IF NOT SPEED, WHAT?
written  by: Barb DeWitt, Anna Mae Tedley & Stephen Shastay

Emphasizing speed (quantity of words written) over clarity (quality of words written) is wrong.  In real life, a reporter does not get in trouble for slowing down a witness.  It is to be expected that that will happen occasionally.  After all, we are human.

What isn’t acceptable to a professional is a poorly translated record.  A reporter must be able to turn out a salable transcript.  Every stroke of every job must be readable.  That is the standard of a stenographer. 

Your goal in school is to become a professional.  If you want the job, then you better start acting like a professional.  We are not going to lower the bar for you.  When you graduate, you must translate 100 percent of your notes correctly at all times.  That is our standard.  That should be your standard. 

 

 

 

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.)

BASIC PRACTICE GUIDELINES

DURATION OF PRACTICE

  • One to two hours per day six days a week.

  • PAY ATTENTION TO HAND AND FINGER POSITION!

  • It's easy to tense up when learning and when things get fast and tricky to get down on the job.

PRACTICE PROCEDURES

  • For theory, do one to two hours a day. Set a goal of finishing theory within two to three months.

  • Practice per session all speed tapes & CDs. Newspapers for building up vocabulary/dictionary entries.

Reporters take a job, edit the job, and proof the job. Do the same with your practice sessions: Write, edit and proof when you are practicing.
 

  • The difference for a student is that you need the additional step of writing the same material again and editing again.

  • By "edit", review what you have edited by replaying the dictated material as you go over the translated shorthand notes.
     

Notice where you have difficulties and practice those areas slowly so that you know them well enough to write them quickly.

  TYPES OF PRACTICE MATERIAL

Repetition of Speed Tapes

Repeat speed tapes and CDs, which usually come with five-minute portions of dictation or longer, until you are comfortable with them. As a student, your goal is to become totally comfortable with the common, everyday words people speak. This gives you a basis from which to cope with unusual words, terms, acronyms, and "words made up on the spot" that people come up with.

Newspaper Practice

Practice from written material (newspapers, magazines) to ensure you can write everything you are likely to come across. Court reporting isn't all
crime-related; it can involve legal disputes ranging from rock stars to geologists. You need to be able to write all types of material. Writing from paper material gives you time to think about your theory/outlines.