Teeline Shorthand's blog

by holdthefrontpage staff

The importance of keeping shorthand notes clear and easy to find has been highlighted after a reporter was given just 12 hours to present notes of an interview to a court.

York Evening Press crime reporter Chris Greenwood interviewed the victim of an horrific samurai sword attack, and seven months later was called to give evidence in the subsequent trial.

A summons was issued ordering him to present his shorthand notes and all other relevant material to the city's Crown Court.

The newspaper was only made aware that defence lawyers had demanded the information by an alert court reporter who heard the discussions.

The lawyers wanted more information about how some details of the exclusive front page story differed from the victim's police statement.

Chris had used local contacts to get access to the badly-injured man immediately on his release from hospital, several days before detectives interviewed him.

In a letter to the court, the newspaper resisted the court order, arguing that handing over the notes could jeopardise the reporter's credibility and his ability to protect sources and contacts.

But the judge decided that the notes were of substantial value as evidence and that there was an over-riding public interest in disclosure.

Chris, (28), who joined the Evening Press as a trainee in January 2001 and has recently been promoted to assistant news editor, said the court appearance was "extremely nerve-wracking".

He said: "All those hours of shorthand practice have paid off. This was an early morning interview that I turned around in less than fifteen minutes for our first edition.

"I had no idea that seven months later I would be digging my notepad back out and giving evidence to a jury about exactly what was said between us.

"I've certainly seen the courtroom from a different perspective now I have been in the witness box. It's a great reminder that your notes need to be clear and easy to find."

Editor Kevin Booth said: "We objected to this particular order because the confidentiality of a reporter's notes is not something that should be sacrificed lightly.

"The judge decided to proceed 'in the public interest'. No sources were to be compromised, so we reluctantly acceded to the order.

"However, we remain concerned to preserve the principle of confidentiality, and we reserve our right strenuously to resist any order requiring journalists to reveal their sources."

John O'Callaghan, (39), and Stephen Hammond, (49), of Hertfordshire, were jailed for eight and seven years respectively after a jury found them guilty of the attack on Monday.

Shorthand teachers are being urged to stress the importance of good shorthand skills to their trainee journalists.

Michael DeFroand, chief reporter on the Kentish Express, and an examiner on the NCTJ shorthand board, conceded that achieving 100wpm would prove the toughest exam of their lives for many trainees.

But he said: "An accurate shorthand note remains a vital requirement for all reporters and unlike a dictaphone, rarely falls victim to background noise.

"While dictaphones may lead some to stop listening to what's being said confident in the knowledge that they are getting it all down on tape, a reporter using shorthand will be prompted to ask questions and to clarify spellings.

"It remains an important skill and one which all reporters should pursue."

Speaking at a seminar at the British Library in London organised by the NCTJ and attended by more than 35 shorthand tutors, he said that this essential skill was the sign of a truly professional and competent journalist.

At the seminar, Audrey Skervin, who trained at Lambeth College, was awarded the Harry Butler Award for the best 100wpm examination. Audrey is now working for a company contracted to produce subtitles for Sky News.

She said: "All those hours of listening to other people’s conversations on the bus and taking them down in shorthand paid off after all!"

Lancashire Evening Post trainee David Coates, who trained at the University of Central Lancashire, was awarded the Cumbrian Newspapers’ Award for 110wpm.

In the academic year ending in 2004, 3,287 examinations were sat by candidates at 80, 90, 100, 110, 120 and 130 wpm and there were 1,299 passes.

In the 100 wpm exams 39 students achieved 100 per cent accuracy in their shorthand transcriptions and in the 110 wpm exams two students achieved 100 per cent accuracy.

A regional press reporter had a page of her notebook confiscated while covering a trial at her local crown court.

Nadia Gilani, from the Enfield Gazette, was taking notes after a Section 39 order under the Children and Young Person's Act had been imposed.

She was three-quarters down her page of shorthand notes at Wood Green Crown Court when an usher demanded she hand over the notes.

Trainee Nadia said: "She said that I wasn't allowed to take any notes due to the reporting restriction and could I tear the page out please.

"She even had the audacity to ask me if I knew what an Section 39 was.

"I understand that courts don't tend to like journalists but she was wrong so I told her that.

"I was well within my rights to report on the case - as long as I didn't breach the Section 39 order.

"She confiscated the page, plonked herself on a bench nearby and copied out my shorthand while I looked on agog."

