FIELD METHODSMaloney, Paolisso / DIGITAL AUDIO DATA SHORT TAKES What Can Digital Audio Data Do for You?

In the age of computer-generated music and digital cameras and camcorders, have you wondered whether it was possible to turn your tape-recorded interviewing into a digital process? Existing hardware and software are now available that will allow you to record, transcribe (via keyboard and remote foot pedal), and analyze digital interview data. Where appropriate, digitally recorded interview data can be used to enhance the power of your PowerPoint, GIS, Internet, and film-based multimedia presentations by actually allowing the interviewees ’ voices to be heard. Have you been exploring alternative ways to express your tape-recorded interview data? Would you like to enhance your text analysis capabilities via a personal computer (PC)? Looking for a long-term storage solution for your tape-recorded interviews? How about transcribing your interviews using a PC? If you answered “yes ” to any of these questions, you may be interested in making your taped interview data digital. Affordable hardware and software are now available to make digital interview recordings, transcribe audio recordings using a PC via keyboard and remote foot pedal, code and analyze audio data, and integrate audio and text data through presentation media. DIGITAL AUDIO RECORDINGS In making successful digital audio recordings, there are several equip-ment and hardware and software issues, as well as procedural matters, that must be considered. First, an appropriate recording device should be selected. Fortunately, you can use a standard audio cassette recorder or opt for a digital recorder such as the Voice-It ™ mobile digital recorder, VTR series, at approximately $200 (see the appendix for a complete list of recom-mended equipment and software and their cost)