Given that a reporter
can make
far
more per hour by writing testimony rather
than
scoping it -- why choose scoping over reporting?
Meticulous scoping for the skilled
reporter
Transcripts are edited in Eclipse
or Case CATalyst with synchronized audio.
High-speed internet connection assures
fast back-and-forth transmission of your files; easy download of .WAV
files for audio; as well as quick access to the internet
for verification of brand and product names, locales, and any
unfamiliar terminology.
Where it's not 100% certain, a word or a
passage is marked with a
conflict flag (or in the case of Eclipse, a nonprinting comment) -- so
you can quickly move through a file and make your
final determinations.
The more names and spellings you provide in your
accompanying e-mail, the fewer queries will come back to you. Generally
speaking, you'll expend 10-15 minutes (for, say, a 200-page
file) in resolving any queries left for you.
Most reporters will send the actual Eclipse or
CaseCATalyst file as an attachment to their e-mail. They'll upload
their .wav file to a service such as T3 or
SwapDrive.com.
In turn, that service sends an e-mail advising that the .wav is ready
to be downloaded. (There are free uploading
alternatives available -- namely, www.yousendit.com and
www.sendthisfile.com.)
Pricing is $1.25 a page. This assumes a skilled writer. The price is
the same for a
video
deposition and a non-video. In either event, every moment is audited on
the tape. For video depos, it's exactly verbatim; for non-videos, the
extraneous uh-huh and reporter query may be skipped.
The pricing always includes a second, proofing pass
through
your transcript, which, as you know,
would otherwise run 30 to 35 cents a page. It also includes checking of
any names or places that may be verified on the web.
This is not to say you shouldn't proof every transcript yourself. You
should. Because while the goal is a letter-perfect transcript, it's
always possible that something slips through.
For the first job you send in, you'll receive back a 10- or 15-page
scoped portion of
the transcript so you can check that it meets your needs. If you
choose not to go ahead, no problem
and no charge.
So to sum up, all work includes:
Listening to the audio throughout
A careful scan of every
line and word
Formatting to your style where necessary
Punctuating
and paragraphing
Checking proper names and terminology on the internet
After the proofing of
the
transcript, a further spell check
Turnaround is generally three or four days. Overnights and expedites
are routinely accommodated;
there's a premium.
SEND A
FILE NOW : What better way? Send an e-mail to
louispeddicord@gmail.com
and we can give it a try.
