RMR Stenographic Technology & CAT Software — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does CAT stand for in court reporting?
- Computer-Aided Transcription (Correct answer)
- Certified Audio Technician
- Court Administration Technology
- Captioning and Translation
Correct answer: Computer-Aided Transcription
Computer-Aided Transcription software translates stenographic keystrokes into English text, manages dictionaries, facilitates editing, and produces formatted transcripts.
Question 2: What is the purpose of a steno machine's paper tape?
- To create a physical backup record of all stenographic strokes for reference during transcript editing (Correct answer)
- To print the final transcript
- To feed into an OCR scanner
- Paper tape is no longer used in modern reporting
Correct answer: To create a physical backup record of all stenographic strokes for reference during transcript editing
While modern machines primarily store strokes digitally, the paper tape provides a tangible backup that reporters can reference when editing transcripts, verifying strokes, and resolving translation questions.
Question 3: What is 'global editing' in CAT software?
- A feature that allows the reporter to change a specific word or phrase throughout the entire transcript at once (Correct answer)
- Editing transcripts for international clients
- A type of real-time display setting
- Editing performed by multiple reporters simultaneously
Correct answer: A feature that allows the reporter to change a specific word or phrase throughout the entire transcript at once
Global editing (search and replace) enables reporters to correct a recurring mistranslate or spelling throughout the entire transcript simultaneously, significantly speeding up the editing process.
Question 4: What is an 'untranslate' in CAT software?
- A steno stroke that does not match any entry in the reporter's dictionary and appears as raw steno in the transcript (Correct answer)
- A passage in a foreign language
- A deleted section of the transcript
- A sentence with grammatical errors
Correct answer: A steno stroke that does not match any entry in the reporter's dictionary and appears as raw steno in the transcript
Untranslates appear as steno outlines (e.g., STPR/KWRO) in the text when the CAT software cannot find a matching dictionary entry. Reporters must define these strokes and resolve them during editing.
Question 5: What is 'job management' functionality in CAT software?
- Features for organizing, archiving, and retrieving transcript files, including case information, billing, and client management (Correct answer)
- A module for scheduling court appearances
- A feature for managing the reporter's personal calendar
- A tool for hiring freelance reporters
Correct answer: Features for organizing, archiving, and retrieving transcript files, including case information, billing, and client management
CAT software job management tracks all aspects of transcript production: case details, turnaround deadlines, page counts, billing rates, client information, and delivery status for each reporting assignment.
Question 6: What is the advantage of writing steno over voice recognition for court reporting?
- Steno provides higher accuracy for multiple speakers, legal terminology, and can maintain the official record in real time (Correct answer)
- There is no advantage; voice recognition has completely replaced steno
- Steno machines are cheaper than microphones
- Voice recognition is more accurate for legal proceedings
Correct answer: Steno provides higher accuracy for multiple speakers, legal terminology, and can maintain the official record in real time
Stenographic writing consistently outperforms voice recognition in accuracy, especially with multiple speakers, heavy accents, technical terminology, and overlapping speech common in courtroom settings.
RMR Stenographic Technology & CAT Software
What does CAT stand for in court reporting?