As the usher passed a note to the clerk, Nadia did the same.

As Nadia approached the clerk, he handed her a note that read: "Take notes but no publicity".

And with no time to argue, she returned to her seat and got back to doing her job.

Editor Gary O'Keeffe said: "To say I am disgusted is an understatement - the ignorance of the usher is outstanding and the clerk should have known better.

"I have stood up to armed coppers and refused to hand over my notebook so what Nadia was doing giving up hers in a courtroom is beyond my comprehension.

"I have advised her on procedure - and all my reporters - and don't think it will happen again."

A Courts Service spokesman said: "The reporter, Ms Gilani, could be overheard talking to other reporters in the public area.

"Mindful of the fact that it was a sensitive case, the clerk asked the usher to go over to the reporter to ask her to lower her voice and check whether she was aware that the trial was subject to reporting restrictions.

"The usher asked for Ms Gilani’s notebook, which she then passed to the clerk together with a note.

"Neither of our staff wanted to copy the notes or did so. Ms Gilani's note of the proceedings was in shorthand so they would not have been able to read it.

"The clerk wrote a message back to the usher telling her that the reporter could make notes but could not report any details relating to the case. Ms Gilani's notebook was then returned to her.

"Ms Gilani was entitled to take notes of the proceedings and the usher should not have asked for her notebook. The court would like to apologise for the error."

In the third in a series of articles, Doreen Walker, training consultant to the Derby Evening Telegraph, offers some valuable advice to shorthand writers whatever their experience.

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Preparing for the exam

Step one is simply to get your facts right! Some professions demand that their candidates undertake an examination set by a particular Awarding Body whilst others will accept any Awarding Body.

For example, stenographers seeking a job in the medical or legal profession may find that a shorthand certificate issued by the Pitman Institute or the Royal Society of Arts is acceptable, whilst journalists may find that only one, or even neither, of these Awarding Bodies is accepted - the NCTK (an awarding body in its own right) will only accept certificates of competence issued by the NCTJ.

It would be demotivating therefore if, having undertaken an RSA examination successfully at 100 wpm, you found that the profession you wished to enter did not recognise this particular Awarding Body.

Step two is Find out what the examination involves! Awarding Bodies differ in both their requirements and marking systems. One may insist on two pieces of shorthand being transcribed which have each been read for 3 minutes; another may require only 2-mintue readings. Some awarding bodies will penalise spelling mistakes, others don't. Some will allow you to take a dictionary into the examination with you - again others will not. So find out, as soon as possible what the examination consists of and what aspects of transcription are penalised.

Having addressed the two steps above you should practice doing an examination i.e. Mock Exam - the use of past examination papers are an excellent method. If you are undertaking a regular course of study at College, Training Centre or University, you tutor will ensure that you have plenty of opportunities for attempting "mock examinations". If you are learning shorthand through self-study, past examination papers, or tapes, are generally available from each of the Awarding Bodies upon request.

Please remember it is accuracy of Transcription which is being marked as well as correct application of shorthand theory - most failures in shorthand examinations are not due to incorrect shorthand outlines but carelessness in transcribing them. It has been known for shorthand notes to be submitted which are perfect yet the candidate fails simply because of transcription errors eg: putting into plural what was dictated as singular, or vice-versa; missing out full-stops; incorrect spelling or transposing words.

To avoid this, do practice writing your transcription notes rather than simply reading them. Most students dislike this approach believing it to be too time-consuming but it is well worth the effort. Try it only once and you will probably find, when checking each word against each outline you have made some errors. The shorthand notes can be penalised too - if, when reading back your notes, you discover that you have written an outline incorrectly, put a circle around it and put the correct outline in the margin. Do remember longhand notes appearing in shorthand are severely penalised by most examining bodies.

NB - Take care with your writing, if it is barely legible and the examiner has difficulty reading it you risk failure without it having been marked!

Step three - Find out WHEN and WHERE the examinations are to be held and the time limit on registration. Most Awarding Bodies have set dates and times for examinations to be held nationally, ie at the same time, on the same day, everywhere - thus avoiding a candidate going from one place to another to have a second bite at the cherry!!! The awarding bodies will not make an exception and allow you to take it earlier/later than the dates/times they have stipulated no matter what reason you may give (holiday, illness, train delays, etc).

