If a dropout cannot be recovered, what is a recommended practice for maintaining transcript integrity?

• A. Leave the gap unannotated.
• B. Annotate the transcript with dropout timestamps and indicate the missing audio.
• C. Delete the affected section.
• D. Redact the entire proceeding.

Answer: (B)

When a portion of the recording cannot be recovered, you preserve the record’s honesty by noting exactly where the problem occurred and what is known. Annotating the transcript with dropout timestamps and indicating the missing audio serves this purpose. It keeps the transcript aligned to the recording, shows clearly where material is unavailable, and gives future readers a path to verify or request replacement audio. This transparency prevents readers from assuming words were spoken that were not, and it preserves the integrity and auditability of the record. Leaving a gap unannotated would mislead readers about completeness; deleting the affected section would erase part of the record; redacting the entire proceeding would remove information that could be legally or procedurally relevant. By marking the exact skip and noting missing audio, the transcript remains trustworthy and usable.