Sudan Experience Project: Editing Guidelines

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Contents
I. Editing Basics
II. Formatting
III. Editing "DO NOTs"
IV. Editing "DOs"
V. Clarification Examples

I. Editing Basics

Please perform a light edit of the interview transcript (this should take approximately 2-5 hours depending on the length of the interview). The focus of your efforts should be on clarifying obscure points and less on the technical components (rewriting, chopping). Of course, please correct any obvious spelling and punctuation errors and delete clearly extraneous words and phrases (i.e. "you know", "I mean", "well…", "and so that was that." or "you know what I mean?").

A minimalist approach should be taken where you only change what you must, and only when you are certain that the change reflects the intent of the speaker. Please refrain from doing any major editing such as cutting out large portions of text, summarizing paragraphs or phrases, or rewriting sentences. If necessary, ADST will handle these duties in the final review process.

Please refrain from becoming over-focused on altering sentence structure (i.e. moving words, fixing grammar, and re-punctuating run-on sentences).

Lastly, please be cautious of changing a softly stated opinion ("From my perspective, it might not have been a good idea") into definitive statement ("It was not a good idea") without appropriate attention to the context. These are, after all, oral histories involving politically sensitive issues, most of which will become public record. Too much alteration of the text has the effect of putting words in people's mouths.

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II. Formatting

1. For all materials (transcripts, executive summaries), each page should be numbered in the bottom-right corner.

2. All materials (transcripts, executive summaries), should be in Times New Roman 12-pt font.

3. The transcript heading should look like this:

United States Institute of Peace
Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training
Sudan Experience Project

PARTICIPANT NAME

Interviewed by: Interviewer Name
Initial interview date: Date
Copyright 2006 ADST & USIP

4. The executive summary heading should look like the transcript heading, except with "EXECUTIVE SUMMARY" written under the name.

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III. Editing "DO NOTs"

DO NOT make unnecessary grammatical corrections. This involves re-punctuating sentences, breaking up run on sentences matching & correcting verb tenses, inserting words, etc. This should NOT be done unless the sentence is hopelessly indecipherable. The following are examples of sentences which, although poorly formed, should be left alone.

Example 1 - There was all that camaraderie, all that good feeling that I found and kept in my heart, and specially from my dog skipper who kept me company when the shells were falling.

Example 2 - There was pain and suffering and blood and sweat and tears and every difficulty you could possibly imagine.

Example 3 - It was fun to see the ministry realizing that things were new, a new sheriff was in town, and they needed to be responsive to the people.

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IV. Editing "DOs"

1. DO cut repetitive phrases. This is removing repetitive "verbal ticks" such as "Well…" "I mean…" and "I would say…" "that kind of stuff/thing".

2. DO identify and correct names and acronyms.

3. DO correct spelling, word use, and capitalization.

4. DO clarify obscure points. Sometimes this involves making minor grammatical adjustments and sentence restructuring. In verbal transcripts, oftentimes the points that provide context and meaning are made in very distant sections of the text. For example, interviewers often refer back to earlier parts of the conversation. While obvious in the flow of the conversation, this can be confusing on the written page. Several examples of common types of clarifications are given below.

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V. Clarification Examples

1. DO clarify missing information and obscure references (Person is referring to earlier part of text).

Example A

Training in general was sub-par. The program that they had set up in Kandahar was great, but this one wasn't.

Training in general was sub-par. The [police training] program that they had set up in Kandahar was great, but this one wasn't.

Example B

We loved the challenge. I would work with those people again. They were committed to rebuilding Afghanistan, whatever the obstacles.

We loved the challenge. I would work with [the Afghanis] again. They were committed to rebuilding Afghanistan, whatever the obstacles.

2. DO clarify convoluted questions and statements (only when you are certain you know what is being said!)

Example A

Q: Was there a point where things where in terms of a relationship with the American people with the Afghanis, did there come a time when you can note that it became a crumbling of the respect and of the inner-workings?
PARTICIPANT: Yes. It's interesting, a couple aspects, and that is that it depended on who you were working with and also, even though it was gradually deteriorating from the beginning, when and let's see… There's more to it of course.

Q: Was there a point where, in terms of a relationship between the Americans and the Afghanis, when you noticed a crumbling of the respect and of the inner-workings?
PARTICIPANT: Yes. It's interesting; it depended on who you were working with even though it was gradually deteriorating from the beginning.

Example B

Q: What areas do you think you had some real success in, what are some areas where you had some real success in and what kind of things did you do to gain that?

Q: What areas do you think you had some real success in and what kind of things did you do to gain that?

3. DO clarify interrupted or "dead end" thoughts

Example A

PARTICIPANT: The only reason that turned out to be a success and it still like I said we weren't able to follow up on it, we couldn't get all the centers open in the time I was there for really stupid reasons. The reason that it was a success was…

PARTICIPANT: Still like I said we weren't able to follow up on it; we couldn't get all the centers open in the time I was there (for really stupid reasons). The reason that it was a success was…

Example B

PARTICIPANT: You'd want perhaps to employ a certain number of demobilized soldiers so that, I mean whatever assets you wanted to build in, those needed to be in the contract.

PARTICIPANT: You'd want perhaps to employ a certain number of demobilized soldiers. Whatever assets you wanted to build in, those needed to be in the contract.

Example C

What you ended up with, we had the brilliant idea when it was clear that the AID program was going to take a while to get that full curriculum, full service, NGO training and resource centers on line. We said, "Okay, let's work with OTI and get a pilot project going for Kabul."

We had the brilliant idea when it was clear that the AID program was going to take a while to get that full curriculum, full service, NGO training and resource centers on line. We said, "Okay, let's work with OTI and get a pilot project going for Kabul."

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