TECHNOLOGY AND THE FUTURE OF SCOPING

When considering a new career, one of the first questions you should ask yourself is what is the future of this occupation?  Especially when considering how technology might affect your job.

Workplace technology has advanced at a never-before-seen rate. The MIT Technology Review states that the pandemic has accelerated the move to a hybrid workplace, and also has amplified the use of technology in our workplace (Insight, 2020). A survey published by McKinsey & Company shows how “COVID-19 has pushed companies over the technology tipping point–and transformed business forever.” The survey explains that in the first few months of the pandemic, “the share of digital or digitally enabled products in their portfolios has accelerated by a shocking seven years.”  Without a doubt, technology is playing a greater part in every workplace, so the question is how is it affecting the scoping industry?

Technology and the future of scoping can be a controversial subject in the industry. Scoping and court reporting are linked, so to talk about one, we have to talk about the other. After a court reporter writes steno notes of the proceedings, a scopist then edits those files. Because we now have improved and more common audio to text technology, it’s a common misconception that court reporting will slowly be replaced by software that translates audio files to text and that technology will advance enough that scopists will be less and less in demand. However, the opposite is actually true. Even as technology advances, legal proceedings will still happen, and the transcripts from those proceedings will still need to be edited. Scopists fill that need. It’s controversial because court reporters feel it threatens their livelihood and it undermines the skill they possess. Like anyone, they do not appreciate the suggestion that they are replaceable by a machine. Nothing can replace the human brain.

Have you ever tried the voice to text option on your smartphone?  What was the result?  Were there still errors to correct? Yes? Exactly! Court reporters can do something that recording devices can’t.  They can see the person talking, read lips, and they can process multiple people talking at once. Margie Wakeman Wells, an English instructor specializing in the court reporting industry and known for her best-selling reference text Court Reporting: Bad Grammar/Good Punctuation, calls it “You had to be there” punctuation, and sometimes, as a scopist, listening to the file, you have to trust the reporter. They were there. A scopist’s job relies on the court reporter’s transcript to be able to format and fix those kinds of errors, whether it be grammar, the spelling of industry jargon, or punctuation.

So, if the human court reporter is superior to any known machine, why are some court proceedings still turning to voice and video recordings and transcription services? To put it clearly, there is a serious shortage of court reporters. In addition, as in any industry, court systems and law firms are trying to save money. This creates a situation where digital reporting, video, or just audio recording becomes really tempting. The court reporter is getting cut out of the picture as proceedings get videotaped and sent straight to a transcriptionist. The demand for proceedings outweighs the availability of court reporters. Something needs to fill the gap. This is just a fact. It’s in the numbers.

While a scopist can choose to scope files from video and audio recordings, Scoping International really feels that having a court reporter at a proceeding is and will continue to be the best option. The other options are usually found wanting, and those who tried them come back to court reporters. The faculty at Scoping International states, “We really think more needs to be done to raise awareness that this industry exists, it’s viable, and will never disappear, at least not in the foreseeable future.” Whether you want to become a court reporter or a scopist, the future looks bright. Here at Scoping International, “We want to be a part of the future. Our goal is to bring awareness to these industries and help educate the next generation of scopists.”

For the foreseeable future, audio and video recording technology won’t affect scoping that much. However, the majority of court reporters are reaching retirement age, and as trained professional court reporters become less and less available, digital reporting and recordings will become the standard. Even though technology is playing a greater part in the workplace and is affecting the scoping industry to some degree, this doesn’t directly impact the scoping industry too much. What will possibly change is the format in which scopists receive court proceedings. At any rate, those transcripts will still need to be formatted by a scopist.

If you are looking for a new career that offers you the flexibility to work from anywhere with an increasing demand for skilled workers, then visit our homepage and take the quiz to see if scoping is the right fit for you.

START YOUR OWN SCOPING BUSINESS THIS YEAR

Starting a new business is unlike starting a new job. You don’t have any co-workers, assistants, and everything is up to you. You don’t have the same systems in place, and there are very few checks and balances when you start your own business unless you institute them yourself. But let’s face it, that’s the main reason you probably want to start working from home this year, right? The best reason to start working as a scopist from home is the flexibility and the freedom it affords you and your family.  

Start your own business online

Imagine you’ve enrolled in the first section of the scoping course. You’ve finished reading through all the requirements, and you’ve decided to take the plunge and enroll in the Complete Scoping Course by Scoping International. The second section is a little more involved, and there are lots of things coming at you. Perhaps, you’ve been a bit derailed with family life or the holiday season. Not to worry, we are here to help you get back on your feet and help you reach your goal of starting your scoping business this year.

One of the most proven techniques for staying focused is knowing exactly why you have invested in this new venture. Investing time, money, and effort can take a lot out of you if you aren’t quite sure of your reasons for doing it. This course is an investment, not only monetarily, but timewise too. Even though the course is self-paced, you will be busy studying and learning new things. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and full of self-doubt at this stage. But now is the right time to remember why you started and what your end goal is.  

GOALS FOR THIS YEAR

  • Freedom to work from anywhere.
  • Flexibility to work from where you want to be.
  • Financial independence and the ability to reach your financial goals.