It is important too, that you know exactly the cut-off date for registration for an examination - some Awarding Bodies stipulate 14 days before the examination date, others a month. It is no good simply hearing about an examination and turning up on the day - you will be refused entry. Also remember - there is a time limit on entry to the examination - if the exam is due to commence at 10.00am, entry to the room may be forbidden after 9.45 am. Check with the centre running the examination well in advance and make sure that transport etc is dependable for your timely arrival!

(Don't forget to check where the Examining Centre is if you have never been before and allow time for "getting lost" both outside and inside the building!")

Week before
- practice from tapes each day (but never for more than ½ hr at a time)

Night before
- get a good night's sleep (don't be tempted to go to a party or booze up)

On the day
- make sure you arrive at the centre in good time. (It is worth remembering that most centres offer a short practice session prior to an examination and it could be worthwhile considering attending in order to acclimatise yourself to the reader's voice as well as having a warm-up practice).
- check you have all you need (minimum of two pens/pencils, dictionary etc)

The exam

- try to relax, breathe slowly, smile, flex your fingers, relax your shoulders;
- think positively - I can do this!
- listen carefully to the rules and regulations that are read out by the invigilator and adhere to them;
- after the dictation DO read the pieces through from start to finish BEFORE you start to write them back. Circle any outlines lightly that you cannot read immediately but continues to the end of the piece, then go back to the words circled. This way you are reinforcing the content of the piece in your mind - if you start to write it back without having read it right through, you run the risk of complete "blank out";
- during the dictation and transcription period DO NOT cause a disturbance to others (sighing heavily, groaning, banging pen down etc) - this can be very off-putting to other candidates and can result in you being dismissed from the examination;
- finally, BELIEVE in your shorthand; if you can't read a particular outline, leave a gap and continue writing the piece.

When finished go back to the outline in question and -

• try reading it phonetically
• put letters of the outline down on a piece of scrap paper and treat it like a crossword (the clue is in the context of the piece!)
• remember you wrote it, so have faith, generally most candidates who struggle over an outline because it is incorrectly written, have still managed to get either the first or final syllable right so try working out the outline from the end, it sometimes works;
• don't panic if you have a couple of gaps, there is a percentage error margin allowed and you could still pass!

And before handing it in check every word against every outline!

There is no such thing as being lucky in a shorthand examination - luck doesn't come into it, it is your hard work and perseverance, which will achieve the goal. Therefore I won't wish you "Good Luck" but do hope that you hard work results in the success you deserve.

In the second of three articles, Doreen Walker, training consultant to the Derby Evening Telegraph, offers some valuable advice to shorthand writers whatever their experience.

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Part II, Speed Development

Having embarked upon a course of study it is imperative that you attempt writing in shorthand, and at varying speeds from day one.

At the end of each unit of theory are "related sentences" - these you should drill and then prepare to take them down in shorthand.

If you are attending a formal course, your tutor will read these out to you, if however, you are undertaking a course of self-study, ask a friend to read them (slowly) and then repeat each sentence getting faster each time.

Think of learning shorthand as being similar to learning to drive a car - you would not study the mechanics of driving without actually practising each aspect.

Likewise with shorthand! Speed development and accuracy is cumulative - consolidate each unit by practising the dictation passages relating to it.

When you have reached the stage of completing all the shorthand theory you should then set targets for "unknown" dictation. In other words, passages which you have not previously drilled.

Initially, aim to accurately transcribe a 1-min passage dictated at 60 wpm, then build upon this until you can achieve three minutes read at 60 wpm while simultaneously being able to transcribe a one-minute passage read at 80wpm.

When you can take 2-3 mins at 80 wpm you should also be capable of one minute at 100 wpm. In other words you are constantly stretching yourself.

The aim is to be capable of taking down and transcribing accurately two minutes at 110 wpm and ½ min at 160 wpm - this means that you can enter an examination for 100 wpm confidently.

All examination papers contain several sentences which seem as though they are being read faster than the rest - this is not the case, it is simply that the words may be longer and so it appear that the reader is speeding up.

For example:

I am not in the habit of going to work on the bus, I prefer to ride my bike.
(19 words)

Compared with -

International conglomerate organisations frequently confront investigations undertaken by government departments to ensure that production and manufacture are ethically conducted.
(19 words)

This is why it is important to practice speed bursts - if you can write shorthand for ¼ or ½ min at 160 wpm you can cope more easily with the more difficult parts of a passage.

