A reporter can make more money working with a scopist! Here is an example that clearly demonstrates how this can be done:
Day 1
Reporter A with scopist
Appearance Fee: $75
200 pgs @ $2: $400
Copy order: 200 pgs @ $1: $200
Reporter B without scopist
Appearance Fee: $75
200 pgs @ $2: $400
Copy order: 200 pgs @ $1: $200
They each make $675 for that day.
Day 2
Reporter A with scopist
Appearance Fee: $75
200 pgs @ $2: $400
Copy order: 200 pgs @ $1: $200
Makes $675 for that day
Reporter B without scopist
Scoping own work: $0
Makes $0 for that day
Reporter A pays $1 per page to scopist ($200) and ends up with $475 for the day.
Reporter B spent the day scoping the job from Day 1 herself and made no money on Day 2!
So Reporter A makes $950 (after the $400 paid to scopist) for the two days and Reporter B makes $675. Reporter A makes $275 more than Reporter B, plus the scopist is tax deductible! So a busy reporter can be losing money if not using a scopist.
(The above numbers are for example only.)
Q. What is a scopist?
A. A scopist is a professional who provides computer-aided transcription services for court reporters. The scopist receives the reporter's translated, unedited, unresearched notes on a computer disk or via modem or e-mail. With the aid of specialized software and the scopist's skills of translating any undefined stenotype into English, punctuating, researching and formatting, flagging any questionable areas, the transcript is then returned to the reporter ready to be proofread.
Q. What basic skills does a scopist need to have to be successful?
A. *Basic* skills include but are not limited to:
Notereading (ability to read stenotype)
A very good command of the English language
Computer/technical knowledge, which includes having and knowing how to use specialized CAT software, knowing how to transfer files via e-mail and modem, general computer knowledge
Transcript formatting
Ability to research unusual spellings and other information
Familiarity with legal terminology
Technical terminology (medical, chemical, investments, science, etc.)
Flexibility and willingness to work to a reporter's specifications
Excerpt from Scopists and Reporters: Enhancing the Partnership, by Cindi Hartman
There is a difference between a buyer-seller relationship and a partnership.
A buyer-seller relationship is one in which one party requires a service to be performed, communicates the requirements and pays someone to provide the service. Beyond expecting the job to be done to the specifications, there is no investment in the relationship beyond payment for services rendered.
A partnership is a relationship in which both parties have a significant interest and/or investment in the success of their mutual efforts. It involves a greater level of communication, trust and implies a commitment to continuity.
Successful scopists and reporters have a partnership
The job that the reporter is hiring the scopist to do is an integral part of his or her own job responsibilities. In order to be successful, the scopist and reporter must have a partnership because of what’s on the line: reputation, income, and the commitment to the accurate record. You’re not just splitting the workload; you’re a team with a mutual commitment to putting together a perfect product.
The reporter is, of necessity, the senior partner in the relationship because it’s their name on the final product, their reputation on the line and ultimately their responsibility for accuracy of transcript.
Reporters who are interested in delegating a part of that responsibility would be unwise to hand their transcript production responsibility to an uninterested party who is merely providing a service. They need a partner they can trust: someone who is as interested in and invested in the outcome as they are themselves, someone who is as much of a perfectionist, someone willing to question and challenge, and someone who is willing to help them improve their future translation.
Scopists don’t want a reporter who is willing to abdicate all responsibility to them. A scopist wants a reporter who is willing to work with them so that the job can get done quickly, efficiently and with the best possible results, both for the current job and for the future.