F.A.Q. on Intersteno competitions.

Here are the answers to the most frequently questions about the competitions. If you are going to take part in one or more of them, please read carefully the information included in the rulings, which are available in the three basic languages of Intersteno (English - French - German). Additional information can be directly asked to the Jury President using the form provided in the menu on the left or writing at [email protected]

Which benefits do I gain taking part at the Intersteno competitions?

We could give a long list of answers: here are the main ones:

you get an impartial and world-wide recognized certification of your abilities
you join a group of highly motivated people, who believe in the practical and professional use of your technology and know the efforts beyond your participation
you can exchange ideas which help improving your performances
you can bring in your personal history and be appreciated
you will have fun and, why not? Maybe you will find your destiny!

Who becomes 'world champion' ?

For 'Text production' only  the first place in the list of keyboarding competitors is 'World champion'. For steno competitions(i.e. speech capture competitions) the world champion is the best among the first places irrespective of the technology used. Since classifications lists are grouped for age, the first in the young (up to 20 years) or students (up to 17 years) group become 'World champion' respecting the general rules for becoming 'World champion'.

Where can I find the rules for a typewriting competition?

You find them on the 'Text production rulings' of the menu here on the left. Intersteno has decided to use a more general definition of this kind of competition, since different technologies can be used to prepare text i.e. keyboarding, steno-machines, speech-recognition. For each technology a different classification list is set up. Today at the worldwide competitions traditional typewriters are no longer used.

Why I have to deliver my work on diskette or CD-Rom?

For text preparation, text correction and the word processing competition, it is compulsory to deliver your work on diskette or CD-Rom, since the evaluation is automatically done with special software, reducing the time needed for corrections and ensuring a fair evaluation of the faults, according to the Intersteno rules. It is also compulsory for fast-transcription competition. It is welcomed by jury members for multilingual and speed steno competitions.

The points are calculated by deducting from the total number of written strokes the number of faults multiplied by 100. The points show the results in the classification list. Thus, whoever makes the least faults is awarded a better score, even if the speed is the same.

Can I redo competition, If my computer fails?

Unfortunately not, unless you are able to repair the computer by yourself.

Which are the prizes for the best places in the competition?

Normally a diploma and a medal are awarded to the first three places of each competition. Additional prizes are released according to national usage but prize money is not foreseen in any case.

Any technology can be used to take down (i.e. capture) the speech, such as shorthand, steno keyboard of any kind (Stenograph, Grandjean, Michela etc.) computer keyboard included.  Therefore speech capture is a general definition relating to the ability to take down a speech and transcribe it in plain letters. Today transcripts are mainly done via keyboarding or directly by decryption of steno notes.

What is a stenomask?

It's a device used by speech reporters who use speech recognition to produce their reports. The stenomask means that dictation is not audible and therefore does not interfere with the speaker or the audience.

Which kind of 'steno' is admitted to Intersteno competitions?

The word 'steno' is today used in a broad sense. Any kind of 'steno' i.e. shorthand or stenotype can be used for 'steno competition', as well as speech recognition and keyboards of any kind. Separate classification lists are produced according to each technology.

You cannot do this, since this part tests your ability to be able to take down a speech at a low speed, and it represents the topic that has to be minuted.

I use shorthand, can I take part in Fast competition?

Of course, provided you are able to make a transcription (by hand or keyboarding) in a short time (i.e. Fast transcription). Please be aware that you must deliver the transcript within a maximum of three times the successfully transcribed minutes. If, for example, you have been able to follow and transcribe four minutes of dictation, you must deliver the transcript within 12 minutes.

I would like to participate in the multilingual competition, but I am not able to write at the required speed for my mother tongue.

You are not obliged to take part at the competition in your mother tongue, provided you are able to write at least in two foreign languages. If you successfully participate in the mother tongue competition, you have an additional bonus which permits a better position in the classification list.

Text revision by Peter Walker