Be The Best Be The Best You Can BeYou Can Be

Saturday, May 16, 2015Saturday, May 16, 2015

Ron CookCCR, CRR, RDR, FAPR

Be The Best You Can Be The Best You Can Be - WHY?Be - WHY?

•Job Security•More Productive

1. More Money

2. More Time

•

VIDEOVIDEO

•11 Elevator Videowhile we talk about Job Security

Treat it Like a BusinessTreat it Like a Business

• Be on time

- Early is on time

- On time is late

- Late is unacceptable

Make an on-the-jobMake an on-the-jobChecklistChecklist

For Example:

Set up equipment

Get business cards (you may need to ask for “custom card”)

If multiple attorneys, begin putting name with face

Get caption

Note who represents whom

Put in your steno notes which symbol you will be using for which speaker

Note start time (before you start)

Note that you’ve sworn in witness (before you start)

Make an on-the-jobMake an on-the-jobChecklistChecklist

Swear in witness

Keep track of exhibit numbers

Check spellings (and confirm them) at breaks or at end

Check quotes at breaks or at end

Ask how to handle signature (preferably on record)

Ask if taking attorney is ordering, and what

Ask if other attorneys are ordering, and what

Ask about deadlines (expedite?)

Ask if there is a need for a rough draft

Gather exhibits

- Do title page and appearance page on job

- Be consistent with exhibit descriptions

- Be a team player – take the good with the bad

- Strive to improve

Keep Track of Keep Track of Editing ProgressEditing Progress

• In 15-minute increments

(keeps you focused)• In one-hour increments

• Keep distractions to a minimum while editing

• Keep a deponent log• Keep track of your finances• Keep organized

“Dig the well before you need the water.”

Join AssociationsJoin Associations

•WCRA and NCRA•Attend the conventions

NCRA a must!

Stay Current

Network

Practice 15-30 Practice 15-30 minutes per dayminutes per day

• Keep spare machine set up at home or office

• Practice before or after job (your machine is already set up)

1. Write faster, cleaner, shorter2. Kill multiple birds – Learn families

• Take note of:

1. Commonly used multisyllabic words2. Commonly used phrases3. Finger twisters

Listen CarefullyListen Carefully• “steady art” should be “state of the art”

• “urban cheese” should be “herb and cheese”

• Use ellipses if warranted

• Plural words followed by s word

1. “section state” or “sections state”2. “technical assistants” or “technical

assistance”?3. “And” or “in”?

Err on the side of common sense• Use ellipses if warranted

Program Mr., Dr., dashes, Program Mr., Dr., dashes, etc., with lock spacesetc., with lock spaces

July~26

Mt.~Rainier

U.S. (unless at end of sentence)

Page~5

Paragraph~3

Wrap Punctuation Into Wrap Punctuation Into Your StrokeYour Stroke

-- (praf) Strike that. (Praf), yes,, for example,A.Well, A. OkayQ. Okay. (Praf)State-of-the-art (asterisk the last word if you want hyphens)Run-of-the-mill

Use Your ToolsUse Your Tools

•Audiosync

1. Playback while editing2. Playback to clarify with speaker3. Playback for mumbler (early on)

VIDEOVIDEO

•Candid Camera Video

Go to EclipseGo to Eclipse

• Seifert Deposition Page 232 Line 9 Page 236 Line 8 Page 241 Line 19

Use Your ToolsUse Your Tools

• Auto indexing

• Ear buds

• Ear bud extension cable (if videotaped)

• Make sure writer is adjusted

Know Your SoftwareKnow Your Software

•Learn shortcut commands

•Build customized macros

•Learn to not use mouse

•Utilize auto indexing

•FIBT

ResourcesResources

• Magnum Steno – Mark Kislingbury $50 off with password - rtexcellence@aol.com• Magnum Steno Club – Mark Kislingbury• Realtime Coach – myRealtimeCoach.com

- Purchase first package at full price Purchase subsequent packages at 75% off

- If NCRA member, user name is NCRA number - Password is “welcome” - If not NCRA member, click on “Create Account”• SearchMaster• Dictionary Jumpstart• Briefs Encountered• Google

ResourcesResources

•Realtime Mastery Workshops – Anita Paul Johnston•JCR “Steno Briefs,” “Key Notes” – NCRA•Realtime Troubleshooting Guide – NCRA•Court Reporting: Bad Grammar/Good Punctuation – Margie Wakeman Wells•mww@margieholdscourt.com

Think Outside the BoxThink Outside the Box

•SKP = and SKPIL = and I will SKPOPBL = and only SKPOPBLDZ = and only that•Final L = surrogate G MAIBLG = making BRAEBLG = breaking

Improve Your NumbersImprove Your Numbers

•Pencil method•Program software so dollar sign flips before number•3-14-99, etc.•1-99 in one stroke (without the number bar)

Know Your Abilities Know Your Abilities and Limitsand Limits

•Do you need a scopist?

•Do you need a proofreader?

•Do you need to listen to audio?

(Highly likely, if videotaped)

Use Stacking to Your Use Stacking to Your AdvantageAdvantage

•TOPBL = the only•DO*I – I do•TKPWHRUR = in your•TKPHEBGS = in connection•SKOEFP = scope of•SKOEFPT = scope of the

Don’t Fear ConflictsDon’t Fear Conflicts

•URP = upper/you were•UPT = up the/you want•KO*UP = could you please/ Counsel (misstroke of KO*UPB)

Brief on the FlyBrief on the Fly

•BOEP = beyond the scope•ORPL = object to form•ORPLT = object to the form•ORPLTS = object to the form of the question

Edit From the Steno Edit From the Steno KeyboardKeyboard

Edit From the Steno Edit From the Steno KeyboardKeyboard

•Reduces/eliminates notes to yourself• Fix last untranslate• Change “and” to “in”• Fix double Qs•Mark text for verification• [[ (KHBG) – check passage with audio when editing• [[[ (KHBGS) – Check passage with speaker. After verifying, indicate so with a symbol (+++)

Edit From the Steno Edit From the Steno KeyboardKeyboard

•[[[[ (KHBGSZ) – Check quoted material• After checking quoted material, put double quote at the beginning of quote to signal when proofing the final that the quote has been verified.•E.g., “”This Agreement is dated this Sixth Day of June 2009.”

Go to EclipseGo to Eclipse

•Checking quoted material

Checking Quoted Checking Quoted Material cont’dMaterial cont’d

•NOTE: Here is an example of correctly quoting a document. As the passage was being quoted, I heard;

“We requested that ABC send us signed letters stating that the ownership would be contributed today.” The correct quote (which is exactly why we should verify with the quoted material) is as follows: “We requested that ABC send a signed letter stating that the ownership would be contributed today.”

Keep Track of Exhibit Keep Track of Exhibit NumbersNumbers

•Keep a running tally

•After marking exhibit, verbalize which number you just marked

Build Your VocabularyBuild Your Vocabulary

•Materiel•Astigmatism•Receptacle•Accommodate•Prerogative•Principal/principle•Affect/effect•Discrete/discreet•Integral•Allot/a lot•Gamut

VIDEOVIDEO

•Carol Burnett

RaffleRaffle

•Court Reporting: Bad Grammar/Good Punctuation – Margie Wakeman Wells

mww@margieholdscourt.com

THAFRPBG U!THAFRPBG U!