The Quality And Confidentiality Your Academic Research Deserves

Gain deeper insights with a team of U.S.-based verbatim transcription professionals who specialize in academic research. Enjoy free fast turnaround to support grounded theory. Protect your data with industry-leading confidentiality that impresses your IRB and security office. And avoid the risks and nuisances of AI and flighty, global freelance networks.  

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Human Expertise
(No AI)

Reach beyond the limitations of AI with a 100% U.S.-based team of verbatim transcription experts. For focus groups, interviews, panel discussions, and more, you'll gain insights you trust.

See how we recruit human transcription expertise.

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Industry-leading Confidentiality

Minimize risk with the tightest transcription confidentiality in the U.S. SOC-2-certified, HIPAA-compliant transcription practices ensure that your data will be safe from start to finish.

See how we keep your data confidential and compliance.

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US-based Specialists in Verbatim Transcription

Trust your findings with U.S.-based specialists who understand the importance of word-for-word, verbatim transcription for academic research - and have the intelligence to follow your instructions.

See how we achieve Top Quality Transcription (TQT)

VERBATIM TRANSCRIPTION SERVICES DESIGNED FOR ACADEMIA

Human Expertise

Avoid the risks and aggravations of AI "hallucinations" and costly mistakes.  Give your work the skill, experience, and understanding of human research transcription specialists to accurately capture your participants' responses for conclusions you trust.

♦ 100% US-based; No AI ever.

♦ 100% Human-powered. No AI ever.

♦ 100% Quality Guarantee.

Trust your transcription. Trust your results.

Hexagon 1pt - high DPI
Hexagon 1pt - high DPI

Deeper Insights

Reach beyond the limitations and frustrations of AI with the expertise of a 100% U.S.-based team of verbatim transcription experts. 

Learn about our selective recruitment

Specialization

Elevate your findings with human transcription that captures the unique terminology and nuanced verbal expressions of your research participants.  

Learn about our human approach

Reliable Conclusions

Reliable data leads to reliable conclusions that make a difference. Aim for the best results possible in verbatim transcription. And get results you trust. 

Learn how we define quality

 

Audited. Verified. Certified.

Get real data confidentiality and security and keep your research safe.

 

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JOIN 13,916 ACADEMIC RESEARCHERS MAKING A DIFFERENCE
WHAT THEY SAY
  • I was amazed when I got my eighteen interviews back perfectly and exactly as I asked. You saved me hours or proofing time. Thank you!

    Sheila Simmons Vanderbilt University

  • Super reliable and responsive. Awesome service. Thank you!

    Mike Ryan Penn State University

  • The accuracy and exact verbatim is fantastic. Research Transcriptions is the best!

    Cindy Liu University California Los Angeles

  • Your work far exceeded our expectations. Thank you for turning the transcript around so quickly! I will definitely tell my colleagues.

    Erica Wright The Citadel Graduate College

Success


logo-university-of-pennsylvania University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and The School of Nursing

 

Summary:

University researchers needed to efficiently transcribe multicenter research data and interviews.

Special Needs:

  • Strict data confidentiality
  • Expert-level knowledge of medical terminology
  • Careful attention to delivering word-for-word, verbatim transcription of qualitative data.
  • Advanced project scheduling for fast turnaround of interview transcription and panel discussions.

A University graduate researcher contacted us in 2007 to assist with her department’s research transcription needs. Previously, they were using university staff and graduate students to transcribe recordings, which was grossly inefficient.

Research Transcriptions formed a team of research transcription specialists with advanced proficiency in medical terminology and developed a custom workflow (designed to accommodate a large but sporadic flow of project-based work).
Because of these results, Research Transcriptions is actively referred to other departments and medical schools across the country – collaborating on research.

Results:  

  1. Faster access to new data to facilitate continued studies.
  2. Accurate documentation of findings.
  3. Simplified sharing of data for multi-center studies.
  4. Indexed data for easy web-based access.
  5. Reliable research transcription service for ongoing studies to the current day.

 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Quality, Formatting, Styling

Where is the transcription work done?

All English transcription services are performed in the United States and all data resides on servers in the United States as well.

Translation and transcription of languages other than English is usually performed in the country that is native to the language spoken.

Who does the transcription?

We aim to have the industry’s most quality-focussed transcriptionists, all in the United States.

They undergo comprehensive screening and testing before being hired because they are expected to perform at the highest level in the industry.

Do you use automated transcription programs that use artificial intelligence?

No. Research Transcriptions does not use artificial intelligence for transcription. All work is performed by professional transcriptionists in the United States.

Do you offer word-for-word verbatim transcription services?

Yes. We offer verbatim transcription service and transcription with a light-edit ("clean") as well as any edit level in between based on client need. 

What is the format of the transcription?

Our standard format is MS Word.

We can provide your transcription in many other file formats as well, including MS Word,,.csv, .txt.

 

Do you offer de-identification/anonymization?

Yes. We can de-identify based on proper names, references, and associations. All are based on your preference.

Security and Confidentiality

What makes Research Transcriptions the most confidential transcription service in the US?

Research Transcriptions is the only company in the US that has been third-party audited, verified, and certified for transcription service that is: 

1. 100% US-based

2. 100% Human-powered

3. HIPAA-compliant

4. SOC-2 certified (Types 1 and 2)

What is SOC-2 certification? Why is it important?

The Service and Organization Controls (SOC) 2 is a report based on the Auditing Standards Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) SSAE 18, which evaluates the service organization’s controls relevant to the Trust Services Criteria of security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, or privacy. 

It is important because it provides 3rd-party validation of the organization's attention to data security and confidentiality. 

Is your company HIPAA-compliant?

Yes. We are a HIPAA-compliant transcription service. Our processes have been audited and verified by a third party.

Will you sign a confidentiality agreement, such as NDA, HIPAA BAA, etc.

Yes. Confidential transcription is our specialty, and we stand by it.

We offer a Master Service Agreement (MSA) that includes confidentiality clauses for your data, as well as a HIPAA Business Associate Agreement and Nondisclosure Agreement (NDA).

If you have your own, we can take a look at that as well.

Will you use our data or share it with anyone?

No. Research Transcriptions will never use or share your data with anyone unless required to by law. See our Privacy Policy here.

How it works

Is there software to install?

No. There is no software required for our standard online transcription service.

 

What is the best way to record a focus group?

Best practices for recording a focus group depend on a number of factors.

Considerations include how participants are involved, whether they need to be distinguished when they speak, must their identities be protected, how each is recorded, and more.

We can help you sort through this to arrive at the best approach in a short call.  

What is your turnaround time?

Work is scheduled based on your needs - within 24 hours and even faster.

Our average turnaround on a 60-minute audio is 32 hours. 

Advanced scheduling for ongoing work is available for the most reliable delivery times - at no extra cost. 

Pricing

How much do you charge?

We offer competitive, flat-rate transcription prices. They are not the lowest around. Here is why…

For the clients that we serve, quality and/or confidentiality are non-negotiables.

We do not implement any measures, such as artificial intelligence or lower-wage workers outside the US, that could compromise these objectives. 

Our US-based transcriptionists require higher pay than a freelancer logging on to a global network in a lower wage economy.

Are there any set-up or minimum fees?

There are no set-up or minimum fees.

you pay only for the work you submit for transcription processing.

Our transcription pricing is straightforward and transparent. 

When we discuss your work, you will be given a transcription rate that you will understand. No games. No tricks. No mental gymnastics.

Do you offer discounts?

We offer courtesy discounts to U.S. military personnel (active duty and retired), first responders, and those in an academic setting (students and professors).