Reporter/Scopist Relations - CSRNation2024-03-28T18:05:12Zhttps://csrnation.ning.com/forum/topics/1736041:Topic:56920?commentId=1736041%3AComment%3A65046&x=1&feed=yes&xn_auth=noThanks, Hollie, and welcome t…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2008-05-20:1736041:Comment:650462008-05-20T05:16:33.548ZKathleen Iuzzolinohttps://csrnation.ning.com/profile/KathleenIuzzolino
Thanks, Hollie, and welcome to CSRnation, a place that is hopefully welcoming to reporters and scopists and videographers.<br />
<br />
Yes, we didn't have scopists back then, but we sure did have our dictaphones and our funky dictation-speak, carbon copies, manual machines, and typists. Making corrections was such a pain -- never want to go back to that again.
Thanks, Hollie, and welcome to CSRnation, a place that is hopefully welcoming to reporters and scopists and videographers.<br />
<br />
Yes, we didn't have scopists back then, but we sure did have our dictaphones and our funky dictation-speak, carbon copies, manual machines, and typists. Making corrections was such a pain -- never want to go back to that again. Kathleen, I just joined this…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2008-05-19:1736041:Comment:648722008-05-19T16:09:21.619ZHollie McGillicuddyhttps://csrnation.ning.com/profile/HollieMcGillicuddy
Kathleen, I just joined this site reading this particular forum and though perhaps late in responding, I do like your Dr. Phil approach: How's that working for you? I was an RPR in the 1970s, too, but then we never had scopists. I left CR because of frequent job relocations via my husband six or so years ago and at the urging of a good CR friend of mine who has reported for 25 years, starting scoping for her and done so since. You make very astute points and as the saying goes, there's three…
Kathleen, I just joined this site reading this particular forum and though perhaps late in responding, I do like your Dr. Phil approach: How's that working for you? I was an RPR in the 1970s, too, but then we never had scopists. I left CR because of frequent job relocations via my husband six or so years ago and at the urging of a good CR friend of mine who has reported for 25 years, starting scoping for her and done so since. You make very astute points and as the saying goes, there's three sides to every story: His, hers, and the truth. I know there's legitimate gripes on both sides. You, being seasoned and obviously wise, give food for thought for both reporters and scopists. I enjoyed the post. Kyung,
I think the following…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2008-04-18:1736041:Comment:574472008-04-18T03:46:25.078ZKathleen Iuzzolinohttps://csrnation.ning.com/profile/KathleenIuzzolino
Kyung,<br />
<br />
I think the following phrase is quite appropriate:<br />
<br />
<i>hey, I got this transcript back from you, after looking through it, I just wanted to point out some errors that I think you should have caught.</i><br />
<br />
Giving a scopist a chance to improve, IMO, is a much better alternative than just disappearing.
Kyung,<br />
<br />
I think the following phrase is quite appropriate:<br />
<br />
<i>hey, I got this transcript back from you, after looking through it, I just wanted to point out some errors that I think you should have caught.</i><br />
<br />
Giving a scopist a chance to improve, IMO, is a much better alternative than just disappearing. Very interesting discussion.…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2008-04-18:1736041:Comment:574442008-04-18T03:34:22.585ZKyunghttps://csrnation.ning.com/profile/Kyung
Very interesting discussion. Thanks everyone.<br />
<br />
I have a question for you scopists out there. I've got a scopist. I've been using her for a while, but I think the quality is getting worse instead of getting better. My first instinct is to cut line and run. Find another scopist.<br />
<br />
But part of me is thinking, well, she's been decent (not great) in the past, maybe we can salvage this relationship. What's the best way to tell her that her work is not up to my standard and needs to improve. If I sent…
Very interesting discussion. Thanks everyone.<br />
<br />
I have a question for you scopists out there. I've got a scopist. I've been using her for a while, but I think the quality is getting worse instead of getting better. My first instinct is to cut line and run. Find another scopist.<br />
<br />
