How to Transcribe a Focus Group for Qualitative Research

Research has shown that much of the information we gain from focus groups comes from listening to people’s conversations, rather than what they explicitly say. To get the most out of your qualitative research project, you need to transcribe and code these unscripted conversations in order to really understand what people are saying, even if they don’t directly say it! But transcribing a focus group is different than transcribing an interview or basic audio file, which means you have to make sure you do it right. Here’s how to transcribe a focus group.

Make a Verbatim Transcript

Audio Transcription is the process of turning audio or video recordings into a written record. A strict verbatim transcript captures every word that is said during the conversation. This style of transcription can be useful when you want to review what was said in an interview or focus group, but it can be challenging because these recorded conversations are different from standard interviews or basic audio files.

Identify Speakers From the Audio File

There’s no way of making good use of qualitative data unless you know who said it. To keep things clear for groups that include only a handful of participants, use male, female, or moderator as labels. If a group has many participants, assign each individual a letter.

Consider Confidentiality in Your Market Research

In order to get the most accurate feedback from your survey participants, you’ll need to be mindful of the confidentiality of their responses. Make sure that you’re asking their permission before sharing their answers with anyone else and never share any specific information about them online. You should also make sure they know who will have access to their data and how it will be used.

Don’t Edit Natural Speech and Group Discussions

If you want to make the most of your qualitative research, you need to transcribe a focus group discussion the right way. We recommend that you don’t edit natural speech or group discussions. If you do, the transcription will be less accurate and useful.

Start Timestamping

Timestamping simplifies your life because it enables you to re-listen to the audio file. Professional transcription services will often include timestamps for the audio file, so you can easily go back to a specific time or part of the file. When data doesn’t make sense to you after transcribing, you can use the timestamp to review it further.

Proofread the Focus Group Transcription

The final step in accurately transcribing a focus group discussion is to proofread your transcription; even if your participants speak incorrectly, you have to transcribe their statements accurately. Quality control requires at least two rounds of review of transcription.

Transcribing a focus group discussion takes a considerable amount of time and effort. If you have not created a focus group transcript before, submitting a transcript will be easier. Getting a fast transcript is easy with reliable transcription services.