DO Assemble any papers, reports, before you start dictating.
DO Make sure you are in a quiet area so your dictation can be heard clearly by the transcriptionist. If you require a background noise reduction microphone we will wherever possible try to supply this at our cost.
DO Identify yourself at the beginning of your dictation.
DO Always state then spell full details of: addressees, their full name, proper mailing address; file numbers; reference numbers; patient record number; subject matter.
DO Speak clearly and at a regular pace.
DO Pause slightly before speaking when starting your recorder and pause briefly before stopping recording. This prevents words from being “clipped.”
DO Speak with inflection in your voice. Monotonal voices tend to put transcriptionists to “sleep.”
DO Speak with your mouth at the recommended distance from your particular brand of microphone for optimum sound levels.
DO Edit out any errors you make.
DO Spell unusual technical words that are not in day to day use within your profession.
DO include punctuation, especially when starting new paragraphs.
DO include “open” and “close” quotation instructions.
DO get a colleague’s dictation tape and, using a transcribing machine, sit down and spend just one single hour trying to transcribe his/her dictation. I absolutely guarantee it will be an eye-opener.
DO NOT Mumble. Speak clearly without letting your voice fade-out at the end of sentences.
DO NOT Eat, drink or chew gum when speaking.
DO NOT Try to spell words you don’t know how to spell. If the word is unusual, just say it as clearly as possible and the transcriptionist can usually confirm the spelling if required.
DO NOT Say “period” for the end of a sentence. The proper phrase when dictating is “stop” or preferably “full stop.”
DO NOT Shuffle papers, open drawers, rearrange your desk, rip paper, or make loud sudden noises when dictating.
DO NOT Forget to say “End of Dictation” at the end of your dictation, so the transcriptionist will know there is no more dictation to the end of the tape.
DO NOT Burp, slurp, cough, sneeze, eat, drink, chew gum, clear nasal passages, “pass wind,” urinate or defecate while recording dictation. (Yes, all the aforementioned have been heard by our team!
DO NOT Dictate while driving. It’s dangerous and the sound quality is usually poor.
Source: UK Typing