• Responsibilities of a QA
• Etiquette
• The QA Process
• Forfeits and Forced Completions
  • Forfeits
  • Forced Completions
• Error Types
  • Accuracy
  • Omissions
  • Special Content
  • Core Punctuation
  • Direct Address
  • Stutter/Nonfluency
  • Shortening
  • Homophone
  • Non-essential/Intro Clause
  • Spelling
  • Typo
  • Insertion
  • Standards
• The Rule of Three
• Security Policies
• Text Tracking
• Troubleshooting

Responsibilities of a QA

As a Custom QA, your main role is to help improve the quality of our Custom scribes, whether it be helping new scribes get up to production quality or aiding more experienced scribes in getting even better.

Your first responsibility is helping new employees get to full production quality as quickly as possible. In order to do this, it is very important that the feedback you send to scribes via your corrections and comments is clear, to the point, constructive and consistent with the transcribing standards outlined in the various documents. Your comments must not only tell them what mistakes they've made but also explain how to correctly handle the situation in the future. This feedback is the most important part of getting new employees to full production status as quickly as possible. Remember to be courteous and informative, never condescending. If at any time you have any information that you feel should be directly relayed to a scribe in person, let a Custom Shift Lead (CSL) know. Do not speak with a scribe in person without first speaking with a CSL as conflicting information may be delivered to the scribe.

You will also be monitoring experienced scribes' transcriptions on an ongoing basis. As a QA, you are responsible for making sure that experienced scribes are producing work that is up to CBS standards. This requires that you efficiently and appropriately communicate employee performance notes with the CSLs. The best way to do this is by use of instant messaging. All QAs, especially new QAs, are encouraged to use Psi to communicate with CSLs on a consistent basis. Video Formalizer does not provide scribe identity or level of experience. Spot Check or Full Review does not necessarily indicate Scribe experience. Do not assume experience level of a scribe based upon the quality of work, but do contact a CSL if you note any particular trends in corrections for follow-up with the scribe.

There may also be times when management is not available, and as a QA, you will become the default point of contact for other employees or non-employees. QAs are expected to understand and follow the Employee Guidelines document. See Security Policies for more information.

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Etiquette

Go into QA jobs without assumptions about the scribe's experience level. If a scribe struggled with special content or clearing bookmarks, try to give the benefit of the doubt and take into account any difficulties of the job: accents, subject matter, terminology, audio quality. Did the scribe bookmark something once or twice but get the word or phrase right at other times?

Avoid accusatory comments like "should've googled this" or "should've tried harder." Before commenting, think about where the scribe seemed to struggle most and how you could provide the most helpful feedback or guidance. If you were able to clear bookmarks related to special content or terminology, what did you google? What context clues did you use? This information in a friendly comment can go a long way in instructing scribes. Cite standards and instructions. They could be directly quoted, or you could use your own wording and examples. Do not correct for anything we could not directly quote from standards or instructions (with exception of guidance on special content/research tips).

Avoid comments worded in the second person, especially the word "you," unless it's positive, such as, "You did a really great job!" Think of both helpful and unhelpful QA corrections/comments you've received as a scribe, especially when you first started. Tone from feedback in comments can be difficult to read. Cite standards/instructions in neutral, factual way (Nouns are wrapped in commas when addressed directly. VS You forgot to wrap direct addresses in commas.) Positive "I" statements can be a good way to relate and share tips with scribes (I often forget to omit fillers on Pattan jobs, so I like to use Ctrl F when I finish a job just to check for them.) Of course, a smiley face here and there never hurts.

Please try to keep in mind and prioritize the spirit of the standards over the letter of the standards. Consider this standard:

Let sentences continue, rather than starting a new sentence, when an independent clause starts with “and,” “but,” or “so,” when the two clauses are directly related to each other, and when the speaker does not take a pronounced pause before the next clause.

