Friday, August 2, 2013

In The Field Of Court Reporting Minnesota Stenographers Enjoy An Enviable Reputation

In The Field Of Court Reporting Minnesota Stenographers Enjoy An Enviable Reputation

By Cathy Mercer


Stenographers are in high demand everywhere. They are employed to make sure that everything that is said and done during formal proceedings such as court cases and important meetings are accurately recorded and transcribed. When it comes to a need for court reporting Minnesota is probably the best place to look. The value of these services lay in the fact that there are irrefutable records of precisely what was said during any type of proceedings.

There are many methods employed in the process of recording proceedings. The most popular one remains the use of the stenograph. This is a device that looks a bit like a typewriter. The operator use it as a short hand machine and by pressing different combinations of keys entire phrases can be recorded at once. After the proceedings a computer is used to translate the shorthand key strokes into ordinary text.

Another very popular method is called electronic reporting. Sophisticated audio equipment is used to record every sound during the proceedings. The operator monitors the equipment and makes notes to clarify the setting and to explain the context of gestures and other sounds. The disadvantage of this method is that the final transcription is only available after the operator has retyped the recordings and this may require some time.

The latest development in this profession is a new technique called voice writing. It is similar to electronic reporting because the proceedings are also recorded, but in this case the reported actually repeats everything that is said himself. He speaks into a special mask, designed to prevent interruption of the proceedings. In this way the reporter can record not only everything said, but also comment on emotions and gestures.

Calling these professionals court reporters is really doing them disfavour. They certainly record court proceedings but they are employed in many other areas. Whenever there is a need to make sure that the proceedings are recorded and transcribed accurately, they are employed. Such proceedings may include confidential agreements, depositions, hearings, important speeches and even high level negotiations. Some professionals even sell transcriptions for research and study purposes.

In order to be successful as a stenographer it is necessary to be able to concentrate for long periods. Most professionals are highly organized and they have to make sure that their records are kept meticulously. It is often necessary to produce copies of transcriptions. Many stenographers also spend a lot of their time in maintaining their computer software, especially their electronic dictionaries.

Stenographers earn above average incomes but it is not all that easy to enter this profession. Selection criteria at training institutions are stringent and the competition for places is fierce. Students have to do well in both their theoretical and practical examinations and it is not possible to qualify before being able to do transcriptions at a speed of at least two hundred and fifty words per minute.

Modern society will not be able to function efficiently if there are no accurate records of important proceedings. Such transcriptions help to ward off conflict, disagreements and misinterpretations. For the very best services in court reporting Minnesota is certainly the place to go.




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