But part of me is thinking, well, she's been decent (not great) in the past, maybe we can salvage this relationship. What's the best way to tell her that her work is not up to my standard and needs to improve. If I sent an e-mail with feedback, hey, I got this transcript back from you, after looking through it, I just wanted to point out some errors that I think you should have caught.<br />
<br />
I pointed out some stuff to a scopist once, and that was it. She had some personal problems as well, but there went one scopist.<br />
<br />
What do you think?<br />
<br />
So how do you correct the scopist? Judy,
Well, as I stated in t…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2008-04-17:1736041:Comment:573852008-04-17T18:38:26.862ZKathleen Iuzzolinohttps://csrnation.ning.com/profile/KathleenIuzzolino
Judy,<br />
<br />
Well, as I stated in the original post of this thread:<br />
<br />
<i>How do I form a great reporter/scopist relationship?</i>
Judy,<br />
<br />
Well, as I stated in the original post of this thread:<br />
<br />
<i>How do I form a great reporter/scopist relationship?</i> Kathleen,
That's a wonderful…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2008-04-17:1736041:Comment:573802008-04-17T18:21:50.622ZJudyhttps://csrnation.ning.com/profile/JudyRunes
Kathleen,<br />
<br />
<i>That's a wonderful start. Exactly what I hoped for. I hope there are plenty of helpful suggestions generated by your questions.</i><br />
<br />
Isn't it amazing that I finally figured out what you wanted? Apparently you needed to be asked to vent. Hey, whatever works for you.
Kathleen,<br />
<br />
<i>That's a wonderful start. Exactly what I hoped for. I hope there are plenty of helpful suggestions generated by your questions.</i><br />
<br />
Isn't it amazing that I finally figured out what you wanted? Apparently you needed to be asked to vent. Hey, whatever works for you. Hi, Judy,
That's a wonderful…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2008-04-17:1736041:Comment:573762008-04-17T17:45:06.469ZKathleen Iuzzolinohttps://csrnation.ning.com/profile/KathleenIuzzolino
Hi, Judy,<br />
<br />
That's a wonderful start. Exactly what I hoped for. I hope there are plenty of helpful suggestions generated by your questions.<br />
<br />
<i>Can you (scopists & proofreaders in general) give recommendations to reporters on how they can save themselves from dealing with bad scopists?</i><br />
<br />
Yes, I can. Thanks for asking! ;-)<br />
<br />
1. Do not cold contact any old scopist from any old directory and say, "What do you charge per page?" Get a rate and then say, "Can you take 300 pages of expedite…
Hi, Judy,<br />
<br />
That's a wonderful start. Exactly what I hoped for. I hope there are plenty of helpful suggestions generated by your questions.<br />
<br />
<i>Can you (scopists & proofreaders in general) give recommendations to reporters on how they can save themselves from dealing with bad scopists?</i><br />
<br />
Yes, I can. Thanks for asking! ;-)<br />
<br />
1. Do not cold contact any old scopist from any old directory and say, "What do you charge per page?" Get a rate and then say, "Can you take 300 pages of expedite tomorrow?"<br />
<br />
Believe me, that has happened to every single scopist I've ever talked to. What are those reporters thinking?? Why is it a surprise that the quality that comes back to them basically matches the amount of due diligence they invested into the transaction?<br />
<br />
2. Contact a scopist, ask for references (for goodness sake!), speak to other reporters who have used this person, and then get a sample.<br />
<br />
3. Supply the scopist with the materials she needs to do your job to the best of her ability. Supply her with unusual spellings, if you have them. If she requests a sample finished transcript so that she can reference it for formatting questions, then do it. Don't keep forgetting to send it over. That keeps her from having to put tons of formatting questions into comment boxes when it comes time to format something in the transcript.<br />
<br />
I think reporters lose sight of the fact that scopists work for reporters all over the country and that every state and even reporters within the same state have so many different ways to do the exact same thing.<br />
<br />
4. A scopist is <b>not</b> your employee. She is running her own business and is the one who determines what her rates are. Don't cold call a new scopist and tell her, "I only pay X amount per page." How's that working for you with the electric company? I don't even answer e-mails sent to me by people who open with that line.<br />
<br />