This standard is intended as more of a guideline rather than a hard rule as there is room for interpretation. The spirit of this standard is for scribes to avoid treating every independent clause as a separate sentence so that related clauses will be connected. Scribes use their own discretion to determine whether clauses are related. This can be difficult depending on topic and speaking style. We recommend avoiding corrections on this standard but do encourage commenting on it if you think it would help the scribe.

First, do no harm. Then, how can I help?

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The QA Process

When you log into Video Formalizer as a QA, you will still dock jobs normally. However, you may see jobs marked as both Review and Scribe. Jobs that need QAing are jobs marked as Review.

Once you have a Review job docked, everything should look familiar. The text of the job will appear in the entry field, and the three familiar buttons of Spell Checker, Close Docking and Mark Complete will appear. Before beginning the review, you should load the appropriate reference sheet. Then check whether your job is selected for Spot Check or Full Review. Spot Check is the process of reviewing a portion of the job and marking corrections as needed. Full Review is the process of checking the entire job.

If there are substantial errors found during a spot check, Video Formalizer will alert you that the job needs to be fully reviewed. (See Error Types for more information on error weighting.)

Keep in mind that Full Review could mean that the work is from a new Custom scribe, but it could also mean that the specific customer wants every job they send to be fully reviewed. Therefore, the quality of Full Review jobs may vary, so each job should be objectively reviewed from beginning to end.

No matter what level of review job you receive, your goal is to process the job below a 2.0 XF.

Here's an example of how a Spot Check job could go:

• First, make note of any special job instructions or customer requests.
• Where there's dialogue, review the first 10% of the transcription.
• Review a random selection of 10% of the transcription.
• Where there's dialogue, review the final 10% of the transcription.
• Review any content markers left by the Scribe and correct/remove them if possible.

To mark an error, select the text you wish to mark and press Ctrl-R. This will take you to the Corrections tab. Select the relevant error type, make the necessary corrections and click "Add" to make the correction. This will add the correction to the list of corrections attached to the job as well as make the correction in the text itself.

Apart from accuracy corrections (special content, omissions, etc), most corrections marked should be accompanied by a comment that directly quotes the standard that was missed. If you cannot directly quote from one of the documents, an error should not be marked. If you feel a Scribe has made an error for which there should be a standard, contact a CSL. Do include a comment for accuracy corrections or clearing bookmarks if you can help explain special content or terminology along with tips for how to find it (context in job, text on screen, what you googled).

When marking corrections, make sure to select enough context to show why the correction was an error without obscuring the error itself. For example, you see the following sentence in a transcription:

In the following examples, the "selected" text is underlined.

Because of the damage, the ceiling collapsed but nothing was damaged in the ensuing chaos.

This is an error of two independent clauses joined by a conjunction without an error, and you want to mark it as a Core Punctuation error. There are a few ways you could choose to mark the error.

Because of the damage, the ceiling collapsed, but nothing was damaged in the ensuing chaos.

This is the ideal. Being a comma error, the clearest way to mark is to include the subject and verb from both independent clauses of the compound sentence. This keeps there from being too much information while also providing context.

Don't assume the text is correct and the mistakes are already bookmarked. Often, new QAs miss important errors because what you're reading affects what you're hearing. If you come across a questionable section of text, sometimes, it helps to close your eyes and relisten to it to separate yourself from what was already scribed.

As a QA, you are the final step in the review process. If you have any questions regarding the content of a dictation, you can ask other QAs or CSLs for input. Regarding standards questions or clarifications, always ask a CSL. Most of the time, however, it is best to trust your own judgment, as the job has already been listened to by at least two scribes by the time you finish listening to it, depending on how many people the scribe asked for a second opinion.

In addition, keep in mind that the standards are a collaborative effort. If you ever have any questions or think you have a contribution or correction to make to the standards, be sure to bring it up with a CSL.

