Colons and Semicolons

Colons and Semicolons

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Semicolons

Semicolons should be avoided in transcription. Use only commas and full-stops.

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Colons

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Speaker Identification

Speaker identifiers should always be followed by a colon, unless a specific template shows otherwise.

Examples:

• Interviewer:

• Respondent:

• John:

• Dr Smith:

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Lists and Explanations

Colons can be used to introduce:

• Lists

• Explanations

• Elaborations

Examples:

• "She mentioned three key points: efficiency, cost, and quality."

• "The reason was simple: they had run out of time."

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General Principle

Keep punctuation simple in transcription:

• Commas for pauses and list items

• Full stops for sentence endings

• Colons for speaker identification and introducing lists/explanations

• Avoid semicolons entirely

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Template Considerations

Always follow the specific template provided. If a template shows different punctuation for speaker identification, follow that template rather than the general rule.