How do Stenographers type so fast?

Stenographers are usually thought of as the people in courtrooms that type out everything that’s said during a trial.

And while that certainly is one job a stenographer does, it’s not the only one.

Stenographers are skilled freelancers who can work anywhere, not just in the judicial system, and there are many businesses out there who hire these highly-skilled people to make their life easier.

But the question is, how do stenographers type so fast?

How do stenographers type so fast?

The average typing speed on a normal qwerty keyboard is around 40 words per minute.

Professional typists can average up to twice that, with some excelling at 95 words per minute.

Stenographers can type at an astounding 360 words per minute, with an accuracy rate of 99.8%.

That’s typing as fast as someone is speaking.

So how do they do it?

The answer lies with the stenograph machine itself; it’s not the same as a keyboard.

A regular keyboard produces one character per strike, limiting how fast a person can enter information.

A stenograph, however, works differently.

Instead of typing out the full word, shorthand is used. These shorthand keys are based on how a word sounds rather than how it is spelled. So instead of typing out h-e-l-l-o using 5 strikes of the keyboard, the same word can be written in just two: Hel-O

Each stenographer has their own pre-set list of shortcuts to help them along, with many specific to the industry they work in.

Writing on a stenograph is more akin to playing the piano than typing on a keyboard, ass you can press different keys at the same time to produce different results.

Why you might need a stenographer

The business world is fast-paced, with deals being made and contracts signed every day.

It certainly doesn’t hurt to make sure everything is noted, recorded and accurate, but how do you do that without getting bogged down?

It’s incredibly time-consuming to type out everything being said during a meeting. Sure, you can take notes in shorthand, but that’s running the risk of missing something important.

This is where a stenographer can help.

A stenographer is a skilled freelancer, who can work anywhere, not just in the judicial system, and there are many businesses out there who hire these highly-skilled people to make their life easier.

Of course, when it comes to trials, depositions, and arbitrations, being able to type that fast is crucial when things need to be recorded as quickly and accurately as possible.

Secretaries and typists can take minutes of meetings, or shorthand notes and type them up later, but when it comes to speed and accuracy, nothing beats a stenographer.

Call us for the best stenographers in the country

If you’re looking to hire a stenographer, then there are two things you need to focus on; speed and accuracy.

121 Captions founder Tina Lannin has been deaf from birth, and so unlike other caption companies, we know the struggle of the hard-of-hearing community.

Tina has built up an impressive team of stenographers over the years, each meeting the highest standards set by the appropriate registration bodies.

We can provide both on-site and remote live captioning, making businesses, conferences, events, teleconference calls, meetings, and seminars all more accessible.

As one of the most respected companies in the industry, we have built up an incredible team of professional stenographers who meet the highest standards set by the appropriate registration bodies, providing live captioning in 19 languages.

121 pride ourselves on a 100% accuracy target, and we’re so confident in our expert’s skills that we offer a no-quibble 100% money-back guarantee.

If you’re not happy with our captioning services, we’ll give you your money back.

Contact us today if you would like to hire a stenographer or want to know more about our services.