Transcription as a ‘research moment’

Transcription of interview material can be a daunting task for the qualitative researcher, not only in terms of the extensive time requirement, but also due to concerns around producing transcripts that ‘accurately’ reflect interviews. This reflection paper addresses some of the tensions I experienced as a geography student encountering transcription for the first time. It is neither an assessment of techniques for transcription nor an evaluation of the various tools one can use to facilitate transcription and manage interview material. It is more of an epistemological reflection on how knowledge is produced – how researchers go about producing ‘data’ that is ultimately accepted (at least in certain circles) as ‘knowledge’.