How to detect annotation overlaps

In some cases you might want to have more information about annotation overlaps and their respective duration. There are two methods to detect overlaps. The first creates annotations from overlaps (see the section called “Creating annotations from overlaps”) and the second specifically aimed at comparing annotators (see the section called “Comparing annotators”).

Creating annotations from overlaps

Creating annotations from overlaps uses a wizard that has been developed to automatically detect annotation overlaps and optionally adds the length of the overlaps to the newly created annotations. This function can be started from Tier > Create Annotations from Overlaps…. This will give you the following dialog windows:

Figure 5.70. Create annotations from overlaps

Create annotations from overlaps
  1. Select the tiers for which the overlaps should be found.

  2. Click on Next.


Figure 5.71. Create annotations from overlaps

Create annotations from overlaps
  1. Enter a name for the new tier.

  2. Select the linguistic type for the new tier.

  3. Optionally let the created annotations be filled with the overlap duration.

  4. Optionally let the annotations only be created if the overlapping annotations have the same value (and optionally specify a value).

  5. Click on Finish.


Figure 5.72. Create annotations from overlaps

Create annotations from overlaps
  1. The new tier will be created and populated.


Comparing annotators

Sometimes it is necessary to compare the work of annotators to be able to improve annotation quality. The function giving the essential information for this purpose can be accessed via Tier > Compare Annotators.... Select a tier for each of two annotators and click Compare. In the table that now appears overlapping annotations are in the same row. The begin time and end time of each annotation is given as well as the amount of overlap, the total extent (time from lowest begin time till highest end time) and a value that indicates the agreement: overlap / extent. The average agreement is printed above the table. By clicking Save the information in the table can saved into a text file.