CRR Certified Realtime Reporter flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Steno machine keyboard layout

The keyboard has 22 keys: left-bank consonants (STKPWHR), four vowels (AO*EU) in the middle, and right-bank consonants (FRPBLGTSDZ), plus a number bar; chords are written simultaneously.

Steno order

Chords are read left to right in the fixed order STKPWHRAO*EUFRPBLGTSDZ; a key's placement on the keyboard determines letter order, not the order keys are pressed.

Asterisk key function

The asterisk sits in the vowel bank and creates alternate definitions, such as plural forms, that would otherwise conflict with an existing stroke.

Untranslate

A stroke or stroke group with no dictionary definition; it appears in the realtime feed as raw steno and directly lowers realtime translation accuracy.

Main versus job dictionary

The main (personal) dictionary holds permanent entries; the job dictionary holds case-specific names and terms and can be merged or discarded after the job.

Conflict resolution in dictionaries

Each stroke maps to one output; conflicts are resolved by adding an asterisk, changing the stroke, or phrasing so two entries never share the same stroke.

Brief

A short single stroke or abbreviated outline assigned to a frequently used word or phrase, raising writing speed while keeping dictionary output consistent.

Phrasing

Combining two or more words into one stroke group, such as 'is it' or 'would you'; each phrase must be defined or it becomes an untranslate.

Hook field

A numbered placeholder such as {1} or {10} inside a defined entry that is filled per job, commonly used for case numbers, titles, and exhibit names.

Number bar

The bar above the keys; pressing it together with a key writes the digit printed above that key, allowing numbers without leaving the home position.

Realtime translation accuracy

The percentage of correctly translated words out of all words written; untranslated strokes and wrong homophones are the main deductions from that figure.

Homophone conflict

Two words that sound alike and would otherwise translate from the same stroke; each needs a distinct stroke via asterisk, brief, or alternate outline.

Realtime feed

The live text stream sent from the reporter's computer to a viewer's screen; it depends on a stable connection and a fully defined dictionary.

Global versus job defines

Global entries are stored in the main dictionary and persist across jobs; job defines apply only to the current file and should be reviewed before merging.

Define a mistranslation on the fly

When the feed shows a wrong translation, the correct entry can be defined immediately without stopping; the correction must not break writing rhythm.

Steno-to-English mistranslation

A stroke that exists in the dictionary but outputs the wrong English word; it remains a realtime error even though it is not an untranslate.

200 words per minute

Equals about 3.3 words per second; a five-minute dictation at this rate contains roughly 1,000 words of transcript.

Five-minute take

The standard certification dictation length; a single five-minute take at 200 words per minute is approximately 1,000 words.

Accuracy at 96 percent

On a 1,000-word take, 96 percent accuracy allows about 40 errors; every untranslate or mistranslated word counts against that allowance.

Strokes per minute

Writing 200 words per minute with an average of two strokes per word requires roughly 400 strokes per minute of physical output.

Speed versus accuracy tradeoff

Pushing past the dictation rate produces drops and untranslates; a reporter should hold a clean feed at the target speed before raising it.

Progressive dictation practice

Speed building uses short takes at gradually higher rates, with accuracy measured after each take rather than monitored during the dictation.

Brief density

Higher use of well-learned briefs lowers strokes per word, which reduces physical effort at any given words-per-minute rate.

Writing through errors

Production realtime requires continuous writing; corrections should follow the end of a thought, using index marks rather than halting the feed.

Realtime production setup

Before a job, confirm the writer-to-computer connection, the correct cable and port, connection settings, and that the viewer receives text.

Backup audio recording

A simultaneous audio record allows the reporter to verify and correct the transcript later; it supplements but never replaces the steno notes.

Index mark

A flag inserted at the current point in the transcript, letting the reporter return quickly to a questionable passage without searching line by line.

Clean feed

Realtime output that is current, translated, and readable; lag and bursts of untranslated steno reduce its usefulness to the reader.

Latency

The delay between a keystroke and the translated word appearing on the viewer's screen; sustained latency usually signals a connection or dictionary problem.

Judge's realtime display

A live feed shown in the courtroom; the reporter manages visibility, scrolling, and the confidentiality of any off-record material.

Dictionary maintenance cycle

Reviewing untranslates and mistranslates after each job, then adding or correcting entries, keeps realtime accuracy from eroding over time.

Physical endurance

Sustained speed depends on relaxation, posture, and stroke economy; tension in the hands and forearms lowers top speed across long takes.