Prevent the Most Common Mistakes
You've learned when to use [N] tags. Now learn when NOT to use them. These mistakes cause most file rejections - avoid them completely.
Why This Matters: The majority of [N] tag rejections happen because people add [N] tags when they shouldn't. Understanding these "never use" situations prevents rejections and saves your time.
NEVER Use [N] in These 3 Situations
1. Clean Speech Only
What it means: Person talking with no other sounds
Why people add [N]: They think every segment needs a tag
Reality: Clean speech gets NO tags at all
[SCREENSHOT PLACEMENT: DataPlus segment with clean speech but [N] tag added - showing error message "Clean audio. No N tag needed. Please remove it."]
Example: You hear: Person saying "I went to visit my friend yesterday"
Background: Complete silence, no other sounds Action: NO tag needed
Warning Signs:
Waveform shows regular, consistent patterns
Only one person speaking
No irregular spikes or noise patterns
2. Silence or Pauses
What it means: Person stops talking to think, breathe, or pause - just silence
Why people add [N]: They think silence = noise Reality: Silence is the OPPOSITE of noise. No [N] needed.
[SCREENSHOT PLACEMENT: DataPlus segment showing silence/pause with [N] tag - marked with error message]
Example: You hear: Person says "Umm..." then 2 seconds of silence Background: No sound at all Action: NO tag needed
Key Point: Silence is not noise. If you hear nothing, add nothing.
3. Every Single Segment (The Biggest Mistake)
What it means: Adding [N] to all segments in a file
Why people do this: They think it's safer or required
Reality: This guarantees your file will be rejected
[SCREENSHOT PLACEMENT: DataPlus showing multiple segments ALL with [N] tags and error messages - marked "INSTANT REJECTION"]
Example: File has 20 segments You add [N] to all 20 segments Result: Entire file rejected
The Truth: Most segments in most files are clean speech and need NO tags.
What You DON'T Need [N] For
❌ Clean speech only (person talking alone)
❌ Silence or pauses (no sound at all)
❌ Background people talking (this is [OVERLAP], not [N])
❌ Normal breathing or mouth sounds (natural speech sounds)
❌ End of segments (just because segment ends)
The Most Important Rule When Unsure
If you're not sure whether something is noise:
Slow down the audio (use playback speed controls)
Listen multiple times
If still unclear → Do NOT use [N]
Golden Rule: Better to miss one [N] tag than to add [N] tags incorrectly and get your entire file rejected.
Practice: What Would You Do?
Scenario 1: You hear: Person saying "Hello, how are you?" + Nothing else
Your action: No tag needed
✅ Why: Clean speech only
Scenario 2:
You hear: Person says "I think..." then 3 seconds of silence
Your action: No tag needed
✅ Why: Silence is not noise
Scenario 3: You hear: 15 segments of clear speech, you add [N] to all of them
Your action: WRONG - File will be rejected
❌ Why: Never add [N] to every segment
Scenario 4: You hear: Something that might be noise, but you're not 100% sure
Your action: No tag needed
✅ Why: When unsure, don't use [N]
How Errors Look in DataPlus
When you add [N] tags incorrectly, you'll see error messages like:
"Clean audio. No N tag needed. Please remove it."
"There is no noise. Just natural speech."
"Noise tag missing" (when you actually need one)
[SCREENSHOT PLACEMENT: Examples of error messages for wrong [N] tag usage]
Quick Decision Guide
Before adding ANY [N] tag, ask yourself:
🎧 Do I hear noise AND speech at the same time?
⬇️
YES → Use [N] tag
NO → Do NOT use [N] tag
Remember:
One person talking alone = No [N]
Silence or pauses = No [N]
When uncertain = No [N]
Every segment = NEVER do this
What You've Learned
✅ The 3 main situations where [N] tags cause rejections
✅ How to recognize clean speech vs. noisy speech
✅ What to do when you're uncertain about noise
✅ Why adding [N] to every segment fails
Next Steps
Now you know when to use [N] and when NOT to use [N]. The final step is learning the correct platform technique:
➡️ Next Article:
This final article shows you the exact platform workflow to apply [N] tags correctly without format errors.