QUESTION: Okay, Mr. Steno Rebel, the 100s speed doesn't seem to be nearly as bad as all the rumors that XXXXXX and XXXXXX told me about. For the most part, I have noteably improved on how to drop the "bad" stuff, but I can't seem to throw quotation marks in with the "good" stuff that I'm writing. Is accurately quoting something important at this stage of the game (particularaly during Q & A material), or will not doing so hinder me in the future?

Jess

ANSWER: Punctuation can be difficult, even when you are talking about periods and commas. Quotations are about the toughest.

The rule is that you must use quotation marks around quotes. Like, duh.

But how can you do that and keep up with the dictation. For the most part, you can't. It can be impossible to distinguish a quote from a regular sentence until you have heard the entire sentence.

You can't afford to wait. You must continue to stroke. And that means that you will miss the opening quotation mark a lot of the time.

On the other hand, I have found the closing quotation mark to be a valuable tool. Since we do tend to miss the opening quote, it can be a lifesaver to insert the closing quote.

It makes a teacher uneasy to argue anything other than a full unswerving devotion to the rules. But remember, I am not saying that you shouldn't use quotes. I am just recognizing reality. It can be hard to tell when to use them. Insert them every chance you can, but keep those strokes coming. No hesitation.

It will become easier over time. You are lucky that you have a good grasp of the basics. I remember one class that I had. Everybody in it was tough. One day I asked, "What comes after a period?" One guy stood up and said, "That's when you file the appeal."

Steve Shastay
Steno Rebel