Feedback: speech-to-text-pre-recorded-audio-export-paragraphs-and-sentences

Documentation Feedback

Original URL: https://assemblyai.com/docs/speech-to-text/pre-recorded-audio/export-paragraphs-and-sentences
Category: speech-to-text
Generated: 05/08/2025, 4:25:22 pm

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Claude Sonnet 4 Feedback

Generated: 05/08/2025, 4:25:21 pm

Documentation Analysis and Feedback

Critical Missing Information

1. Purpose and Benefits: The documentation doesn’t explain WHY users would want to export paragraphs/sentences vs. regular transcripts. Add a brief intro explaining benefits like:

   • Better readability and formatting
   • Easier content analysis and processing
   • Structured data for downstream applications

2. Response Structure: Missing detailed information about what data is returned beyond just text. Add a section showing the complete response schema with examples.

3. Prerequisites: No mention of required steps before using this feature (basic transcription must be completed first).

Unclear Explanations

1. Segmentation Logic: The phrase “automatically segmented” is vague. Users need to understand:

   • How the AI determines paragraph/sentence boundaries
   • What constitutes a paragraph vs. sentence in speech-to-text context
   • Accuracy limitations or considerations

2. “Additional Metadata”: This is mentioned twice but never explained. Specify what metadata is included (timestamps, confidence scores, speaker labels, etc.).

Improved Structure Recommendations

1. Reorganize Content Flow:

   # Export Paragraphs and Sentences
   
   ## Overview
   [Brief explanation of feature and benefits]
   
   ## Response Format
   [Show complete JSON structure with field descriptions]
   
   ## Export Paragraphs
   [Current paragraph section]
   
   ## Export Sentences
   [Current sentence section]
   
   ## Use Cases and Tips
   [When to use each format]

2. Consolidate Language Support: Move the accordion to the bottom or create a separate page, as it’s not the primary focus.

Better Examples Needed

1. Sample Response Data:

   {
     "paragraphs": [
       {
         "text": "Welcome to our company presentation.",
         "start": 1240,
         "end": 3840,
         "confidence": 0.95,
         "speaker": "A"
       }
     ]
   }

2. Real-world Use Case Examples:

   • Content creation workflows
   • Subtitle generation with proper formatting
   • Document generation from meetings

User Pain Points

1. Code Repetition: The transcription setup code is identical across all examples. Consider:

   • Creating a “Quick Start” prerequisite section
   • Focusing examples on the specific paragraph/sentence extraction parts
   • Adding a note like “This example assumes you have a completed transcript”

2. API Key Management: Multiple placeholder <YOUR_API_KEY> without guidance on where to get it.

3. Error Handling: Limited error handling examples for common issues like:

   • What if paragraphs/sentences aren’t available yet?
   • Network timeouts during polling
   • Invalid transcript IDs

Specific Actionable Improvements

1. Add Response Schema Section:

   ## Response Format
   
   Both endpoints return structured data with these fields:
   
   | Field | Type | Description |
   |-------|------|-------------|
   | text | string | The paragraph/sentence content |
   | start | integer | Start time in milliseconds |
   | end | integer | End time in milliseconds |
   | confidence | float | Confidence score (0-1) |
   | speaker | string | Speaker label (if speaker diarization enabled) |

2. Add Comparison Table:

   ## Paragraphs vs Sentences
   
   | Feature | Paragraphs | Sentences |
   |---------|------------|-----------|
   | Granularity | Topic-based groupings | Individual statements |
   | Use Case | Document generation | Subtitle creation |
   | Typical Length | 50-200 words | 10-30 words |

3. Simplify Code Examples: Replace the full transcription workflow with:

   # Assuming you have a completed transcript
   transcript_id = "your_transcript_id"
   
   # Get paragraphs
   paragraphs = requests.get(
       f"{base_url}/v2/transcript/{transcript_id}/paragraphs",
       headers=headers
   ).json()['paragraphs']

4. Add Troubleshooting Section:

   ## Troubleshooting
   
   - **Empty results**: Ensure your transcript has completed processing
   - **Missing metadata**: Some fields require additional features to be enabled
   - **Unexpected segmentation**: Results depend on speech patterns and may vary

Content Organization Issues

• The sentences section appears after paragraphs but has nearly identical code
• Consider using tabs or a toggle to switch between paragraph/sentence examples
• The explanation for sentences comes AFTER the code examples, breaking the logical flow

These changes would significantly improve user experience by providing clearer context, better examples, and addressing common pain points in the integration process.

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