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BIVR Membership examinations - 19 May 2012

BIVR Membership examinations are being held on 19 May 2012

We encourage our Associate and Student members to become full, accredited, members of BIVR. 

Not an Associate or Student member of BIVR?  Then please book your place now to take advantage of this opportunity to join the British Institute of Verbatim Reporters, the professional body for verbatim reporting, as an accredited member.

Please copy and paste, then complete the application form and forward it to sec@bivr.org.uk and pay via BACs (details on application to Secretary).  Alternatively, you may post it, as stated to the Secretary at the registered address

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Welcome to the BIVR website

BIVR had a very successful training weekend in London on Sat/Sun 10/11 March 2012.

The next event is the opportunity to take your membership examination for full membership to BIVR.  This will take place in the morning of Saturday 19 May 2012 at The Premier Inn, Reading Central, Reading, Berks.

Our AGM will take place in the afternoon at the same venue.


Nominations for Council 2012 - the form will be e-mailed to members very shortly.

 
 

About BIVR

BIVR is the leading organisation representing professional verbatim reporters working in all fields in the UK.  Our members may be pen writers, Palantypists or Stenographers.  BIVR membership is open to reporters who have a minimum speed of 180 wpm granted by an independent body, or student membership to those undertaking a bona fide course.

Palantypists, Stenographers and pen shorthand writers work in two very distinct areas. 

What is the difference between a verbatim Speech-To-Text Reporter and a verbatim reporter/verbatim shorthand writer?
 

Speech-To-Text Reporter
 

Speech-to-Text (STT) is a verbatim service facilitating communication between deaf/deafened/hard of hearing people and hearing people.  An STTR may use a Palantype or a Stenograph machine.
 

Jean Gough MBIVR, QRR, NRCPD registered, has won Signature's Communication Professional of the Year 2011:


"I'm just so pleased to have received this award.  I still don't know who actually nominated me, but I'm delighted that they did!  Having been nominated and shortlisted back in 2009, it was a complete surprise to heard I had been shortlisted for a second time. 

I hope that my receiving this award will help to promote the value of speech to text communication support to a much wider audience, and I'm proud to be the first speech to text reporter to have received an award from Signature for doing my job well.  It was worth the wait!"

VERBATIM COURT REPORTERS

We are called Palantypists, Stenographers, Verbatim Court Reporters, or Verbatim Shorthand Writers.  Verbatim Court Reporters, or Shorthand Writers, may be pen or machine writers.  Please note that a Palantypist uses a Palantype or palanstyle machine.  Anyone calling themselves a Palantypist, but using a computer keyboard  is NOT a Palantypist, so don't be misled.  Always check.  Only machine writers, either Palantype or Stenograph, are able to offer realtime.  However, we have many very experienced pen and ink writers who are very, very able and capable of producing a delayed transcript and, in teams, of producing a daily transcript - called a write out.  If you are in any doubt as to their credentials, check the BIVR website Reporter Search as many of our members' details are there.  Ask them to scan in and show their practising certificate.  If it is a speech-to-text reporter, check that they are NRCPD registered.  www.nrcpd.org.uk Many of our members are also registered with the NRCPD.

By law, a verbatim reporter/shorthand writer is required to make a full and accurate record of proceedings in courts, depositions, arbitrations and tribunals, and produce a transcript afterwards.  The transcript they produce will be fully edited and corrected, and can be referred to in subsequent legal/official proceedings.  Spelling errors and proper names will be checked.  Punctuation will be checked.  Any references, quotations or legal authorities cited during the proceedings will be checked.

If a booking is being made primarily to obtain a verbatim transcript for use in subsequent legal proceedings, for circulation to those not present at an event, or for display on the Internet, a verbatim reporter/shorthand writer should be booked.  This type of booking does not require a verbatim speech to text reporter.

Most verbatim speech to text reporters will have experience of producing edited transcripts, but the exact nature of their role must be established before each assignment.
 

 
 

There has been confusion by some regarding the terms Speech-to-Text Reporter (STTR) and Speed Text Operator (or Electronic Notetaker).  Here we explain the very important disctinction between the two. 

Speech-to-Text Reporter (STTR)

STTRs produce a verbatim record of what is said, using a phonetic keyboard, to be shown instantly on a monitor or screen. The STTR provides a complete translation of the spoken words and environmental sounds, such as laughter and applause.

BIVR members have been tested to a high standard before they are accredited by us.  Many BIVR members are also registered with National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People (NRCPD).  It should be borne in mind that only those who are also registered with NRCPD are actually qualified to work as STTRs ifor legal and tribunal work.
 
If your communication professional is not using a phonetic keyboard as described above - they are not a Speech-to-Text Reporter.

Check our the Reporter Search section of the BIVR website to find your Accredited Verbatim Reporter. 

Electronic Notetaker

Electronic notetakers produce a typed summary record of what is spoken using a laptop computer. The advantage of an electronic notetaker over a hand-written note is that they can usually get more information down as typing is much faster than a hand writen note, even in abbreviated form. Some electronic notetakers have specialist software with Speedtext or stereotype and this allows them to have interaction with the client through linking two laptops or other technology together.
 
Electronic notetakers should not be confused with verbatim Speech-to-Text Reporters (STTRs) who use a phonetic keyboard which provides a verbatim service. Electronic notetakers will provide a précis service.
 

Link to our sister organisation Association of Verbatim Speech to Text Reporters AVSTTR

Link to the Incorporated Phonographic society IPS

Link to The National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People NRCPD

Warning:  I have received documentation showing that there is a "SCAM" organisation using the initials BIVR and suggesting that people have won money!  It would appear that at least one recipient of this scam notification surfed the web and found us!  Please note, this has nothing to do with the British Institute of Verbatim Reporters.   If you receive such documentation, please throw it in the bin! Sec.