Using Scribes in Qualitative Research as an Alternative to Transcription

Authors

Kim Eaton, University of Western AustraliaFollow
Werner G. K. Stritzke, University of Western AustraliaFollow
Jeneva L. Ohan, University of Western AustraliaFollow

Abstract

Transcribing qualitative data is resource-intensive. One less intensive alternative is scribing: the documenting of comprehensive notes, including verbatim quotes by an independent observer during an interview. However, the extent to which a comparable thematic analysis can be derived from scribed interview data relative to verbatim transcriptions of these same interviews has not been investigated. Thus, the purpose of this study is to test the number and content of themes derived from interview data, which had been scribed versus transcribed verbatim and to identify the time and cost differences (if any) between obtaining, processing, and analysing scribed data compared to transcribed data. Two modes of scribing were evaluated: in-person (i.e., from notes obtained during live interviews), and from video-recordings of these same interviews. There was high consistency in the number and content of themes (highest at subtheme level) derived from scribed versus transcribed data. Scribing produced significantly less data than transcribing and was economically superior. Thus, in the context of interview-based studies in which common ideas or meaning are sought through thematic analysis, scribing yields a similarly rich set of themes as transcribing, and hence, may offer a valid and feasible alternative when resources are limited.

Keywords

Scribe, Transcription, Interviews, Qualitative

Author Bio(s)

Kim Eaton is a clinical psychologist registrar, and PhD researcher at the University of Western Australia (UWA) interested in the stigma and self-stigma associated with mental illness. Correspondence regarding this article can be addressed directly to: kim.eaton@research.uwa.edu.au.

Werner G. K. Stritzke is a senior lecturer in clinical psychology and the director of the clinical psychology training programs at UWA. Correspondence regarding this article can also be addressed directly to: werner.stritzke@uwa.edu.au.

Jeneva L. Ohan is a senior lecturer in child and adolescent psychology at UWA. Correspondence regarding this article can also be addressed directly to: jeneva.ohan@uwa.edu.au.

Publication Date

3-18-2019

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2019.3473

Recommended APA Citation

Eaton, K., Stritzke, W. G., & Ohan, J. L. (2019). Using Scribes in Qualitative Research as an Alternative to Transcription. The Qualitative Report, 24(3), 586-605. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2019.3473