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Forfeits and Forced Completions

Forfeits

A forfeiture is a job that another scribe was unable to complete before its due date that comes to you as a Scribe job. There is no notification that a job is a forfeiture and it will appear normal until you dock it. Upon docking, the job will already have a portion of its transcript completed.

Simply review and correct the text that's already completed without marking corrections and mark it complete.

Forfeitures you complete may be subject to further review and any errors by the original scribe you didn't correct will count against your stats.

Any corrections you mark in a forfeiture will count against your stats.

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Forced Completions

Forced Completions are jobs that have a portion of the text complete, but they appear in your queue as a Review job. Your duty is to complete the rest of the job and also review the original scribe's existing text. You will see a pop-up saying the job has been forcefully completed once the job is docked.

Corrections marked by you in these types of jobs will still count towards the original scribe's stats.

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Error Types

There are several error types in Video Formalizer. It's important to label corrections properly so that quality statistics are accurate.

The following error types count towards Accuracy Corrections Per Hour.

Accuracy

Accuracy corrections count towards Accuracy Corrections Per Hour (ACPH).

Note: Discrepancies concerning shortenings and stutters should not be marked as Accuracy. Do not mark as Accuracy if the difference between the pre-text and post-text is only one or two characters. Similarly, do not mark as Accuracy if the difference is concerning a shortening or stutter. Mark as either a Shortening, Stutter/Nonfluency, Typo or Standard, depending on the nature of the mistake.

For example:

• Typing versus typin' (Shortening)
• Going to versus gonna (Shortening)
• "I don't know" versus "I — I don't know" (Stutter/Nonfluency)

Any of the following would count as one instance of an Accuracy error:

• Incorrect dialogue and/or sound effects. The scribe misheard what was said or inaccurately described a sound effect in a job where sound markers are requested.
• The scribe left an [Indistinct] or [?] marker that you were able to clearly discern.
• Scribe made typos that clearly change the meaning of a sentence.

Accuracy errors DO NOT include instances when:

• The scribe failed to change speakers when required. (Standard).
• Scribe left out dialogue that is not a stutter or nonfluency. (Omission). If the omitted dialogue is a stutter or nonfluency, mark as Stutter/Nonfluency.
• Scribe failed to identify a speaker (Standard).
• Scribe added dialogue that was not spoken (Insertion).
• Scribe made a typo that does not affect the meaning of the sentence (Typo).
• Nonsensical guess of a term found in a Reference Sheet (Special Content).
• Do not mark accuracy corrections that require more than three listens to discern.

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Omission

Omission corrections count towards Accuracy Corrections Per Hour (ACPH).

Any one of the following would count as one instance of an omission error:

• Missing dialogue. Scribe failed to transcribe words that were clearly audible. If the omitted dialogue is a stutter or nonfluency, mark as Stutter/Nonfluency.
• Missing sound markers in a job where sound markers were requested.

Omission errors DO NOT include instances when:

• Scribe transcribed foreign dialogue but did not include a marker (Standards).
• Scribe left [?] instead of [Indistinct] or other incorrect content markers (Standards; Report this to a CSL for immediate scribe follow-up.)
• Scribe failed to capture stuttering or a non-fluency when required (Stutter/Nonfluency).

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Special Content

Special Content corrections count towards Accuracy Corrections Per Hour (ACPH).

The umbrella of errors that can fall under Special Content can be wide. Use these general rules of thumb to determine if a scribe has made a Special Content error:

Generally speaking, specific or esoteric proper nouns are probably considered Special Content.
Example: Terry Gilliam directed "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus."

