It’s kind of cool keeping this diary while I learn how to do legal transcription. I wasn’t sure about it when Amanda asked the current students if anyone was willing to do it while they were learning. I really wanted to just get through the course as fast as possible. I think I could certainly do it faster, but I think slowing myself down and doing things more than once is improving my skills a lot faster than if I just went on to the next section.
So, back to the speeches I am still working on. I’ve gone through them all once now and my paragraphs certainly didn’t look like the answer transcript. I can see why the original speech writer and transcriber separated them out the way they did, but it’s hard to see the ends and beginnings of thoughts while you are actually transcribing. I mean, even while writing this update I know when I am changing thoughts, but when you listen to someone speak you can’t see it coming most of the time. So going back and making paragraphs is what I am doing at this point.
I plan to redo all of these speeches this week to see if I make the paragraphs differently, and I’ve asked for more sample speeches. I want to be able to get fairly decent at this before moving on to audio where there is more than one speaker. FYI, if you are taking this online legal transcription course with me or thinking about it, ask for more samples at any time, they are happy to give them to you!
My instructor has said sometimes multiple speakers is a bit easier unless it’s like presentations or something because the questions and replies tend to be shorter and so there isn’t as much paragraphing. Of course then I will have to deal with people talking over each other and sound issues according to her, so I guess it’s all a trade off!
Until next week! Mandy
