Speedbuilding tips by By Ardith Spies

Fact:   Speedbuilding is developed by writing each word that you hear instantly and accurately at increasing speeds.  Therefore, each word on which you hesitate becomes an obstacle to progress. 

Here are some methods that work: 

Start a "Hesitation" Notebook.

• Identify the hesitation word from daily class dictation.  Surround the word with a small grouping of words just in case there is some awkward fingering motion involved that contributes to the hesitation.  List them in your notebook.

• Add words from visual work on magazine and newspaper articles.  (Hesitation words can also be determined from writing to television regardless of speed.)

• Diagnose corrected test papers by writing visually to determine hesitation words.  Add them to your notebook.

• After a page is filled with hesitation word groupings, permanently implant these in your mind by writing the page ten times slowly and perfectly, (i.e., accurately.)

• Date the page after working it and review the list two or three weeks later to assure that all words have become "mastered."  If some are still uncertain, add to current page you are creating to be reworked.

• Look for patterns in hesitation book of possible theory weaknesses.  Review that section of the theory book.

• Persist with this approach until you see results by encountering one of the words in future dictation material and you realize you wrote it effortlessly.  Then practice becomes fun and almost addictive.

• Occasionally listen to higher speeds to increase brain processing capability.

• Develop the mindset that you will find every problem word this way and the next test will not contain a word you have not "mastered."  (Take your Hesitation Notebook to the test with you to bolster your confidence by acknowledging the massive number of words you have mastered.)

• Understand that everyone (including you) can do this with efficient practice, discipline, and persistence.

Methods that are marginally effective:
 

• Practicing only with tapes outside of class without the analytical process.

• Relying only on auditory skill development.  (Visual enforces skill very effectively.  Read your notes after EVERY take when practicing.  Read aloud.)

• Acknowledging the hesitation word only, without the repetitive drill to put it into long-term memory.

Methods that delay graduation, endanger financial aid eligibility and increase total training costs:
 

• Never practicing outside of class time.

• Having poor attendance record at school.

• Doubting your capabilities or allowing yourself to be influenced by negative people.

• Never reading your notes during practice.

 Writing accurately is the best and only way to  become a high-speed writer. Write accurately then strive for increased speed at every 10-20 word increments. 

Many of them end up making mistakes on tests because they cannot trust their notes.  We all know stories about students who have failed tests because they second-guessed themselves in the typing room.  Even when they use the correct stroke during the test, they are likely to force an error on themselves during transcription.  That isn’t the way to become a professional.

If you adamantly resolve to write the correct patterns that you were taught in Theory class, you will be rewarded in a great many ways.

• Sheer repetition of the correct outline will help you conquer the hard strokes.  By the way, this is the one and only cure for the hard strokes.

• Your writing will become rhythmic and relaxed.

• You will consistently produce the maximum number of strokes per minute.

• You will be less likely to break down or freeze up during a test.

• You won’t fall behind the dictation as much as before which means that you won’t be dropping as much either.

• By stroking most words without hesitation, you will be giving yourself a little extra time to write the tough words.

• With proper strokes, you will not be as likely to fall into the trap of reviewing your work stroke by stroke.

• You will be focusing on stroking the words, rather than remembering the strokes. 

• You will gain time because your use of the asterisk key will diminish.  Each time you correct a stroke, you turn a single stroke into three.  First, the incorrect stroke.  Second, the asterisk.  Finally, the correct stroke.  (Hopefully, it is the correct stroke.  Oftentimes, it is not.)

• With clear strokes, no confusion, no hesitation, no falling behind, no fighting to catch up, no correcting of your work, you will automatically “gain speed.”  In truth, your hands aren’t moving faster; they are moving more efficiently.  The result is more work is being accomplished with less effort.

• With generally clear strokes, you will be able to pinpoint the few areas of your writing style that need work. 

• Your read back will be amazingly easy.

• You will trust your notes.  While transcribing, you will not change, add to, interpret or modify what you wrote.   You will simply translate them. 

You will gain valuable proofreading time.  Clean notes are easy to read and transcribe.  The result is extra time to catch typos, misspellings, mistranslations, etc.

• You will write like a professional.

• You will read like a professional.

You will transcribe like a professional.

You will sleep better.