CRI Reporting Fundamentals & Skills 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A CRI instructor is designing a curriculum for first-semester students. Which sequencing principle best supports skill development?
- Introduce phonetic theory and home-row strokes before advancing to briefs and speed building (Correct answer)
- Begin with high-speed literary drills to build finger strength immediately
- Teach conflict resolution before students have learned basic outlines
- Start with legal testimony passages to expose students to real-world material early
Correct answer: Introduce phonetic theory and home-row strokes before advancing to briefs and speed building
Foundational phonetic theory and basic stroke mechanics must precede speed and brief development to avoid reinforcing incorrect habits.
Question 2: What is the NCRA's requirement for the number of continuing education units (CEUs) a CRI must earn per three-year renewal cycle?
- 30 CEUs, with at least 3 in ethics (Correct answer)
- 15 CEUs with no specific ethics requirement
- 45 CEUs including 10 in instructional methodology
- 20 CEUs entirely in court reporting theory
Correct answer: 30 CEUs, with at least 3 in ethics
NCRA requires 30 CEUs per three-year period for credential renewal, with a mandatory minimum of 3 CEUs in professional ethics.
Question 3: During a jury charge, the judge speaks at approximately 300 wpm for 30 seconds. What is the most important skill the reporter relies on during this burst?
- Accurate brief usage and the ability to sustain peak speed without sacrificing theory integrity (Correct answer)
- Immediate real-time correction of all dictionary conflicts as they appear
- Frequent interruption of the judge to request slower delivery
- Switching to longhand notes to supplement the steno record
Correct answer: Accurate brief usage and the ability to sustain peak speed without sacrificing theory integrity
High-speed judicial charge requires the reporter to execute practiced briefs with automatic accuracy, as there is no opportunity to pause and self-correct.
Question 4: Which practice is prohibited under NCRA's Code of Professional Ethics regarding transcript delivery?
- Providing a rough draft to counsel before the final, certified transcript is complete (Correct answer)
- Delivering the certified transcript electronically via secure email
- Charging a per-page fee for expedited transcript delivery
- Including an exhibit index at the end of the certified transcript
Correct answer: Providing a rough draft to counsel before the final, certified transcript is complete
Rough drafts, while permissible as a courtesy, must be clearly labeled as uncertified drafts and must not be represented or used as the official certified transcript.
Question 5: A reporter notices that an attorney is reading from a document but not introducing it as an exhibit. How should the reporter handle the read-aloud content in the transcript?
- Transcribe the content verbatim as it is spoken and note that the document was not marked as an exhibit (Correct answer)
- Pause the proceeding and require the attorney to mark the document as an exhibit
- Summarize the content read by the attorney in a parenthetical notation
- Omit the document content until it is formally introduced into evidence
Correct answer: Transcribe the content verbatim as it is spoken and note that the document was not marked as an exhibit
Reporters transcribe all spoken words verbatim; exhibit marking is a procedural matter for counsel and the court, not the reporter.
Question 6: What distinguishes machine shorthand from other stenographic methods such as stenoscript or gregg shorthand?
- Machine shorthand uses simultaneous key combinations on a dedicated keyboard to capture phonetic sounds (Correct answer)
- Machine shorthand relies on alphabetic abbreviations written with a pen
- Machine shorthand requires the writer to spell every word letter by letter in sequence
- Machine shorthand produces a visual symbol system unrelated to English phonetics
Correct answer: Machine shorthand uses simultaneous key combinations on a dedicated keyboard to capture phonetic sounds
Machine shorthand is phonetically based and captures multiple sounds simultaneously through chord-like key combinations on a stenotype, unlike pen-based shorthand systems.
Question 7: When a CRI teaches students about verbatim reporting, which practice is considered acceptable under standard verbatim rules?
- Transcribing false starts, stutters, and repeated words exactly as spoken (Correct answer)
- Silently correcting grammatical errors made by witnesses to improve readability
- Paraphrasing lengthy answers to reduce transcript page count
- Omitting filler words such as 'um' and 'uh' for professional presentation
Correct answer: Transcribing false starts, stutters, and repeated words exactly as spoken
Verbatim reporting requires capturing all spoken words exactly as uttered, including false starts, stutters, and repetitions, without editorial correction.
CRI Reporting Fundamentals & Skills 5
A CRI instructor is designing a curriculum for first-semester students.
Which sequencing principle best supports skill development?