Preference Sheets

[Cindy Clark]

How do you all feel about using preference sheets sent to you by a scopist?  I've had several reporters lately that are just looking for someone to help them out with a rush, and no one seems to have the time to fill out these sheets or send copies of their include files or send samples of their parentheticals, etc., which leaves me feeling like I'm mostly playing a guessing game.  Even sending a sample of a completed file would be helpful, but I'm not usually getting that, either.

Of course, when it comes to the English rules, if given no guidance of a preference, I just stick with the LMEG - no problem.  But there are some cases where, when it would be a judgment call, knowing what the reporter's preference is would be so much quicker than me worrying over my decision.  And since it is a rush job and I know they're busy, I certainly don't want to be texting or e-mailing them with trivial things.

Are the preference sheets just too much of a hassle for everyone?  Do you have another way you prefer to use to get you preferences known to your new scopist?

Thanks!

Cindy

[Martha R]

I can't speak for others, but if it's a rush job and you are just helping out, maybe they would accept your way of doing things, as long as it was consistent with some rule, rather than be very picky as to exactly how they like the transcript.  If they were going to use you on a regular basis, filling out the form certainly would be a great idea.  I have filled out the preference sheet, and I think it's a very good idea.  

[Cindy Clark]

Martha, that's what I sometimes wonder.  Maybe it's just not that important to them right then, with that particular job, as long as I'm being consistent. 

Thanks for your insight.  I'm glad to know that the preference sheet is still considered a good idea by reporters.

[Janet]

 

I saved a copy of a preference sheet that I filled out, and I send it to anyone who is going to scope a job.  I think it makes it easier for both of us.  It saves the scopist time, not having to wonder how to handle something, and it saves me the time it would take for me to check questions that could have been answered with the preference sheet.   I'd give a sample transcript too.  The more information you have, the better the end result will be.

[Deborah M.]

Exactly what Janet said.  I scoped for a couple reporters when I was REALLY slow last year, and it was very frustrating trying to figure out what other reporters' styles were.

[Cindy Clark]

Janet, I did received a preference sheet once from a reporter that was one she had used before, and that was helpful.  I just transferred the info that was important to her over to my own sheet, since I'm so familiar with my own.  It only took a second, and it does make a difference.  I figure that the things that were on my sheet and not hers were probably not important to her and I could use the LMEG for those things.

Any little bit of information is so helpful in making my job fit in better with the reporter's style.

I was wondering if, maybe, some reporters were reluctant to give a copy of a finished transcript for one reason or another.  It makes it so much easier, though, to have both the preference sheet and the sample job.  That way, if I don't have copies of the CR's include files/parentheticals, I can glean them from the copy they sent me and create them myself.  And that way, too, I know how they style their Q/A after colloquy, etc.