RDR Registered Diplomate Reporter exam-day guide
RDR Registered Diplomate Reporter · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original ID in the name on your registration. Confirm the exact acceptable forms and whether a second ID is required with the certification provider before test day.
Registration/admission confirmation
Print or download your confirmation showing test date, reporting time, and site. Confirm whether a printed copy is required or an electronic copy is accepted.
Primary stenotype machine and all cables
Use the machine and cabling you have practiced on. Pack the power supply/adapters, realtime cable, and any tripod or mount you normally use.
Backup stenotype machine
A second writer set up identically is cheap insurance. Confirm with the provider whether backup equipment is permitted in the testing room and where it must be stored.
Paper, media, and supplies
Bring more stenotype paper/rolls or recording media than you expect to need, plus a pen and a small notepad if permitted. Confirm which supplies the site provides versus which you must bring.
Timing device
A simple watch or silent timer. Confirm whether smart watches and phones are prohibited at your seat.
Dictionary/CAT and reference files
If your exam format involves computer-aided transcription or realtime, load and test your dictionary and job files in advance and bring them on approved media. Confirm the exact list of permitted electronic files with the provider.
Hearing protection or earplugs
Useful for concentration during dictation. Confirm whether they are permitted in the testing room.
Water and a snack or lunch
Sessions can be long. Confirm the site's rules on food, drink, and leaving the room.
Directions, parking, and site map
Know the building, room, and parking in advance; note the reporting time and add buffer for security screening or check-in.
Candidate handbook and rules
Read the current candidate handbook or bulletin for your exam before test day and note anything you are unsure about so you can ask the provider in advance.
Written questions for the provider
List every uncertainty (ID, permitted equipment, break policy, scoring, equipment-failure procedure) and get written answers before the exam.
Plan the day
Re-read the candidate handbook and your confirmation email. Confirm reporting time, address, ID requirements, and the permitted-equipment list with the provider. Resolve every open question by email so you have a written answer.
Run full equipment checks: cables, tripod, paper feed, and a timed practice dictation on the exact machine you will use. Set up the backup machine the same way.
Practice under exam-like conditions: recorded or live dictation at test speed, no pausing, no rewinding, and no editorializing. Practice recovering after a missed stroke instead of stopping.
Begin shifting your sleep schedule so you are alert at the exam's start time. Avoid all-night study sessions.
Pack the bag: ID, confirmation, machine, backup, cables, paper, timer, earplugs, water, pen, and any approved files. Charge everything.
Do a route check to the site and confirm parking, entrance, and estimated travel time. Add 30-45 minutes of buffer to your departure.
Light review only: rules of conduct, scoring criteria, and your own shorthand notes on trouble spots. Do not cram new material.
Set two alarms, eat a normal dinner, and get a full night's sleep.
Eat a real breakfast and hydrate modestly. Arrive early and check in with your ID and confirmation in hand.
Follow the proctor's setup instructions exactly. Test every key, the paper feed, and your cable connections before the first dictation begins. Silence and stow your phone as directed.
Write strictly what is dictated. Do not summarize, correct grammar, or add punctuation beyond what the format calls for. If you fall behind, drop a word and rejoin the stream rather than stopping.
Watch your paper or media supply and your timer. If equipment malfunctions, raise your hand and notify the proctor immediately rather than trying to fix it silently.
At any break, confirm with the proctor when you must be back and whether the clock keeps running. Rest your hands and reset your focus before the next segment.
Rules to check
Bring only the materials the provider lists as permitted. If an item is not explicitly allowed, leave it at home or ask in writing before test day.
Present the ID required by the provider and keep it on your desk if instructed. If your ID name does not match your registration, resolve it with the provider before the exam.
Follow all proctor instructions. Talking, using a phone, photographing or recording exam content, or accessing unauthorized materials can void your results; confirm the provider's misconduct policy in advance.
Breaks: confirm with the provider whether breaks are scheduled or on request, whether the clock runs during breaks, and what you may take with you. Do not assume another candidate's understanding is correct.
Scoring: confirm the provider's published scoring criteria for your exam and do not rely on secondhand accounts of error allowances or passing thresholds.
Equipment failure: report it to the proctor immediately and follow the provider's documented procedure. Ask in advance what remedy, if any, exists for a documented malfunction.
Arrival and lateness: arrive at or before the reporting time and confirm the provider's late-arrival policy, since it may bar entry.
Keep your exam content confidential. Do not discuss, reproduce, or share specific dictation passages or questions after the test.