Pre-Workshop Videos & Activities

This workshop is primarily hands-on practice with Microsoft 365 and Whisper transcription services to learn to use key features of the software.

Please Note: If you are a UVic staff or faculty member, you will not be able to use the Whisper.ai transcription software unless your faculty systems support person installs it for you. Here is a link to the Windows Software & the Mac Software. You will be able to use the Microsoft 365 transcription service without any problems.

To participate fully, please do the following before the workshop:

  • Microsoft 365 Transciption & Recording overiview (1 min)

Pros and cons of services offered by Microsoft 365, Whisper Transcription, and Zoom

Microsoft 365 Pros:

  • Free through UVic license
  • Fast transcription
  • Automatically detects different speakers
  • No need for US Freedom Act disclosure Cons:
  • Need to disclose use in ethics application and participant consent forms

Whisper Transcription Pros:

  • Free basic version
  • No need to disclose use in ethics application because it’s not cloud-based
  • No need for disclosure on participant consent forms Cons:
  • Does not automatically detect different speakers
  • Slower on older computers

Zoom Pros:

  • Free through UVic license
  • Fast transcription
  • Automatically detects different speakers with their Zoom names Cons:
  • Need to disclose use in ethics application and participant consent forms Need for US Freedom Act disclosure

Transcription Services: UVic Research Ethics Considerations

Not Cloud Based:

Whisper.ai: We do not need to disclose the use of Whisper.ai, as all data is processed locally on the researcher’s computer (similar to not needing to disclose the use of MS Word running on a laptop).

Cloud-Based but Hosted in Canada & UVic Licensed:

Office 365 Transcription: We must disclose the use of the MS Office 365 transcription on our Research Ethics applications, and participant consent form, but if we’re using the UVic-licensed version of MS Office 365 then there is no need for a US Freedom Act disclosure as UVic pays to have our version of MS Office 365 hosted in Canada.

Cloud-Based and Hosted in the USA:

Otter.ai: We must disclose the use of the Otter.ai transcription on our Research Ethics applications, and participant consent form, and include a US Freedom Act disclosure as Otter.ai data is processed and stored in the USA (at least in part).

Zoom Transcription: We must disclose the use of Zoom for interviews on our Research Ethics applications and on the participant consent form. The UVic-licensed version of Zoom routes all the audio and video through Canadian servers, so if you don’t use the Zoom transcription service then there is no need to include a US Freedom Act disclosure. If you use the Zoom transcription service, you must disclose its use on your Research Ethics application and participant consent form, and include a US Freedom Act disclosure as Zoom transcription data is processed and stored in the USA (at least in part).

YouTube: We must disclose the use of YouTube for transcription on our Research Ethics applications, and participant consent form, and include a US Freedom Act disclosure as YouTube data is processed and stored in the USA.

For up-to-date information about UVic ethics guidelines, please visit the Conducting research virtually with participants guide

Next Activity: Whisper Transcription Next Activity: Microsoft 365