• Misspelling any part of the bold items would be considered a Special Content error. However failing to put the movie title in quotation marks would be a Core Punctuation error. Failing to capitalize the director's first or last name would be a Core Punctuation error.
• Brand names that are misspelled or stylized incorrectly.
• Common words or proper nouns found in the Reference Sheets that are misspelled or stylized incorrectly.
• Any nonsensical guesses of terms found in the Reference Sheet.
• Any nonsensical guesses of Special Content terms found easily through your own research.
• Scribe misspelled any name appearing onscreen that was not in a Reference Sheet.
• Scribe failed to punctuate a catchphrase according to Reference Sheet instructions. A comment should be left as well in this instance.
• Scribe marked as [Indistinct] terms found in a Reference Sheet.
• Scribe marked as [Indistinct] a Special Content term you were able to resolve by researching.

Special Content errors DO NOT include instances where:

• Scribe failed to capitalize the initial letter of a proper noun (Core Punctuation).
• Scribe failed to wrap name of a work of art in quotation marks (Core Punctuation).
• Scribe failed to mark a sound in a Reference Sheet (Omission).
• Scribe failed to utilize a sound marker as detailed in a Reference Sheet (Accuracy).
• Scribe marked as [Indistinct] a non-Special Content term you were able to resolve by researching (Accuracy).
• Any job that has multiple instances of either of these kinds of errors should be reported to a CSL for immediate follow-up with the scribe.

The following DO NOT count towards Accuracy Corrections Per Hour but count towards Total Corrections Per Hour.

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Core Punctuation

Note: Use more specific error types when available. For example: Direct Address, Non-essential/Intro Clause, etc. should be used where appropriate.

Any one the following would count as one instance of a Core Punctuation error:

• Scribe failed to apply grammar/punctuation/numerical rules listed in the Custom Punctuation Standards document.
• Capitalization errors, including failure to capitalize the initial letter of proper nouns.
• Scribe failed to wrap the name of a work of art, movie, etc. in quotation marks per the rules in the Custom Punctuation Standards document.
• Scribe failed to properly punctuate a question.

The following DO NOT count as Core Punctuation errors:

• Capitalization error on Special Content that is not initial caps or putting initial capitalization on Special Content that stylized as initial lowercase [Example: Iphone instead of iPhone] (Special Content).
• Failure to add a dash or insertion of dash in Special Content that is stylized otherwise (Special Content).
• Punctuation errors not found in the Custom Punctuation Standards document. (Any such error should not be marked. If you believe a punctuation error which changes the meaning of a sentence has occurred, alert a CSL.).

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Direct Address

Scribe did not wrap or offset a noun addressed directly with commas.

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Stutter/Nonfluency

Any omission or insertion pertaining to stutters or nonfluencies. Be sure to consult the job type and reference sheet on whether stutters or nonfluencies are required.

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Shortening

Any accuracy issue pertaining to a shortening. Be sure to consult the job type and/or reference sheet on how shortenings are to be transcribed.

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Homophone

Any misspelled word that is the result of two or more words sounding the same when spoken aloud, but spelled differently, eg. it's/its, to/too/two, hours/ours, etc.

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Non-essential/Intro Clause

When a non-essential or introductory clause requires commas which are omitted, utilize this error type.

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Spelling

Any misspelling that would not be considered a Special Content or Homophone error.

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Typo

Any typos.

Note: The difference between typos and accuracy errors can be difficult to ascertain. Use your best judgment to determine whether you think an error should be accuracy or typo. Use the rule of thumb that if the error changes the meaning of a sentence, it is an accuracy error.

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Insertion

Any one the following would count as one instance of an insertion error:

• Added dialogue and/or sound effects.
• Scribe transcribed words or sound effects that were not in the file.
• Scribe incorrectly made a speaker change when there wasn't one.

Insertion errors DO NOT include instances when:

• Scribe made a typo that caused an expanded macro to be left in the middle of a word (Accuracy).
• Scribe marked every instance of a sound effect that was not used thematically and could have been scribed with one marker (A comment should be logged and no correction marked).

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Standards

Any violation of standards found in the Custom Fundamentals document or errors in proper formatting according to the job type. A job with more than three instances of incorrect formatting according to job type should be reported to a CSL.

