BECOME A MEMBERWelcome to the BIVR website
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.
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.
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.