Transcription is the act of turning a piece of audio into written text. This can be important for a number of reasons. First, written text is easier to formally file and archive, especially because it can be tagged and cross-referenced to be included in a database that can be easily searched in the future. Second, it widens accessibility, providing a written transcript for both people with hearing or auditory processing issues and those who may have a different first language. Third, the written file can contain additional context about what was occurring during the recording, including a list of individuals involved, date and time, and another important context. If you’re looking to transcribe a speech sample, follow good speech transcription principles.