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Common Transcription Errors and How to Avoid Them -Avontix

Medical Transcription is no casual career! In fact it comes tagged with immense responsibility on part of the transcriber.  The below are some of the common errors made when transcribing audio files along with tips on how to avoid them.
Typing Errors
These errors are usually made when we mishear what has been said or sometimes because we mistype what we hear.
You simply press the wrong key.
E.g. you type “busienss” instead of “business.”
Sound-alike words
This is one of the most regular and also funny errors. It is picking/typing the incorrect words that sound very similar to the word dictated but with a different meaning
Examples
it’s - short for “it is” and its - possessive
you’re (short for “you are”) and your (denotes possession)
they’re, their and there
to, too and two
here and hear
hover and over
would/wood
brake/break
knot/not
which/witch
 Incorrect spellings of names
Names can be spelled in many different ways. Look up the name and spell them correctly.
Danny or Dannie
Kathy or Katie
Sound-alike letters
Isn’t it funny when we write “The fog was dense”, as  “The dog was dense.”? In such case taking a moment to think about the context will go a great deal in helping you decide on the right worfd to use
Transpositions 
Transposition of one element with another is a little too tricky and of course is one of the most common transcription error. This can happen with numbers and letters. For example, you type 12058 instead of 12085. When we change the sequence of words, it sometimes remains non-traceable.
How to avoid the above errors:
Making errors can not only be a bad sign but also prove to be very costly and even fatal in medical context. And sometimes cost lives! So, it is important to understand how to avoid them as much as possible.  
The below are a few to tips to help you guard them:
·         -  Always look up for words you are not familiar with. Makes sure you use reliable and authorized sources and websites when you are looking up words. Often few sites contain inaccurate information.

·         -  Always do the spell-check the document.

- Proofread all transcripts thoroughly after you have completed working on the transcripts because spellchecking won’t be able to trace and point out all the errors. So it is important to proofread the document. This is pretty much the only way to trace typos or inconsistencies and locate where a word is not making sense in the sentence.

- Always make sure you listen to the complete audio file while you are checking the transcript to find errors.

- Be extra careful to really employ your logic about the context of the recording before you start transcribing.
The above tips will to a large extent help in minimizing the errors.  

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