Most people associate a proofreader with writers of some kind such as books for publishing house or articles for magazines. The job of these proofreaders is mainly to check the writing for grammatical mistakes, punctuation errors, formatting and continuity.
A transcription proofreaders role is the same, but with added responsibilities. They do check grammar, punctuation and so one, but they have a more important function as well. They check the accuracy of the transcription.
Once the transcriptionist has finished, and checked their work it then goes to the transcription proofreaders who listens to the audio while reading the typed document. They are initially looking for inconsistencies in the text, things that do not match the audio recording. Once the document is as accurate, the proofreader will then go through it for grammar, spelling and so on. another part of their role is to improve flow, if this is possible without deviating from the audio file.
The proofreader is also responsible for formatting the document according to client’s specifications. This involves things like headings, fonts, page numbers and so on.
The idea is to provide accurate, correct work that satisfies the client’s needs completely in every aspect.
In short, apart from checking for errors, a transcription proofreader is the quality control for your job. They are the ones responsible for signing off on a project, deciding when it is done and ready to be sent to the client.
We at EQ Transcription Services are justifiably proud of our reputation for accuracy. This is due to the transcriptionists, but mainly to our experienced proof readers. Apart from their ability to do their job well, a second set of eyes and ears should pick up any detail the first set missed, thus making a better finished file.
