A TypeWell feature that's easy on the eyes!!
The "reverse colors" feature is built in to the TypeWell Transcriber and Reader software. To enable it, click on the View menu, and then Reverse Colors. While that color display feature is designed for readers who are visually challenged, some transcribers prefer to use it all the time. It's also a good feature to turn on when the lights are dimmed for a PowerPoint show or video, because it makes the glow from the laptop screen less noticeable.
Plan ahead!!
Having a record of what was actually said is very helpful when reviewing transcripts. Arrange to make an audio recording and take notes.
--Judy
. . . continued from last week!!
The first step of the Quick Review Method is to have the service provider give you an unedited transcript from a typical class or meeting. (Make a paper copy of the transcript, to use in Step 2.)
-- Judy
Admins and mentors: check back next week for step 2 . . .
Correction!!
There will be no conference this year for the Western Network of Communication Access Providers (WNCAP). See: http://wncap.net/WNCAPconf.html
Don't forget to mute your mic, EVERY time!!
When you're in a remote "talk" session, be sure to click the button in the Skype or AIM window to "Mute" your microphone. Otherwise, if the speakers on the reader laptop are ON, then others in the classroom might hear the clicking of your keyboard, you clearing your throat, etc.
In a remote teaming situation, your team transcriber might also be able to hear the sounds from your mic, depending on your audio configuration. That can interfere with his/her ability to hear the speaker.
Kate
Pssst . . . don't leave the reader hanging!!
At the end of a class or meeting, you should always use an appropriate closure comment to let the reader know the class or meeting is officially over. The two closure comments in the TypeWell dictionary are:
EC –> [End of class.]
BR –> [Bell rings.]
You might want to add others to your PAL, such as "[End of meeting.]" if you transcribe meetings, or "[End of session.]" if you transcribe conferences.
Transcribers who work in a place of worship might use closure comments to signal the end of each section of the service, such as "[End of offertory.]", "[End of Torah reading.]" or "[End of sermon.]"
There are lots of examples of multi-section meetings, such as worship services, graduation ceremonies, or laboratory classes that have a discussion followed by independent work. Transcriber comments can help a reader follow along with the program, keep track of what's happening next, and quickly understand what is expected of them as participants.
It's best to use a descriptive closure comment instead of something vague, like "-----".
Kate
Judy's got great tips for admins and mentors! Here's the first in a series . . .
Supervisors often ask me how to judge the quality of a meaning-for-meaning transcript. How can they really know if such transcripts express clearly and accurately what the speakers said, in a format that is easy for a reader to understand quickly in real-time? What's needed is a quick method that a busy supervisor can use to get reliable information about transcript quality.
The steps of the Method are:
Step 1: Get an appropriate unedited transcript. You may also want to record the class or meeting.
Step 2: Read the transcript deeply, looking for certain specific items, such as fact errors.
Step 3: Get help from "content experts", if needed.
Step 4: Discuss what you learn with with the service provider.
In the future posts in this series, I'll give you details about doing each of the steps, above. If you are interested in full details now, check out the proceedings of a PEPNet 2008 presentation in which I discussed the whole area of analyzing meaning-for-meaning communication access. Go to the link below and then scroll to page 70. Look for the paragraph beginning, "A common question administrators have . . ." http://www.pepnet.org/confpast/2008/pdf/4-3%20francis.pdf.
-- Judy
Avoid using colons as punctuation!! Here’s an example . . .
Two of my favorite authors will be discussed next week: Mario Vargas Llosa and Carlos Fuentes.
While the colon in the sentence above is grammatically correct, that punctuation makes sentences harder to parse quickly in real-time. Real-time reading research shows us that active sentences, with usual word order and "common" punctuation, are easier to parse correctly and quickly, compared to passive sentences or sentences with unusual inverted word order.
In English, the usual word order is SUBJECT–VERB–OBJECT. An example of inverted word order is OBJECT–SUBJECT–VERB.
