Reduct Transcription Guidelines - Numbers

Spell out numbers from 0-9: zero, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine (this does not include phone numbers). This applies even in the case of percentages: two percent, nine percent.

Numbers from 10 and up are written in numerals: 10, 11, 20, 25, 99, et cetera. This applies also in case of percentages: 10%, 22%, 96%.

NOTE: It is okay to break this rule if it improves readability or consistency (e.g. 2.8%, 18.33% et cetera).

Thousands should be written in digits. Do this: 600,000, 5,000. Note that there's a difference between "a thousand" (spelled out) and "one thousand" (digits).

Always spell out big numbers like "million", "billion", "trillion", et cetera. Do this: 40 million, 10 billion. Numbers under 10 should be spelled out (two million).

DO NOT spell out amounts, unless the amount is in millions and billions.

Example: 100 million or 100 billion.

Time Periods

Time periods and eras should be written with an apostrophe: '60s, '70s style; however, "that man is in his 70s" (no apostrophe).

Numbers read aloud

When the speaker says a phone number or a PO Box number write it as 9-8-4-1-2-3-4-1-3-0.

Time

Always capitalize AM and PM. Do this: 2:45 PM, 5:00 AM When using o’clock, spell out the numbers: eleven o’clock, nine o’clock.

Date

Always write dates like this: 5th of December, 11th September, 2020

Percentage

Percentages should be written as "%". Example: 20%, 50%. But if the speaker says "A small percentage of the responders", never replace "percentage" by "%"

Currency

Use international monetary symbols to mark currency (in most cases). Do this: $50, €155. Standard abbreviations (USD, EUR) are also acceptable.

Measurement

eight inches, 10' x 4', 223 pounds, 6'4"

Fractions

one-third, three-fourths, a quarter