* Memory retention - remember you will always be behind the reader and at some points you may be anything up to 10/12 words behind. You can practice memory retention in several ways - listen to the news on TV or radio (preferably taping it) but don't take any notes! Pause for a few seconds then write down what you can recall - checking it against the tape.

* Another trick to help speed development is to "live and breathe" shorthand - everywhere you go, mentally transcribe notices, bus destinations, public announcements, and pieces of conversation where unusual words are used. Even though this is just undertaken in your mind, it means that those words will not throw you if they crop up in an examination.

* Regular use of shorthand is very important - if you are not using it daily in your working environment, then acquire tapes and practice for at least half an hour a day. This is much more effective than going several days without doing any shorthand then spending 3 hours in one session.

* Regardless of what system of shorthand used, having acquired a sound knowledge of basic theory, it is recommended that you now look at "special outlines", "word groupings", "shortforms", "reduced outlines" etc. There are many additional textbooks for each system which are extremely useful and by practising applying this more "advanced" technique, your speed will increase rapidly.

* Get into the habit of changing your pen/pencil regularly during dictation. This is why you should always have two - if the pen suddenly runs out, or the pencil point breaks, less time is lost if you can quickly put one pen down and grasp another. Also, if you have practised this regularly, it will not cause a feeling of panic if it happens to you for the first time during an examination.

So, you reach the point where you can transcribe accurately 2 mins at 60 wpm, how do you promote speed? One of the best methods is to revise thoroughly a particular unit and then transcribe a difficult passage based on that unit and finally attempt to take in down in shorthand.

For example, if the following passage was on your revision tapes, revise the unit fully then transcribe the passage into shorthand, drilling any words you know will cause you to hesitate, and prepare to take dictation. The passage will be preceded by a short speed burst (read at 160 wpm for ½ min - don't worry if you find you cannot get it all down) then the passage will be read initially at 80 wpm and repeated at 100 wpm.

Please bear in mind that this passage is not a typical examination piece.

Revise relevant unit(s) - Teeline : CN Blends/Pitman 2000 : words beginning "con"

Then transcribe the following passage into shorthand - drilling any words, or word groups, ready for dictation.

"The condition of the patient was worrying as he had been unconscious for 2 hours.

The medical staff were not convinced that, upon regaining consciousness, he had, in fact, been able to relate to the police exactly what had happened without appearing confused.

To their concern, his injuries were not consistent with his garbled conversation when first questioned. In such as case however, it was police practice to leave a constable by the patient's bedside throughout treatment and not any comments made. The Senior Consultant was also worried about the risk of contamination to the patient's burns by the number of people congregating in the side ward and connecting corridors.

He was further incensed by the police insisting on confining to the day room of the ward, all medical staff who had been involved with the patient's initial treatment on arrival at the hospital.

The police, for their part, and based purely on conjecture, felt that the patient could have been involved in the start of the conflagration at the hotel, rather than just a victim."

In the first of three articles, Doreen Walker, training consultant to the Derby Evening Telegraph, offers some valuable advice to shorthand writers whatever their experience.

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Part I, Tips and Tricks

Many people would say today that, since the advent of computers, shorthand has become a worthless skill.

However, for reporters it is anything but dead! It is an essential skill for their job and a pre-requisite of the NCTJ and other awarding bodies for Journalism - in order to become qualified, journalists must hold a speed certificate of 100 wpm. This is not easy for candidates who may be faced with a course of self-study due to lack of tuition locally.

For beginners, it is essential that they approach the course enthusiastically and methodically, prepared to devote some time each day to shorthand practice. Regardless of what system is used (eg Teeline, Pitman 2000 or New Era) the beginner should invest in the following:

* Two good-quality shorthand pens or propelling pencils.
* Good-quality shorthand notebooks.
* Relevant text books together with any supplementary drill books.
* Tapes relating to the course of study they are following.
* Enrolment at college, if possible, for a regular course of study.

From Day 1, get into the habit of positive thinking, good posture and tips for speed, ie:

* Open the shorthand notebook keeping it flat on the desk - never fold a page over the spiral and back on itself.
* Bend back the corner at bottom left if you are right-handed and bottom right if you are left-handed.
* Draw a margin of at least three-quarters of an inch down the left-hand side (this is used in examinations for putting corrected outlines down and at work for adding additional notes at given points). Never be tempted to rule straight down the middle of the page and write on only one half - this modern idiom does not assist speed by making lines shorter, it actually hinders speed because the wrist action is working twice as hard and this takes time which is better spent on writing outlines.

