Interview transcript template
A ready format for interview transcripts – a header, speaker labels, timestamps, and tags for the messy moments – with a worked sample you can copy.
A transcript is easier to read, quote, and search when every one follows the same shape. This template gives you that shape: a short header so anyone can see whose words these are, consistent speaker labels, timestamps you can jump back to, and a small set of tags for the parts a recording never captures cleanly. Use it whether you type from scratch or clean up an automated draft.
Decide one thing before you start: verbatim or clean verbatim. Verbatim keeps every 'um' and false start; clean verbatim drops the filler and keeps the meaning. Pick one and hold it across the whole transcript. If you would rather not type at all, how to transcribe an interview walks through getting a first draft automatically, and the interview transcription tool labels the speakers for you.
The template
Interview Transcript
Fill in the header, then transcribe using the conventions below. Keep speaker labels and the verbatim/clean choice consistent from the first line to the last.
Header
Title / project:(e.g. Project Atlas – User Interview 04)
Date:
Participants:(interviewer and interviewee, with the labels you'll use)
Duration:
Transcriber:
Style:(verbatim or clean verbatim)
Formatting conventions
Speaker labels: write each person's full name the first time, then use a short, consistent label for the rest (for example Interviewer and Participant, or initials). Start a new line at every change of speaker.
Timestamps: add a timestamp in [hh:mm:ss] at each speaker change, or at least every 30 to 60 seconds, so any line is one click from the audio.
Unclear audio: mark a word you can't make out as [inaudible 00:00:00] with the timestamp. Mark a best guess as [word?].
Overlap: when two people talk at once, tag it [crosstalk] and pick up each speaker on their own line when they become clear again.
Non-speech: put meaningful sounds in parentheses, such as (laughs) or (long pause). Use [sic] after a word only when you want to show the error was in the original.
Never silently correct a factual mistake a speaker makes. Transcribe what was said; flag or footnote it if you must, but don't rewrite it.
Sample
Interviewer (Dana Osei): Thanks for making the time today. To start, can you tell me what your role involves?
[00:00:11] Participant (Sam Rivera): Sure. I lead the research team, so most of my week is planning studies and reading through transcripts.
[00:00:20] Interviewer: And how long have you been in that role?
[00:00:23] Participant: About six years. I started as a [inaudible 00:00:26] before I moved into leading it.
[00:00:31] Interviewer: Got it. So when a study wraps up, what happens to the [crosstalk]
[00:00:34] Participant: Sorry, go ahead. (laughs)
[00:00:36] Interviewer: No, please, you first.
How to use it
- 1
Copy the template, then fill in the header so anyone reading knows whose words these are and how they were recorded.
- 2
Choose verbatim or clean verbatim and keep that choice consistent all the way through.
- 3
Transcribe using the sample as your pattern: a new line and a timestamp at each speaker change, and bracketed tags for the unclear or overlapping parts.
- 4
To skip the typing, upload the recording to a pay-as-you-go tool like Pepys for a speaker-labeled, timestamped draft, then paste it into this layout and clean up only the quotes you'll use.
Recorded it? Transcribe it here
Drop in the recording for a speaker-labeled, timestamped draft in minutes. Your first 60 minutes are free, no card.
More templates
- Interview Recording ChecklistA pre-record run-through for gear, room, consent, and levels, so your audio starts clean.
- Interview release form templateA starter fill-in consent form for journalists, researchers, oral historians, and podcasters: get permission to record and to use the interview, transcript, and quotes before you hit record.
Frequently asked questions
How do you format an interview transcript?
Start with a header (title, date, participants, duration), then give each speaker a consistent label on its own line, add a timestamp at each speaker change, and use bracketed tags like [inaudible] and [crosstalk] for the parts the audio doesn't capture cleanly. Pick verbatim or clean verbatim and hold it throughout.
Should an interview transcript be verbatim?
It depends on the use. Legal and discourse analysis usually need strict verbatim, with every filler and false start. For most research and journalism, clean verbatim, which drops the fillers but keeps the exact words and meaning, is more readable. Choose one and apply it consistently.
How do you mark unclear or overlapping speech?
Mark a word you can't make out as [inaudible 00:00:00] with the timestamp, and a best guess as [word?]. When people talk over each other, tag it [crosstalk] and resume each speaker on their own line once they're clear.
Do I have to add timestamps?
They're optional but worth it. A timestamp at each speaker change, or every 30 to 60 seconds, lets you jump back to the audio to check any line, which matters most for the quotes you plan to publish.
Can I get a transcript in this format automatically?
Yes. Upload the recording to Pepys for a speaker-labeled, timestamped draft in minutes, then drop it into this layout and clean up only the parts you'll quote. It's far faster than typing from scratch.
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