I offer TWO interactive, multimedia online courses for Transcript Proofreading: Theory and Practice™:
A free, 7-day introductory course
The intro course is for those interested in learning about “proofreading for profit” in general. Subscribers receive one short lesson each day via e-mail with actionable tips to get started in the traditional proofreading world (not transcripts), rookie mistakes to avoid, a tricky grammar quiz to test their aptitude, plus bits and pieces of what I do and how I do it mixed in. This course is not a substitute for actual training of any kind, and we include a disclaimer on Day 1 (housed in a giant yellow box) to state this clearly. Enroll here.
An intensive, rigorous online course in transcript proofreading.
Called Transcript Proofreading: Theory and Practice™, this hands-on, multimedia course spans 54 lessons across nine modules. It is currently the only structured training program in transcript proofreading available (see the course syllabus and our press release on TheJCR.com). Students proofread 50 practice jobs of varying difficulty and topics (medical included) — all together, there are 3,109 practice pages. Students have access to the annotated versions of each practice transcript to test themselves. This course is not free, and completion takes between 2-4 months, with most students finishing in about 8-10 weeks. Students take a multiple-choice final exam at the end of the course, after which they complete a manually graded exam transcript. Students must receive at least a 90% to pass and receive their official certificate and certificate number. In short, just as the description “intensive course” denotes, it is not easy.
Q: I heard your training is really short. Is this true?
A: No. The full course takes 2-4 months and sometimes even longer to complete. Students must take three exams and receive at least 90% to pass.
Why Are You Teaching Transcript Proofreading?
Two reasons.
First, there was no training just for transcript proofreaders. So how will they know typing an errata sheet is not only painstakingly slow, but it puts them at risk of missing mistakes because their eyes are constantly darting from place to place on the page? Do they know the nitty-gritty stuff, such as what words should never appear in an examination under oath, the differences between British and American spellings, or what things should always/never happen in an interpreted deposition? How will they know if no one has taught them? Is a 10-page PDF of formats or a simple preference questionnaire enough? I don’t think so.
Second, this is a great way to earn money … if you do it right. It’s not a ton of money, you won’t become a millionaire, and it’s not easy, but it’s very rewarding work, and only the strong survive. You gotta have mad skills to make it. I teach my students if you screw up, it’s on you, not me, so you’d best take your time going through the course to truly master the skill. It’s also great you can literally do the work from anywhere (within reason). I read 99% of my work at home on the couch, but occasionally it’s nice to pass the time on a long flight or road trip, too. I’ve even been known to don my noise-canceling headphones so I can spend airport time productively.
Is This Course Effective?
For those who put in the work, yes, the course is extremely effective. Just like in any profession, there will occasionally be the “bad apples” who cheat, take shortcuts, or otherwise reflect badly both on Proofread Anywhere and on the “good apples” who choose to do things the right way.
We work tirelessly to provide the highest standard of training for proofreaders in the court reporting profession.
We work, and the course works.
See LOTS more testimonials from Facebook
Court reporters see the value in this revolutionary program, too.
See what a former client of mine had to say about working with my program grads:
The firm Stefanie mentioned was US Legal Support, with whom I’ve contracted since 2012. Read an interview with my personal mentor, Sandi Estevez, General Manager of US Legal.
Do Your Students Really Make Money Doing This?
Yes. Here’s how much, on average, students have made in the first two months post successful course completion.
You can also watch this video (63 minutes) of a live Q&A we held on September 30, which features me, five current and past students, plus several “proofreading-curious” folks.
More Frequently Asked Questions
We’re ridiculously thorough and transparent about anything and everything to do with transcript proofreading, the course, this website — you name it, we will tell it like it is.
Proofreading isn’t for everyone, and we do our best to ensure only those who are a good fit invest in our training. We have no problems telling prospective students if we don’t believe they’re cut out for proofreading.
Here are some topics in our FAQs section:
- Is the free 7-day intro course enough training? (Short answer: Not even close.)
- Is this a scam?
- Can anyone do this? (Short answer: NO.)
- I already proofread other types of texts. Isn’t that enough to proofread transcripts? (Short answer: NO.)
- Is there a demand for proofreaders?
- Why do you recommend an iPad? Which one should I use?
- How long does it take students to find work after finishing the course?
- Does the course help me find work?
- Is the proofreading market flooded?
- What makes you qualified to teach proofreading?
- I’m a court reporter. How do I know I can trust proofreaders who complete your program?
CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR COMPLETE LIST OF FAQs
If you do not score 90% or better when you take the exam for Transcript Proofreading: Theory and Practice, can you retake the test? If so, can the student retake it for no cost? If not, what is the cost?
There are 4 included attempts with each exam. Attempts after that are $60.