NVRA Realtime Verbatim Reporter key terms

Dictation of planned prose such as articles, speeches, or letters, written at a steady 180 words per minute and captured in realtime without later editing.

The marks and spacing conventions that divide written text into sentences, clauses, and lists; in verbatim dictation the reporter must insert them accurately while writing at speed.

A situation where two different words sound alike but require separate stenographic outlines; the reporter resolves it through dictionary entries, briefs, or phrasing so meaning stays clear.

Deciding where a new paragraph begins in dictated prose, usually signaled by a pause, a spoken instruction, or a change of topic; consistent paragraph breaks improve readability.

The conventions for punctuation and speaker attribution when dictated material includes quoted speech, titles, or borrowed wording; accurate handling preserves the author's intended boundaries.

A punctuation mark showing a break in thought or an unfinished sentence; in literary dictation it must be distinguished from a hyphen and placed where the dictation indicates.

The use of uppercase letters for proper nouns, sentence beginnings, and titles; reporters apply standard rules and spoken cues without slowing the realtime write.

Producing the correct letter sequence for names and unusual words, often by writing them phonetically, fingerspelling, or entering a dictionary definition during the dictation.

A short stenographic outline, usually one stroke, assigned to a frequently used word or phrase; briefs increase speed but must remain conflict-free for accurate translation.

A single stenographic stroke that writes two or more words together, such as 'in the' or 'of the'; phrasing reduces keystrokes when the combination is reliable.

A stored mapping between a stenographic outline and its translated text; entries may include formatting commands and must be maintained to prevent realtime conflicts.

The judge's instructions to the jury on the law and how to apply it to the evidence; reporters take it verbatim at high speed with precise legal terminology.

A standardized statement of law approved for use in jury charges; familiarity lets the reporter anticipate phrasing, but the spoken words still must be captured exactly.

The examination of prospective jurors by the judge or attorneys to test qualifications, bias, or hardship; the French-derived phrase often appears in two-voice question-and-answer dictation.

Dialogue among the judge, attorneys, and witnesses during a proceeding; in a charge context it may include arguments about proposed instructions that the reporter must capture verbatim.

A reference to a statute, case, or rule using standard abbreviations and numbers; accurate transcription requires attention to punctuation, italics cues, and spoken forms.

The title of a legal action, usually written with italics or underlining and including 'v.' between parties; reporters must capture spelling and abbreviation accurately under dictation.

A citation to a numbered law section, such as a code or act; reporters must preserve digits, decimal points, and abbreviations because a small error can change the legal meaning.

A word or phrase inserted in parentheses to explain, qualify, or note something not spoken by the main speaker; in transcripts it may record a nonverbal action or editorial clarification.

The reporter's oral repetition of earlier testimony or a charge at a judge's or attorney's request; the text must match the realtime record exactly.

A private discussion at the bench among the judge and attorneys, often excluded from the jury's hearing; reporters may be asked to record or withhold it under the court's direction.

Dictation in which two speakers alternate questions and answers, requiring the reporter to switch speakers rapidly while preserving every word and the question-answer structure.

A label identifying who is speaking, such as Q, A, THE COURT, or a witness name; consistent designations let readers follow a multi-speaker transcript without ambiguity.

A transcript layout that places each question and answer on its own line with speaker labels; the format must be preserved in realtime as speakers alternate.

The punctuation ending an interrogative sentence; in two-voice work the reporter must decide whether the spoken words are a question, a statement, or a tag question.

A speaker breaking in before another finishes; the reporter marks the break with a dash or other convention and avoids merging the two speakers' words.

Speech by two participants at the same time; the reporter must capture as much as possible and indicate the overlap without inventing words that cannot be heard.

A word or passage that cannot be understood despite careful listening; the transcript uses a standard notation rather than guessing at the content.

Recording exactly what was said, including repetitions, false starts, and grammatical errors, unless the court orders otherwise; cleaning up speech changes the official record.

Instant conversion of stenographic strokes into readable text displayed on a screen during dictation; accuracy depends on dictionary quality and conflict-free writing.

Computer-aided transcription software that translates stenographic outlines, manages dictionaries, and formats transcripts; realtime work relies on it to display text instantly.

Using outlines that translate to only one intended word or phrase, avoiding duplicates that make realtime output ambiguous; conflicts are fixed in the dictionary or by changing strokes.

A stenographic outline with no dictionary match, displayed as raw strokes or a placeholder; frequent untranslates reduce realtime accuracy and must be resolved during practice.

An incorrect or unintended stroke that produces the wrong word or an untranslated outline; reporters learn to detect and correct misstrokes without breaking speed.

A keyboard with a syllable-based layout used to write spoken words phonetically; simultaneous key presses form strokes that software translates into text.

The top row of the stenotype keyboard used with other keys to write numerals; accurate digit entry is essential for legal citations and jury charges.

The percentage of dictated words correctly transcribed during a test or practice session; realtime verbatim work demands very high accuracy, often measured against a master text.

Structured practice at increasing dictation rates to develop automatic outlines and endurance; candidates build toward 180 words per minute for extended passages.