WHY STENOGRAPHERS FAIL (ADVICE)

Episode 9 of the Let's Write Steno! podcast, hosted by Sandra Clay, titled "WHY STENOGRAPHERS FAIL (ADVICE)" was published on September 27, 2020 and runs 26 minutes.

September 27, 2020 ·26m · Let's Write Steno!

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Summary

This article is on why stenographers fail and I hope it provides some insight on how to become a successful Court Reporter. It is read twice, slowly the first time and slightly faster the second time. Please write with accuracy and the speed will come. Thank you all for supporting this podcast by listening. If you would like to do more, you can donate on Anchor.fm by clicking Listener Support. Please subscribe if you can't support monetarily. In addition, check out my YouTube Channel at Sandra's Stenography and Shorthand Dictation where you can find videos of all kinds to practice to. Don't forget to subscribe there as well please.  Partial transcript below.  The causes of failure among stenographers are many and various , but the majority of them may be divided broadly into two general classes . The first is insufficient education or in adequate technical training , which leaves the stenographer ignorant of many things I which he may reasonably be expected to know , and unable to perform with satisfactory skill the tasks required of him . The blame for this must rest upon the schools , upon the students , or upon both . The second cause is lack | of common sense or gumption which would enable the stenographer to make the most of his powers . This fault must' be charged to the stenographer himself, or to the scapegoat ,hereditary.  Some fail from lack of shorthand speed . They write  haltingly , betraying the greatest ignorance of the principles of the system , resorting frequently to the use of longhand in writing | unusual words , proper names , etc . Others, who seem to write readily enough , transcribe slowly or inaccurately , from inability to read their notes fluently . But observation and inquiry show that these deficiencies , bad as they are , are neither the most common nor most troublesome to employers. Lack of speed , accuracy , and taste in typewriting causes more complaint than does slowness  in shorthand . Perhaps this is because the typewriting is about all of the stenographer ' s work that comes directly under the employer ' s eye . But certain it is that the lack of finish — proper arrangement of the matter , width of margins , paragraph  indentations , etc . , — is a fruitful source of complaint among discriminating employers .  But more frequent than all is the complaint that stenographers write senseless transcripts , showing gross ignorance of the meaning of the language used by the dictator . For example , a stenographer wrote epidemic where he should have written academic ; instance instead of instant , etc . His knowledge of words I was not sufficient to protect him from such ridiculous mishearings . No doubt he wrote what he thought he heard , and I equally no doubt he “ had it in his notes , ” but he should have known better .Sometimes it is the spelling that is erratic , changing principle to principal ; their to there , etc . Again it is the punctuation that is hopelessly bad , ruining what would otherwise have been creditable work . And as for hyphens and apostrophes , to most stenographers they are a pet aversion , and the average stenographer ' s use of them is a nightmare to his employer . But some stenographers whose ' natural abilities and acquired skill are ample fail because of some personal peculiarity or weakness easily curable by the application of common sense ; such as a grumpy manner , a slovenly or untidy appearance ; laziness , manifesting itself in tardiness , clock - watching , absent mindedness while on duty , inattention to the requirements of the work in hand , attempting to mix work with play , etc. Success is comparatively easy to the stenographer who will make use of what judgement and intelligence he has, who is willing to work and all that pertains to it while working, instead of permitting his wits to go wool-gathering amid social or other matters foreign to his task.  --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/sandra-clay/support

Episode Description

The causes of failure among stenographers are many and various , but the majority of them may be divided broadly into two general classes . The first is insufficient education or in adequate technical training , which leaves the stenographer ignorant of many things I which he may reasonably be expected to know , and unable to perform with satisfactory skill the tasks required of him . The blame for this must rest upon the schools , upon the students , or upon both . The second cause is lack | of common sense or gumption which would enable the stenographer to make the most of his powers . This fault must' be charged to the stenographer himself, or to the scapegoat ,hereditary.

Some fail from lack of shorthand speed . They write haltingly , betraying the greatest ignorance of the principles of the system , resorting frequently to the use of longhand in writing | unusual words , proper names , etc . Others, who seem to write readily enough , transcribe slowly or inaccurately , from inability to read their notes fluently . But observation and inquiry show that these deficiencies , bad as they are , are neither the most common nor most troublesome to employers. Lack of speed , accuracy , and taste in typewriting causes more complaint than does slowness in shorthand . Perhaps this is because the typewriting is about all of the stenographer ' s work that comes directly under the employer ' s eye . But certain it is that the lack of finish — proper arrangement of the matter , width of margins , paragraph indentations , etc . , — is a fruitful source of complaint among discriminating employers .

But more frequent than all is the complaint that stenographers write senseless transcripts , showing gross ignorance of the meaning of the language used by the dictator . For example , a stenographer wrote epidemic where he should have written academic ; instance instead of instant , etc . His knowledge of words I was not sufficient to protect him from such ridiculous mishearings . No doubt he wrote what he thought he heard , and I equally no doubt he “ had it in his notes , ” but he should have known better .Sometimes it is the spelling that is erratic , changing principle to principal ; their to there , etc . Again it is the punctuation that is hopelessly bad , ruining what would otherwise have been creditable work . And as for hyphens and apostrophes , to most stenographers they are a pet aversion , and the average stenographer ' s use of them is a nightmare to his employer . But some stenographers whose ' natural abilities and acquired skill are ample fail because of some personal peculiarity or weakness easily curable by the application of common sense ; such as a grumpy manner , a slovenly or untidy appearance ; laziness , manifesting itself in tardiness , clock - watching , absent mindedness while on duty , inattention to the requirements of the work in hand , attempting to mix work with play , etc. Success is comparatively easy to the stenographer who will make use of what judgement and intelligence he has, who is willing to work and all that pertains to it while working, instead of permitting his wits to go wool-gathering amid social or other matters foreign to his task.

--- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/sandra-clay/support