Transcription styles
Verbatim vs. Clean Verbatim Transcription: Which to Use for Qualitative Research
Use clean verbatim (also called intelligent verbatim or non-verbatim) for most qualitative research — thematic analysis, grounded theory, framework analysis — because it keeps every word of meaning while removing fillers and false starts. Use full verbatim (strict verbatim) when how something was said is data: conversation analysis, discourse analysis, narrative analysis focused on delivery, sociolinguistics. Neither style paraphrases; the difference is only what is removed.
The same 6 seconds of audio, both ways
Clean verbatim most research
I upload the recording the same day, and then it’s out of my hands until the transcript comes back.
Full verbatim
So I— um, I upload the recording the same day, usually, and then it’s— it’s out of my hands until the transcript comes back, you know. [laughs]
Illustrative excerpt written to show the conventions — not from a client study.
What each style keeps
| In the recording | Clean verbatim | Full verbatim |
|---|---|---|
| Every word of meaning, as spoken (grammar, slang, dialect) | Kept — never paraphrased | Kept |
| Fillers: um, uh, like, you know | Removed | Kept |
| False starts, self-corrections, repetitions | Removed | Kept |
| Stutters | Removed | Kept |
| Non-verbal sounds: [laughs], [sighs], [crying] | On request | Kept |
| Pauses: [pause], [long pause] | On request | Kept |
| Overlapping speech: [crosstalk] | Noted | Noted, with each speaker’s words where audible |
| Unclear audio: [inaudible 00:04:38] | Marked with timestamp | Marked with timestamp |
| Speaker labels | Add-on | Add-on |
| Timestamps | Add-on | Add-on |
Choose by analysis method
The question is not which style is “more accurate” — both are word-for-word. It is whether your analysis treats delivery as data.
Same thing, different names
Vendors and methods textbooks use different labels for the same two styles. When comparing quotes, ask which of these the provider means.
- Full verbatim
- strict verbatim, true verbatim, verbatim
- Clean verbatim
- intelligent verbatim, non-verbatim, clean read, edited-for-readability
- Not verbatim at all
- summary transcript, edited transcript, paraphrased notes — a different product; Landmark does not paraphrase
How to specify it when you order
Choose the style when you upload, and note any cues you want kept. Clean-verbatim one-on-one interviews are Landmark’s Standard rate (from $1.99 per audio minute); verbatim capture and focus groups with three or more speakers are the Plus rate (from $2.69 per audio minute). Speaker identification and timestamps are add-ons priced with your quote; HIPAA Safe Harbor de-identification is included. Standard turnaround is 3–5 business days.
Questions researchers ask
- What is clean verbatim transcription?
- Clean verbatim (also called intelligent verbatim, non-verbatim, or clean read) records every word of meaning the speaker said but removes fillers (um, uh), false starts, stutters, and repetitions. Nothing is paraphrased or summarized: the wording, grammar, and slang stay as spoken. It is the default style for most qualitative research.
- What is full verbatim (strict verbatim) transcription?
- Full verbatim, also called strict or true verbatim, captures everything audible: fillers, false starts, repetitions, stutters, non-verbal sounds such as [laughs] and [sighs], pauses, and overlapping speech marked as [crosstalk]. It is used when how something was said is part of the data.
- What does "non-verbatim" mean in transcription?
- In transcription vendors’ vocabulary, "non-verbatim" usually means clean verbatim: a word-for-word transcript with fillers and false starts removed, not a summary. If a provider means an edited or summarized transcript, that is a different product; ask which they mean.
- Which style should I use for thematic analysis?
- Clean verbatim. Thematic analysis, grounded theory, framework analysis, and IPA code what participants meant, and fillers only slow reading and coding. Choose full verbatim if your method analyzes delivery itself: conversation analysis, discourse analysis, narrative analysis focused on how the story is told, or sociolinguistics.
- Does full verbatim cost more than clean verbatim?
- At Landmark, verbatim capture is part of the Plus rate (from $2.69 per audio minute), which is also the rate for focus groups and recordings with three or more speakers. Clean-verbatim one-on-one interviews are the Standard rate, from $1.99 per audio minute. If you need full verbatim on one-on-one interviews, say so in your quote request and we will price it for the project.
- Can I get timestamps and speaker identification with either style?
- Yes. Timestamps (on every speaker change or at fixed intervals) and speaker identification are optional add-ons available with clean or full verbatim; both are priced with your quote. HIPAA Safe Harbor de-identification is included with transcription in either style.