Figure out your approach to the course. Will you take it a bit easier and do it part-time, or will you devote six to eight hours a day of learning? This, of course, is entirely up to you. This course is self-paced, and you have lifetime access to it.  Keep in mind your goals. If you are hoping to set up as a working scopist before the end of the year, then here are a few tips and techniques to help you stay focused and productive.

PRODUCTIVITY TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

  1. The Pomodoro Technique: A time management method, the technique uses a timer to break down work into intervals, traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. 
  2. Self-affirmations: According to Heathline.com, affirmations can help strengthen self-worth by boosting both your positive opinion of yourself and your confidence in your ability to achieve your goals. They can also help counter the feelings of panic, stress, and self-doubt that often accompany anxiety.
  3. Support system: Having a strong support system gives you a group of people that you can go to for assistance with your issues. Besides family and friends, Scoping International has a student forum and one-on-one calls to give you the support you need, when you need it.

Whether you have the extra time because you are out of work or you’ve set time aside to work on the course, there is no need to feel overwhelmed as to what your future as a scopist will look like. You don’t need the best or most powerful equipment, but you will need a laptop or desktop to begin. Although the software will most likely be your biggest investment, if you don’t already own headphones, you’ll need to get those to use during the main part of the course when you begin listening to files.

Once you’ve made a commitment to yourself and registered for the full course, set time aside each day to work on it. Take advantage of the student forum and the one-to-one support calls from the Scoping International faculty. You can purchase up to two support calls with the initial complete course. These one-on-one calls are also available to purchase at any time for students of Scoping International, past or present. Step-by-step, you are moving closer to starting your new career as a scopist.

THINGS TO GET YOU STARTED

  • Laptop or Desktop
  • Headphones
  • Software

Before you can officially start your own scoping business this year, you will need to find clients. You are probably wondering how to get work in your new field. As a scopist, you are self-employed, but at the same time, you are dependent on work flowing from various court reporters. Some scopists work for one court reporter and others take work from a variety of court reporters. 

Typically, scopists get work through their networks. Networking for a scopist looks a little different than most jobs, especially if you are new to the online job market. Initially, you will be connected with the faculty at Scoping International, and that is the beginning of your network.  The faculty will get to know your strengths through the course and any one-on-one calls you book.

Once you get your first job, it is imperative that you do the best job you can. This court reporter will be your personal advertising agent. Word of mouth is huge in this industry, as scopists are usually the unseen and unheard freelancers working behind the scenes. 

HOW TO FIND CLIENTS

  • Job Boards
  • Networking
  • Referrals

As you begin your career as a scopist, stay connected with us. We are here to support you all the way. Our goal is to create a network of modern scopists on the cutting edge of industry standards. Starting your scoping business this year starts with successfully finishing the Complete Scoping Course. Are you ready to take step one of starting your own scoping business? Start our signature scoping course today.

WHAT IS SCOPING AND WHAT DO SCOPISTS DO?

Scopisits edit transcripts of legal court proceedings

We know how hard it is to find a work from home job that is fulfilling and can support a family these days. If you like working on your computer and having control of your workflow, perhaps scoping is the right career for you. We are excited to tell you more, so let’s dive right into what is scoping and what a scopist does.  

Scoping has been around for decades. It’s in demand, reliable, and can be more lucrative than other work from home occupations. No doubt, before landing on our website, you may have never heard of scoping before. So let’s break it down for you and give you details as to what a scopist does and what kind of skill set is required.

Scoping is the process of taking the raw transcript data from the court reporter and turning it into a polished transcript. The process of turning the rough transcript into a clean transcript may take a considerable amount of time, time that the court reporter may use to complete other stenography jobs or have a life! Instead, the verbatim recording is handed over to the scopist, who takes the time to ensure that the translated transcript is completed quickly, timely, and accurately returned as a scoped file to the client.

A scopist’s job is to assist the court reporter in the transcription process.

A scopist edits the transcripts of legal court proceedings created by court reporters. After a court reporter transcribes the proceedings from spoken word, a scopist formats the transcript, checks for accuracy, and edits grammar and punctuation. This partnership between the court reporter and the scopist allows the court reporter to take on more work and therefore make more money.  Since court reporting is in demand and projected to grow faster than the average occupation in the next 10 years, scopists will subsequently be in demand.

Here are a few skills a scopist needs:

  • Excellent grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, and research skills
  • Develop a good knowledge of legal terminology
  • Accurate typing skills 
  • Attention to detail
  • Ability to work on their own 
  • Be a self-starter
  • Good communicator, organized, open to feedback
  • Good problem-solving skills 

One of our founders, Coralie Östberg, found scoping when she was looking for a flexible work from home career.  She started out as a proofreader, then put some time in and acquired the skills necessary to become a scopist.  After six years of working as a proofreader and scopist, Coralie has this to say about her chosen career.

“I love scoping because I enjoy the challenge of working with the English language mixed with the nuances of dealing with a verbatim record. I also love what scoping has done for my life. I finally have a skill, one that has allowed my husband and I to travel to many countries, one that allows us to live in any country we choose, and now a skill that allows me to continue to work and be able to spend time with my daughter.”

Scoping is a career that is flexible, in-demand, and satisfies the desires of any word nerd. Scoping can be done at home in your own little office, on your couch in front of the fire, or on a flight taking you to Bali for the winter. 

You can get started at absolutely no cost and see if scoping is right for you.

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