Summary:

• Listen and read transcription via the Internet
• Stop at each error and correct via the editable version on your computer
• Run SPELL-check within Dreamweaver and fix all errors
• Keep track of questions you have - ask when appropriate
• Save and transport file back to Howard

Your primary task is to move slowly through the transcript and paired movies to make sure all accurately reflect the spoken words of the subjects. This will involve some correcting of spelling, some light research of names for accurate spelling, and noting errors and notes in parentheses (..) that you are not able to correct.

In most cases students should have already completed all the transcripts, created paired movies (one movie per paragraph equivalent), and linked each paragraph to the movies to play upon clicking each text section. You will likely encounter a wide range of errors.

Before you begin, carefully review the Style Guide for the conventions we are using. We want transcripts to follow a fairly uniform style and this often involves a careful balance between transcribing natural speech and correcting for grammar. The Style Guide should answer many of these questions of judgment.

Don't create additional paragraph breaks.  If a break is highly desired, include this on the transcript as a note in parentheses. Why? New paragraph breaks impact the movie segments.

Don't combine paragraphs. If reading flow would be significantly enhanced by eliminating an awkward break, then include this on the transcript as a note in parentheses. This also impacts the movie files.

Be sure to also proof the questions. You will notice that in most cases the questions are not part of the movie files since we edited this out for audio-quality. Since questions are not available via the movies, we can easily alter words and sentences to make them more readable. Again, hesitate making too many changes - instead focus on the most blatant problems.

Technical problems to watch for and mark with a note in parentheses:

1. movie does not open
2. movie opens in wrong window
3. wrong movie opens
4. movie is too long
5. transcript spans multiple questions and answers but does not highlight as one unit
6. movie cuts out or extends too long

Directions for access, entering corrections, and turning in corrections:

Note - corrections can only be made on computers with Macromedia Dreameaver installed. All Urban Macs have it.

• If the files were given to you on CD, then open and drag the entire contents to the desktop then EJECT the CD.
• Find and open the file you are assigned to complete (Howard will provide this) - this file should open in Macromedia Dreamweaver. Don't worry - for the purpose of this activity we are simply using this as a word-processor.
• Resize your document so it takes up approximately one-half of the screen - this is irrelevant if you are using two computers.
• Open your Internet browser (look for the Safari icon or use Internet Explorer).
• Resize your browser window so it takes up the other half of the screen - this is irrelevant if you are using two computers.
• In your browser, navigate to your assigned file at:

  www.tellingstories.org/____________________________________
  
  You should now see two windows, side-by-side with similar content - (example below). On the right is a live Internet view - when you click on the blue transcript text, the corresponding movie plays. On the left is a text-editable version living only on your computer. Now you can begin the process of listening (on the right) and fixing (on the left).

Be sure to periodically SAVE your work!

When you are finished transfer this file back to Howard. Just ask for help.