TranscriptionwaveConfidentiality agreement is the non-disclosure contract that is made between parties involved. This agreement involves the consent process that seeks to protect the source of the data as well as the confidentiality of the research subject. Non-disclosure agreement is essential in transcription services as it provides guidelines of dos and don’ts such that when the recorded research data is provided to the transcriptionist it does not find its way to a third party. This contract is valid for both the individual recorded research interviews and focus group discussions as the data collected might be sensitive to be shared hence confidentiality need to be guaranteed. In addition, the researcher would not wish the findings to leak out before analyzing it. Here are several areas of concern that need to be checked before signing the agreement.
Access of data
When signing the confidentiality agreement, it is vital to find out from the transcriptionist other people who have access to the data. Here, identify any third party in the picture and establish the partnership they have with the professional you are about to work with. It is advisable to insist on use of password in their computer or on the file that you provide to them. Once you feel that there is limited access to the data they are working on, you can go ahead and sign the contract.
Data disposal
The data disposal entails the storage of the complete transcription before delivering it to you and disposing it after sharing it with you. This is a vital point of discussion with the transcriptionist before signing a contract with them. It is advisable to have a fixed time between when the work is complete and when to delete it. Thus, agree on the duration of time the transcriptionist will need to save a file a waiting for your review and when to delete it and have this time clearly stipulated in the confidentiality agreement. In addition, the mode of disposal of the transcription need to be clear whereby the deleted work should not be held in the recycle bin since it can be retrieved easily but deleted permanently.
Transfer of data
Data transfer is a sensitive issue to discuss before signing the non-disclosure agreement. This refers to the mode of data sharing in audio form and the transcription done. There are networks that are not safe exposing your data to undesired third parties. It is advisable to insist on sharing the data through safe mediums such as the Dropbox since it has the encryption requiring verification before accessing the data. Emails are not the best for sharing such sensitive information. Therefore, you should sign the confidentiality agreement when you are sure that the data you give will be safe before, during and after the research interview transcription. More on transcription services
