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Two complementary formats
Captions follow video timing; a transcript reads like a document. W3C explains that descriptive transcripts add necessary visual information. A silent demonstration may therefore need a description of the action even when there is no speech to transcribe.
Correct decisive errors
Listen to the original while reviewing automatic transcription. Check negatives, names, numbers, units and technical terms. Identify speakers when changing voices matters. Sounds relevant to meaning can be noted without turning the transcript into an inventory of background noise.
Test in the actual frame
Watch on a phone: text should cover neither the action nor controls. Captions burned into the image may remain when shared but do not always replace a selectable track. Keep the source file and check supported formats in platform help.
Make follow-up information accessible
A tutorial can include written steps and required equipment. An interview benefits from identifying participants and cited links. Make the transcript easy to find. If a correction changes meaning, update the text and track and explain the correction.
Choose the right check for the situation
These editorial pointers help prepare and review your work. Choose the situation matching your content; check current features and conditions in the cited sources before applying it to a service.
| Situation | Useful action | Mistake to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Interview with several voices | Identify speaker changes needed for comprehension and correct names. | Attributing a sentence to the wrong person after automatic transcription. |
| Demonstration without speech | Describe actions and the expected result in accompanying text or a descriptive transcript. | Treating the absence of speech as the absence of accessibility needs. |
| Vertical video on a phone | Test captions with controls visible and the final framing. | Placing essential instructions beneath app buttons. |
| Correcting a number | Update the caption track and transcript, then check excerpts already published. | Correcting only the description while the video retains an incorrect value. |
Hypothetical example: apply the method
A demonstration shows how to adjust a bicycle stand. Without sound, viewers still need to know which screw to turn and in which direction. The transcript describes that action; captions convey speech and cautions.
Template to adapt
Copy this outline into your working document. It collects no information on this site; complete it for your situation.
Title: Speakers: Terms to check: Actions to describe: Transcript link: Version corrected on:
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Frequently asked questions
Can automatic captions be kept?
Review them. An error in a negative or number can reverse the message.
Does a transcript replace captions?
It does not necessarily let someone follow speech while watching. The uses are complementary.
Continue with related content
Sources and scope
Primary references consulted for factual points. Methods and templates are editorial suggestions; service conditions should still be checked in current documentation.