got myself in a mess

[judybarrett]

Having been in the scoping field for a very long time, I can help clarify terms here.

The term "trancription" has had a very specific meaning in the CR field, and people need to be very careful when they use it because it refers to the "old days" when a court reporter dictated from her steno notes onto a reel-to-reel tape recorder, called a Stenorette, and we "transcribers" ("transcriptionist" popped up later) listened and type on Selectric typewriters. (Yes, Virginia, there really are people that old.)

The Stenorette eventually ended up in a museum, and we who worked for court reporters, many of us, learned to read steno, read the notes directly from a paper tape, now using Selectric typewriters and/or the earliest word processors and card reader machines. We were then called "Notereaders," and like transcribers, we soon saw ourselves staring down the barrel of obsolescence because the computer had arrived.

And then along came the computer and CAT software which could be used with a PC. At that point, the term "Scopist" arrived, that being defined as someone who does text editing oftranscripts that have been derived from a court reporter taking testimony in steno, using software to translate steno to English, and delivering a translated, but not yet edited, document to the scopist.

In the last few years, we've seen the arrival of an audio backup file, along with the document for editing, and, in CAT software, we can also see the steno notes displayed next to the actual translated text. Using both those tools, steno and audio, to SPOT CHECK, the scopist is able to edit documents for court reporters.

Some reporters are now asking that the scopist listen to every word in an audio file and "fill in the blanks" where they didn't get testimony down in steno. There is much room for abuse and legal liability in asking a scopist to do a reporter's job by creating large chunks of the record from audio, which is often of poor quality. In many cases, people who agree to do that end up doing what is closer to transcription than scoping, but isn't even up to the quality of a piece that has been carefully (with any luck) dictated by a court reporter, a doctor, or a lawyer.

"Legal trancription" is just what it sounds like: Material dictated by a lawyer or a paralegal onto a tape or digital recording, which is then listened to and typed. Scoping is *not* legal transcription.

So, to define terms in use now:

A scopist edits documents for court reporters who uses the steno machine to take down testimony. A scopist does *not* do transcription (although in generic terms, you could say that "transcription" is putting something into typed form no matter from what source).

If a scopist agrees to listen to every word in an audio file, it begins to *be* transcription, even though some court reporters like to call that "scoping," and pay a much lower rate than they would for actual transcription of material from an audio source. That kind of work does exist, although it's not plentiful, and people get paid $3 to $5 a page to do it. Most people I know who have attempted that say $5 a page isn't nearly enough! It's just too hard to do.

If you call a court reporter and say you want to do transcription for them, you're sending a message that you're not among "those who know," and you can hurt your prospects for employment.

First, figure out who and what you are. Then go tell court reporters!

[rach021]

Originally Posted by GlamBoutique

Hello,

I am alsointerested in scoping. Would you say that the course through US Career Institute, focuses more on scoping? I am trying to decide between BeST andUS Career Institute.

Thanks!

You learn grammar rules,a brief run down of what encompasses a trial,medical terminology and a bit of biology. When you get to the steno part, it is very extensive, in my opinion.

They don't teach you anything else, so I don't understand why they call it "Legal Transcription."

I took the class to learn steno, though, so I'm not disappointed.
Edited by: rach021

[GlamBoutique]

Thanks Rach021, I need a coursethat goes more in depth. I forgot to mention, there's another training course I am loooking into as well, it's called Scoping Made Affordable and the price is very reasonable. It's a new course so I'm kind of on the fence about it.

[themommykj]

Dear GlamBoutique,

I'mvery new tothe scoping world, so keep that in mind when considering my advice.

After reading Judy's post, I realized that a lot of the confusion could be avoided if USCI would describe their course as a "Notereading" course. I will be qualified to be a Notereader when I am finished, and that skill alone will probably not get me very far. I will be able to edit court transcripts, but I will have to learn to use CAT software on my own in order to become a scopist. It will take me longer than if I were taking one of the other scoping courses available. I'm not trying to discourage anyone from choosing USCI, but you need to understand what you are getting from the course before you enroll. The course is very thorough, but you will need to do some work on your own before you can become a scopist. There is a "scoping" section at the end of the course, but it is not designed to teach you how to use specific software.

I hope this post makes sense. Like I said before, I am new to this field, and I still have a lot to learn. The best advice I can give is be informed. Talk to a representative or instructor from each school before you make a final decision.

