How Long To Learn Shorthand

Speed-Writing: How to Write Shorthand, A Skill Worth Knowing

From lecture notes to study notes, college involves a lot of writing. Not merely do yous need to write oft, only you also demand to write at a decent speed in order to go on upward with lecturers while they are talking. This would make information technology worthwhile for you to learn shorthand. Let's get an understanding of what shorthand writing is, why it'south a valuable skill to accept, and how you can showtime learning how to write autograph.

What is Shorthand?

A male student at the University of the People practicing shorthand.

Photo byBurst fromPexels

Shorthand is a system of writing that uses symbols to correspond letters, words, or phrases. Writing with autograph symbols allows you to write at a quicker speed than traditional handwriting. Y'all will presently acquire that shorthand is too used by many professionals, in places such as law courts.

There is more one blazon of shorthand writing. The beginning mod arrangement was developed past Sir Isaac Pitman in 1837. In his system, Pitman used symbols to represent the sounds made by words. This system is known as Pitman autograph, and is withal popular in the UK today.

In 1888, John Robert Gregg published his own system of shorthand. While he studied Pitman shorthand, he decided to make changes that he thought would better the shorthand arrangement. He and then took the Gregg shorthand organisation to the United States, where it has since get the most pop form of autograph.

Another well-known class of shorthand writing is Teeline. Information technology is one of the newer systems equally it was developed in 1968. This arrangement got quite a lot of popularity in the British republic, where it is often taught to journalists.

How To Write Shorthand

Footstep i: Choose A Arrangement

Firstly, you need to cull which arrangement yous want to learn. Consider how much time you have to learn the arrangement, as well as how fast yous want to exist able to write. Some of the quicker systems of shorthand are newer versions of Pitman and Gregg shorthand. Examples of these are Gregg Pre-Anniversary, Gregg Anniversary, and New Era Pitman. If you have express time, the quicker versions of autograph to learn are Gregg Diamond Jubilee and Pitman 2000.

Let'due south take a look at the main shorthand systems that you can choose from:

Pitman Shorthand

If y'all chief this course of autograph, you should be able to write 200 words per minute. This system uses thick and thin strokes to correspond different sounds, so you will need a steel-tipped pen to write this type of autograph. The organisation as well uses a lot of dots and dashes.

Gregg Autograph

This organization indicates vowels with circles, and in that location is a heavy amount of symbols to memorize. While it may take a long time to acquire, this organisation will let you to write over 200 words per minute once y'all take mastered it.

Teeline Shorthand

This is a class of shorthand that is based on the forms of the alphabet. Information technology involves writing smaller vowels and consonants and focusing on writing essential letters. This form of shorthand is also often taught to journalists.

Stride 2: Get together The Right Learning Resources

Once y'all accept chosen a organization, you can start gathering resource to larn how to apply information technology. One of the all-time places to start would exist the net. Wait for text and video tutorials on how to use the system besides as practise examples. Some not bad YouTube channels that provide tutorials on shorthand include Shorthandly and Teeline Online.

Other places you could look include local libraries, bookstores, and online bookstores. Because many shorthand books may no longer be in impress, many bookstores may not supply them. In this case, it would be smashing to cheque out libraries as often libraries go on older books equally well equally newer books.

It may also be a good thought to check out some old "text kits." These kits often include recordings of how to use shorthand every bit well as written notes. They may also include tests so that you can cheque your progress.

Finally, you may want to await for a autograph dictionary, which will evidence you exactly how to write different words in shorthand.

Step three: Practicing Shorthand

Before y'all start practising shorthand, information technology is important to note that it will probably accept a while before y'all get the hang of information technology. If ever you hear of claims that you can learn shorthand in a few hours, yous should not take them too seriously.

When you offset practising, make sure that you take the fourth dimension to principal the shorthand symbols before trying to build up your speed. Doing and so will ensure that yous do not make as well many mistakes from the beginning. Information technology is likewise important to recollect that your speed will build up every bit you get more comfortable with the system.

Next, it will be important to make sure that you exercise regularly. Practise a few short sessions each day and brand sure to practice writing messages and words repeatedly. You could also test yourself with dictation exercises. This means recording yourself and writing downward the words that you lot spoke using shorthand.

Alternative Learning Methods

A female student at the University of the People writing in shorthand.

Photograph pastbruce mars fromPexels

To relieve time, you can learn an easier shorthand method. Consider learning speed writing or stenoscript, which utilise the ordinary alphabet. You could also create your own shorthand system. Beneath are some more examples of shorthand systems you could acquire.

i. Handywrite

This organisation is like to Greggs in the fashion that information technology uses many of the same symbols for consonants. Information technology also uses similar strokes to Greggs, which are cursive and fast.

2. Bell's Invisible Speech

This arrangement was adult to tape any human oral communication sound. This system reduces all song sounds into a series of symbols.

3. Blissymbolics

This organisation uses descriptive pictures to symbolize concepts, rather than just words. This system was created equally a universal language that people who speak different languages can use to communicate with each other.

Why is Learning Autograph Valuable?

Firstly, writing in shorthand is much quicker than standard writing. Standard handwriting reaches speeds of 20 to 30 words per minute, which is too slow to record someone speaking. The average autograph speed of some people has been recorded at over 200 words per minute. This makes shorthand better for taking notes. Because of the difference in speed, autograph is an of import skill to learn to keep up with lecturers when taking notes.

Shorthand has also proven to exist useful in many lines of work. Personal administration and secretaries use for it for infinitesimal taking, while journalists apply information technology when documenting a news story. Court reporters use it when typing on a stenotype car. Stenographers, who transcribe messages and documents, are ofttimes employed in law offices.

Shorthand is helpful for taking down all important details when getting instructions from your boss or conveying a phone bulletin. Often, vocalism-recognition software makes mistakes, particularly if someone gets words mixed up or names wrong. A person using shorthand can identify and rectify such mistakes.

Shorthand also provides personal benefits such every bit improving your listening, summarizing, and memory skills. It is also skillful for your CV, as it shows you have commitment to learning a new skill. Overall, autograph reduces the time yous spend on writing, and the time that you save tin be utilized for other tasks.

Now that you empathise what shorthand is, how to learn it, and why it is a valuable skill, you tin try information technology for yourself!