If a scribe has incorrectly formatted an entire job according to the Job Types document or a Reference Sheet, mark the first three instances as Standards and alert a CSL.

If a scribe has incorrectly formatted a small portion of a job according to the Job Types document or a reference sheet, mark each instance, up to three, as a Standards error.

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The Rule of Three

When marking errors, it is important to keep in mind that the marked errors, in addition to being used to determine stats, will be used by scribes in order to improve their further work. As a result, marking every single error you come across can result in unnecessary FR reports and the scribe not seeing the comments and corrections they need to improve.

As a result, if you see the same kind of error being repeated in a job, you will want to stop on the third occurrence. Note that this does not mean the type of error, but the nature of error itself. It is okay to have 15 Core Punctuation errors in a job if it's needed, but you don't want to have all 15 of those because the scribe consistently got the same rule wrong.

For example, if a scribe repeatedly misspells a piece of Special Content, you will want to mark the first three occurrences of the misspelling, then leave a comment to the scribe about why the errors were left and stop marking the misspelling. If any other unrelated Special Content errors were to come up in the same job, you would mark those as normal.

Consult the following additional examples:

• Scribe repeatedly omits a stutter or non-fluency where required by the job type or reference sheet.
• Scribe repeatedly fails to transcribe sound marker for recurring background chatter where required by the job type or reference sheet.
• Scribe repeatedly transcribes a shortening completely instead of with an apostrophe where required by the job type or reference sheet.

Instances of omissions having to do with nonfluencies (um, uh, stuttering) fall under the rule of three. If a scribe misses an um or ah, this counts as 3 instances of the same error and should no longer be marked.

Similarly, just one comment should be left for each kind of correction unless you feel more context or examples are needed. For example, if a scribe uses an Oxford comma 10 times in a job, correct 3 times, comment once.

Please let a CSL know if you note a large number of same kind of errors in a job.

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Security Policies

There may also be times when management is not available, and as a QA, you will become the default point of contact for other employees or non-employees. QAs are expected to understand and follow the Employee Guidelines document.

If another employee has a question or concern that falls outside of the normal QA responsibilities outlined in this QA Guidelines document, you should direct that employee to management. If management is unavailable in the office, use common sense urgency to determine if you should contact an Operations Supervisor or Manager on the contact list posted in the office.

If a non-employee enters the facility and there is no Operations Supervisor or Manager available, you should ask the non-employee to sign in, inquire to their purpose, and use common sense urgency to determine if you should contact an Operations Supervisor on the contact list.

Finally, as a QA, if at any time you should witness another employee or non-employee violating any of the policies outlined on the Employee Conduct Guidelines, you should immediately report said violation to an Operations Supervisor or Manager.

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Text Tracking

In order to assist you in completing spot checks, as well as pinpointing a section of text based on a spot in the media file, Video Formalizer periodically records the position of the cursor relative to the media file being transcribed.

Under the "F2.Markers" tab, and the "Cursor Markers" sub tab, click any of the markers and Video Formalizer will locate the place in text that corresponds with the displayed timestamp.

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Troubleshooting

I docked a file, then Video Formalizer crashed. Now all of the scribe's text is missing.

This can happen on crashes when text doesn't save properly. In the Text Restore tab, you will find a few options for restoring your text. The easiest way is to select a date and time when the text was saved and click restore. If there are no times available, click "Load Previous Iteration." If neither of these work, contact a CSL.

I made a mistake while marking a correction. How do I fix it?

The scribe's original text is contained within the left side of the correction. Select it and copy the text by pressing ctrl + c. Next, select the correction by clicking twice next to the error type above the two boxes containing the original and corrected text. This should cause a blue highlight and a blue border to appear around the correction. Press delete. This should remove the entire correction from the Corrections/Comments tab. In the text box, find the text where the error occurred, select it and paste back the scribe's original text by pressing ctrl + v.

See Text Restore: The Unabridged Field Guide for more information.

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