IA Court Reporter study plan
IA Court Reporter · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Court Reporting Theory, Stenographic Machine Operation, and Real-Time Technology
Map each of the 23 standard steno consonant and vowel keys to its sound and identify the four conflict-resolution rules for same-stroke homophones
Drill single-stroke alphabet and number practice on the machine for 30 minutes daily, logging WPM and error counts in a spreadsheet
Transcribe 5 minutes of recorded dictation at 60 WPM with 95% accuracy, marking every mistroke
Write 20 briefs from memory and verify each against a self-built brief dictionary
Your checkpoint
A one-page key-and-brief reference sheet plus a 5-minute 60 WPM practice transcript scored for accuracy
Court Reporting Theory, Stenographic Machine Operation, and Real-Time Technology & Literary Transcription and Verbatim Dictation Accuracy
Increase sustained dictation speed to 80 WPM over 5-minute takes while holding 96% accuracy
Apply real-time hookup settings (stroke display, dictionary auto-define) and capture 10 new entries into a personal job dictionary
Transcribe a 3-minute literary passage verbatim, preserving punctuation, capitalization, and speaker punctuation cues
Identify and correct your five most frequent mistrokes by category (finger, vowel, brief, number)
Your checkpoint
Two 5-minute 80 WPM transcripts with an error log categorizing every miss
Literary Transcription and Verbatim Dictation Accuracy & English Grammar, Punctuation, Spelling, and Vocabulary
Take 100 WPM dictation for 5 minutes with 97% accuracy on narrative material
Transcribe a literary excerpt containing dialogue, em dashes, and nested quotations, matching the source punctuation exactly
Complete 40 grammar and punctuation drills covering comma splices, restrictive vs. nonrestrictive clauses, and hyphenation of compound modifiers
Build a 50-word vocabulary list of commonly misspelled legal and literary terms with correct spellings and usage sentences
Your checkpoint
A verbatim literary transcript of at least 400 words with a marked-up punctuation rationale for 10 discretionary choices
Literary Transcription and Verbatim Dictation Accuracy & Legal Terminology, Court Procedures, and Judicial System Structure
Take 120 WPM dictation for 5 minutes with 97% accuracy, including at least 10 proper nouns and numbers
Correctly spell and define 30 core legal terms covering parties, pleadings, motions, and objections
Diagram the flow of a civil case from filing through appeal, labeling each stage and the reporter's role at each
Transcribe a mock testimony passage and correctly format Q and A, colloquy, and parentheticals
Your checkpoint
A 10-minute mock testimony transcript at 120 WPM with a glossary of every legal term used
Legal Terminology, Court Procedures, and Judicial System Structure & Transcript Production, Formatting, and Certification Standards
Pass a self-made 25-question quiz on court structure, jurisdiction, and the difference between a deposition, hearing, and trial record
Format a full transcript with title page, appearance page, index, and certificate page conforming to a chosen jurisdiction's style rules
Apply correct rules for marking exhibits, reading back on request, and recording off-the-record colloquy
Produce a certified transcript package with line numbering, page numbering, and a redaction log
Your checkpoint
A complete 20-page formatted and certified mock transcript package
Professional Ethics, Confidentiality, and Impartiality & Business Practices, Deposition and Hearing Procedures, and Client Relations
Write out responses to 10 ethical scenarios covering conflicts of interest, ex parte contact, and handling requests to alter the record
Draft a deposition-notice checklist covering oath administration, swear-in of interpreters, and stipulations
Role-play a client intake call and a difficult-attorney exchange, scripting responses that preserve impartiality
Summarize confidentiality obligations and the limits of privilege as they apply to the reporter's own notes and files
Your checkpoint
An ethics and client-relations playbook of at least 800 words with scenario responses and a deposition checklist
Business Practices, Deposition and Hearing Procedures, and Client Relations & Technology, Cybersecurity, and Records Retention for Court Reporters
Set up a business workflow covering rates, invoicing, turnaround terms, and a sample engagement letter
Configure encryption, multi-factor authentication, and secure file transfer for transcript delivery, then document the settings
Write a records-retention and destruction schedule that matches typical statutory periods and includes a chain-of-custody log
Complete a tabletop exercise on a data breach: identify notification steps and preserve evidence
Your checkpoint
A business and cybersecurity packet containing an engagement letter, retention schedule, and breach-response checklist
Court Reporting Theory, Stenographic Machine Operation, and Real-Time Technology & Literary Transcription and Verbatim Dictation Accuracy & Transcript Production, Formatting, and Certification Standards
Take three full 5-minute tests at 140, 160, and 180 WPM, scoring accuracy against a verified transcript
Re-run 50 missed strokes from earlier weeks and confirm each is now written correctly
Assemble a portfolio transcript combining testimony, literary passage, and formatted certificate pages
Review all error logs and produce a prioritized list of remaining weak areas with a 30-day maintenance plan
Your checkpoint
A timed-test scorecard for all three speeds plus a final portfolio transcript and 30-day maintenance plan
Milestones
Week 2: Sustain 80 WPM at 96% accuracy over a 5-minute take with no more than 8 uncorrected errors
Week 4: Sustain 120 WPM at 97% accuracy and correctly define 30 legal terms on a closed-book quiz
Week 6: Score at least 90% on the self-made ethics scenarios and submit a complete deposition checklist
Week 8: Pass a 160 WPM 5-minute test at 97% accuracy and submit a fully formatted certified portfolio transcript