Remember posture:

1. Keep your feet flat on the floor and do not cross your legs - this avoids backache and rigidity of the spine.

2. Place your left forearm on the desk with your left hand ready to flick the bent-over corner of the page - do not rest your left elbow on the desk and your chin on your left hand, as this causes the neck, face muscles, right arm and hand to go rigid. The aim is freedom of movement.

3. Hold your pen or pencil lightly and do not press on the paper - gripping your pen hinders speed development. If you are doing it correctly, it should almost seem like you are "doodling".

4. Exercise your fingers and wrists regularly and especially before taking shorthand - rub hands together to ensure warmth and circulation, then wriggle your fingers and rotate the wrists. Remember, an athlete always warms up before a race and you have a lot of small muscles in your fingers which are entitled to the same consideration!

5. Smile and breathe! Silly but true - if you smile, you relax all your face muscles and avoid gritting your teeth. Likewise, if you take a deep breath before commencing shorthand, it relieves any tension.

6. Finally - think positively: "I can do this".

Do make a positive commitment to "homework". Even if attending a full-time course where shorthand is part of the daily curriculum, you should undertake a little extra work at home - re-reading the unit(s) covered and practising the outlines. If possible, set a regular time each day, eg 7-7.30pm. Failing that, make it your bedtime reading! If you are only attending classes once a week, you should spend more time (up to an hour a day for five days) on homework and practice.

If at any time during the course you do not fully understand an aspect of theory, ask for more clarification and keep doing so until you fully comprehend each rule. Bear in mind that your shorthand notes must be capable of being read by others, perhaps even in a court of law, so your application of theory must be good.

Should you be faced with having to undertake a course of self-study, consider the following:

* Join up with a colleague and study regularly together.
* Seek assistance for clarification of theory rules from colleagues who are already qualified.
* Obtain dictation tapes from awarding bodies to assist speed development.
* Enquire if other local newspapers have in-house training on shorthand and if they are prepared to accept you in their classes.

All students should try to apply their knowledge of shorthand as soon as possible. Don't wait until you have covered all the theory. Right from the start - each time you are sure of a word or phrase, use it in the working environment.

Finally, be patient with yourself and never give up. If others can do it so can you! It is a challenge, it is worthwhile and it is rewarding.

Now I’m not picking on Teeline particularly, it’s just that it happens to be the thing that’s currently destroying my will to live. I’m equally sure that any form of shorthand, whether Teeline or otherwise would be just as much fun. Since I’m told that any journalist who wants a job these days needs shorthand, it is essential that I pass the exam.

Using Dawn Johnston’s Teeline for Journalists, I was doing reasonably well at a steady pace. The book comes with a CD full of dictated passages ranging from 40 wpm to 80 wpm. But its a different story when you have to take down shorthand at 100 wpm for the exam, and with a 90% accuracy rate to pass. Yikes! With only three weeks left it’s starting to look like an unlikely prospect. Perseverance and practice is apparently the key to success with Teeline shorthand though.

Teeline for Journalists had been my bible for the last few months, but now that I’m starting to copy down short reports from the TV news and other programmes, I’ve come across a lot of words that I’m not sure of. Teeline is based on the alphabet so you can, in theory, write any word once you know the letters. The book, while being great for learning the theory, doesn’t give you all the words so sometimes I struggle with things like “F” written up or down, or some of the word endings. Using the Teeline Gold: Word List has helped a lot, as it gives lists of many common words.

However, to get any speed in the Teeline shorthand I’ve found that practising the word groupings and blends are the best way to achieve this. Teeline Word Groupings gives a comprehensive list of the most widely used - and some of the not so common - word groupings.

Although three weeks doesn’t sound like enough time, I believe there are some people who have mastered Teeline shorthand in something like 200 hours. So if I was starting from scratch I’d need to do just under 10 hours a day for the next three weeks. But since I already have a reasonable grounding of the theory, and a speed of between 50 and 80 wpm (depending on how difficult the words are), it must be possible to reach the magic 100 wpm in 21 days.

Well, it remains to be seen when the time comes. Meantime, it’s practice practice practice. Teeline torture indeed!