A CA transcript does not just note down what is said in a conversation, but also how it is said. The benefit of a CA transcript is that it shows the pauses, how long they last, whether speakers over-lap, emphasise a word, change their tone to louder or quieter; and importantly the CA transcript takes these subtle characteristics of conversation and describes what meanings they may have in the conversation. Although you are not expected to transcribe using these symbols, you will find them useful when you try to analyse more subtle communication difficulties which may not be easily identified without accessing the details of people’s verbal behaviours.
Click on the following link to see the CA transcription symbol key
95 DR: No. Any family history of anything important we need to know about?
96 PT: Well you know you’ve mentioned stroke, my father had had a bad one.
97 DR: uhm
98 PT: 30 years ago now
99 DR: (nodding) And did he survive that or?
100 PT: No Well he did have another one about 6 months later and that finished him off, yeah it was sad
101 DR: That finished him (nodding) I know it is sad what about what about your mum is she
102 PT: Oh no she’s alive and well
103 DR: She’s well
104 PT: She’s fine. Yes (smile)
95 DR: No. .hhh Any family history of anything important we need to know about?
96 PT: We::ll you know you’ve mentioned stroke, my father had a::: had a ba::d one.
97 DR: uhm (1.37)
98 PT: 30 years ago now
99 DR: ((nodding)) ⁰hum⁰ (.) .hhhh (1.08) And did he survive that↑ or::?
100 PT: .hhh no Well he did have another one about 6 months later and that finished [him off, yeah it was sad
101 DR: [that finished him ((nodding)) I know it is sad (0.85) what about what about your mum (.) is she:::
(0.88)
102 PT: Oh no she’s alive and well=
103 DR: =She’s well=
104 PT: =she’s fine. [Yes ((smile))