subscription.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between verbatim and intelligent verbatim?
Verbatim contains everything: fillers, repetitions, false starts and sometimes non-verbal cues. Intelligent verbatim follows the spoken text faithfully but drops that noise, keeping the transcript readable and quotable.
Is an automatic transcript verbatim?
Murmel delivers an intelligent verbatim transcription as a base. For strict verbatim you replay the recording in the editor and restore hesitations and repetitions where your analysis requires them.
Which form does my university require?
It differs per programme and method. Thematic analysis and grounded theory usually work with intelligent verbatim; conversation and discourse analysis require full verbatim. Always state your choice in your methodology chapter.
How much time does automatic transcription save?
Manual transcription takes four to six hours per hour of audio. With an automatic transcript as a base, mostly review and correction work remains, usually under an hour per hour of audio.