<i>And can reporters give guidance to scopists & proofreaders on what we consider customary, and anything beyond that is extraordinary and gets billed accordingly?</i><br />
<br />
See No. 4 above. Judy --
If you can get any tw…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2008-04-17:1736041:Comment:572292008-04-17T03:25:08.328ZFayehttps://csrnation.ning.com/profile/Faye
Judy --<br />
If you can get any two reporters to agree on what is "customary" that might work.<br />
<br />
I think the "trial" period would help in many cases. I think your awareness when you receive replies helps. By the same token, there are key things that I've learned to watch for as well. Unfortunately, those keys are learned the hard way.<br />
<br />
I have said to many that communication is a key element. You cannot, as a reporter, expect your scopist to read your mind about how you want something handled. Your…
Judy --<br />
If you can get any two reporters to agree on what is "customary" that might work.<br />
<br />
I think the "trial" period would help in many cases. I think your awareness when you receive replies helps. By the same token, there are key things that I've learned to watch for as well. Unfortunately, those keys are learned the hard way.<br />
<br />
I have said to many that communication is a key element. You cannot, as a reporter, expect your scopist to read your mind about how you want something handled. Your scopist must feel that he/she can contact you for clarification. It's sad, but there are times when a scopist comes back again and again with questions about how to get that transcript perfect, she is seen as incompetent, when the truth is she's trying her best to make it a product that her client, the reporter, will be pleased to put a certification on.<br />
<br />
Until both reporter and scopist view the transcript as a product that both are striving to produce in perfection in a partnership rather than an employer-employee relationship, I feel that this situation will continue.<br />
Great conclusions, Judy -- I think we have building blocks to begin with now. So maybe all of this is boili…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2008-04-17:1736041:Comment:572232008-04-17T02:45:20.891ZJudyhttps://csrnation.ning.com/profile/JudyRunes
So maybe all of this is boiling down to...<br />
<br />
Can you (socpists & proofreaders in general) give recommendations to reporters on how they can save themselves from dealing with bad scopists?<br />
<br />
And can reporters give guidance to scopists & proofreaders on what we consider customary, and anything beyond that is extraordinary and gets billed accordingly?<br />
<br />
How's that?
So maybe all of this is boiling down to...<br />
<br />
Can you (socpists & proofreaders in general) give recommendations to reporters on how they can save themselves from dealing with bad scopists?<br />
<br />
And can reporters give guidance to scopists & proofreaders on what we consider customary, and anything beyond that is extraordinary and gets billed accordingly?<br />
<br />
How's that? The voluntary certification o…tag:csrnation.ning.com,2008-04-17:1736041:Comment:572212008-04-17T02:36:30.507ZKathleen Iuzzolinohttps://csrnation.ning.com/profile/KathleenIuzzolino
The voluntary certification of RPR did not begin with a bang either. Reporters really didn't care about it. This was going on while I was in reporting school. To combat the problem of no one caring about the NSRA (which is what it was called back then) and their extraneous testing, the NSRA just grandfathered all the existing reporters. They didn't have to pass any testing. Nada.<br />
<br />
So do you suppose they would do the same for scopists, too? That would sort of negate your desired effect, wouldn't…
The voluntary certification of RPR did not begin with a bang either. Reporters really didn't care about it. This was going on while I was in reporting school. To combat the problem of no one caring about the NSRA (which is what it was called back then) and their extraneous testing, the NSRA just grandfathered all the existing reporters. They didn't have to pass any testing. Nada.<br />
<br />
So do you suppose they would do the same for scopists, too? That would sort of negate your desired effect, wouldn't it?<br />
<br />
I've been working since the '70s. Why would I care about their initials? Will all of my reporters cease using me, even though they are quite aware of my abilities? I think not.<br />
<br />
And that's precisely what they experienced in trying to set up the RPR program.