Here are some clearer ways to express the same idea:
We’ll be discussing Mario Vargas Llosa and Carlos Fuentes next week. Those are two of my favorite authors.
Next week we’ll be discussing Mario Vargas Llosa and Carlos Fuentes, two of my favorite authors.
Kate
There's a built-in math tutorial in V5!! Have YOU learned the math features yet?
19 transcribers voted . . .
I love math, too!!!
You asked . . . Steve answered!!
Sometimes there are two or more students in a class who would like to see the live transcript at the same time. While this can be done by projecting the transcript onto a big screen, or by having the students cluster together around a single computer showing the transcript, there's a better option to consider: use the new cute and inexpensive netbook computers to have the transcript shown on multiple computers spread around the classroom.
There are two ways to make the multiple-reader system work using TypeWell software. One method uses the standard Transcriber software, and the other method uses the premium version of the Transcriber software. The basic multi-reader technique is described at http://typewell.com/linking.html#tworeaders.
That basic technique works great with the standard Transcriber software for many scenarios. But, the basic technique does have a limitation: a reader can't type questions back to the transcriber without garbling the text the other readers see. That's a drawback when the transcriber's duties include voicing the students' typed questions back to the class.
As described at the link above, that "garbled text" drawback is solved when you use the Premium version of TypeWell, with Skype linking.
There is a somewhat complex techie reconfiguration that can solve the "garbled text" problem for users of the Standard version, who use regular wireless-linking mode. You'll need a tech guru to set up this techie reconfiguration; but if you need this feature, it'll be worth it! Besides, you need challenges like this every so often to keep the techs entertained. :-)
Tech Details
The overall technique is to set the IP address on the Transcriber computer to 192.168.247.1, and the IP addresses on the two reader computers to 192.168.247.5 and 192.168.247.6. Then we'll make the Transcriber able to access those higher addresses (5 and 6), but will leave the readers unable to "see" each other since they only see 1 through 4.
The detailed steps to do this are:
That's it! Start TypeWell on all the machines. They will all link together, but the typing on a Reader laptop will be sent only to the Transcriber, and not the other Reader.
Steve
Thinking of buying a netbook? If you plan to use wireless linking with a Reader computer, read on!!
Some netbooks come with Windows 7 starter, a low-end version of Windows 7. FYI, Windows 7 Starter does not allow you to create an Ad Hoc Network. You must have one of the full editions of Windows 7.
-- Heather
Thanks for the tip!!
P.S. Steve updated this post. See comments below . . .
My favorite subject! Me!!
Who is Kyp? We often get questions from administrators wondering who this "character" is!
All recently-trained transcribers know Kyp well. He is a sophisticated "computer elf" who joined the TypeWell transcribing course teaching team back in 2000. He's well known for his smart remarks and spunky personality.
Kyp became a star with the introduction of the online course in 2007. With the capabilities of the Internet it seems like Kyp is everywhere at once. He helps with speed and accuracy drills, gives automatic Performance Reports once students begin transcribing audio lectures, and generally helps with all aspects of TypeWell.
Since Kyp knows all the ins and outs of TypeWell, as well as being on a first-name basis with just about all TypeWell transcribers, he's the perfect choice to run this blog.
Here's a tip for team transcribers . . . Thanks for contributing, Laura!!
In vista and windows 7 (sorry to XP users), you can have sidebar gadgets. I put a clock on the sidebar, and then right click and tell it I want it "always on top."
While transcribing, there is a clock we both can see, to know when to switch. (Because that itty bitty clock in the corner of the screen doesn't work as well, because we can't both see it!)
On the top right, it's out of the way, and on the far right in the reader area, it's not covering any necessary areas!
-- Laura (Idaho)
I tested out a clock gadget, too! It's called TimeLeft. Set pop-up reminders for every 15 minutes and you don't have to watch the clock!! AND get this . . . you can customize the colors!!! (I happen to like GREEN!)
Here's an example of a pop-up reminder placed over the TypeWell window . . .
Works with Windows 2000, XP, Vista . . . and it's FREE!!