Take care.

[rach021]

Originally Posted by GlamBoutique

Thanks Rach021, I need a coursethat goes more in depth. I forgot to mention, there's another training course I am loooking into as well, it's called Scoping Made Affordable and the price is very reasonable. It's a new course so I'm kind of on the fence about it.

Are you on that message board? I seen that course, as well! I actually just seen it tonight from the lady's signature.

[Katiekay]

I too am looking into training to become a scopist. I haven't seen anything about the course Scoping Made Affordable. Does anyone have the link?? I'm probably going with ISS, but haven't made a final decision yet.

[GlamBoutique]

mommykj, thanks for the great explanation!

Rach, if it's the message board that is kind ofslow then yes that's whereI saw it too. That link no longer works here's the updated one.

http://www.joyfulscoping.com/SMACourses.html

Katie, I'm in the same boat as you are, what's your motivation for choosing ISS?

[Katiekay]

I like the fact that ISS actively promotes its graduates and helps them find their first reporter (and possibly subsequent reporters). Also they set you up with a mentor for your first few jobs. It also seems as if Linda is very respected in the court reporting/scopist community.

[judybarrett]

"The Mommy" has some good advice, and that is that anyone considering a scoping course should do some in-depth investigation, and ask penetrating questions about a course -- mine included --before just taking the advice of someone brand new to the field who is enthusiastically posting on a message board.

It is important to realize that the Internet makes it possible for anyone to hang out a shingle in almost any area that is not regulated by any kind of licensing, as the professions are. You can't say you're a brain surgeon if you don't have the bona fides to prove it. You *can* say you're a scoping trainer, with no degrees or licenses,but then you have to be ready to be involved in a very in-depth way in training people, and you can't just "wing it" with much success.

I began my own scoping training training program after more than a dozen years of actual scoping experience, and prior to that I worked for the Office of Naval Intelligence, doing the essence of court reporting by taking statements under oath of witnesses in investigations ranging from criminal activity to background investigations for security clearances. I turned that experience to training and consulting only after I had years of very personal experience in a wide variety of areas related to scoping.

It is important to explore what kind of experience a scoping teacher or teachers bring to the table. For example, does the trainer have good language skills? Does the trainer write his/her own materials, or do they depend on "off the shelf" materials or adaptations of someone else's work? Can the trainer speak to your questions from their own personal and lengthy experience, or does he or she have to refer to the writings and counseling of others with whom they've been in contact? Experience on the part of a trainer is worth its weight in gold -- and is the reason for higher prices on courses that are time-tested and reliable.

Ask for an in-depth description of what the course offers, and find out what you get for a given price, and when you get it. Find out whether the course is comprised mostly of just written materials, with little personal input from the instructor over and above those materials. Be sure that every instructor has a full range of knowledge about the scoping field, most especially with regard to the use of English grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Those skills are only a part of what a good scopist needs to know, but both teacher and scopist need to be able not only to recognize mistakes made by others, but to express themselves in writing in their own language with precision. We are, after all, editors!

One of the most frequent complaints heard from court reporters about scopists is that they are not well trained, and they do not treat their alleged careers with professionalism. To succeed as a scopist, youneed to be able to function as an independent professional, not depend on a chat group or a scopist friend or two (who may notknow more than you do) to get questions answered.

Of course, just longevity does not guarantee a good end result, either. If a course is not complete, if an instructor is not available to you with a good store of experience and wisdom in the field, if you are basically just following someone or a group of someones who are only a few steps in front of you, you may find yourself feeling a bit lost, and you are unlikely to find very much success in your field.

Whether a person is a trainer or a scopist, it is important to have top-notch personal and professional skills, honed through at least a few years of actual on-the-job activity. Anything less than that, it unfortunately becomes a case of the blind very kindly trying to lead the blind -- for money!
Edited by: judybarrett

[Bamakid]

Yea, I think you should check out ISS (Internet Scoping School) they teach a course that covers the CAT program, have the mentorship if needed and what the above poster said about helping you find your first report is great. I am going with them,


On "Scoping made Affordable" that is a scopist who is teaching scoping on the side her website is Joyful Scoping --I think she will not teach the CAT program, you will have to learn that own your own.


Best of luck to ya