Research software

• With transcription, privacy and security is a significant concern. If you are transcribing interviews or focus groups conducted as part of a research study, the content of those files may be of a personal and sensitive nature. If that is the case, you should not use a web-based transcription application because the software will likely store the media files on servers based in the U.S. Storing personal and information on those servers would contravene B.C.'s FOIPOP Act.
• Unrelated to any privacy concerns, though, If you have never transcribed audio files before then this page on best practices for transcription might be useful.

MAXQDA     

• Transcription and mixed methods analysis platform (cross-listed in this guide)
• Student licensing available at reduced cost
• Workshops and webinars from MAXQDA
• MAXQDA Youtube channel

Dragon Anywhere      

• Dragon is a market leader in speech recognition software
• Listen to your recording on headphones, repeat it out loud, and Dragon will transcribe what you repeat..

Express Scribe    

• Manual and automatic transcription tool.
  • Play your audio within the software and type what you hear
  • Create a speech to text file. This creates a draft transcription you can then edit.
• Quick overview available here

Voice typing on Google Docs     

• 'Voice typing' is speech to text software available in Google Docs when you use the Chrome browser. While this application was not intended to be used for transcription, and it will not transcribe previously recorded audio, there is a simple hack to make it a viable option. You can listen to your audio or video file on headphone and repeat what participants have said.  'Voice typing' generates a text file of what you repeat. Here is a 'how to’ article about the process from Quartz at Work
• Please note the privacy concerns about using Google Docs. These concerns are outlined in the box at the top of this page.