CRI Student Assessment & Mentoring 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A student passes dictation tests consistently but submits transcripts with chronic punctuation errors. The mentor should address this by:
- Ignoring punctuation since it does not affect speed scores
- Integrating punctuation rules into transcript review and requiring corrected re-submissions (Correct answer)
- Reducing the student's speed level until punctuation improves
- Referring all punctuation concerns to a grammar instructor only
Correct answer: Integrating punctuation rules into transcript review and requiring corrected re-submissions
Integrating punctuation instruction into transcript review connects the rule to authentic practice output and promotes transfer.
Question 2: Which of the following is an example of summative assessment in a court reporting program?
- Weekly speed drills used to identify areas for practice
- End-of-semester final speed examination determining whether a student advances (Correct answer)
- Daily feedback on error patterns during lab sessions
- A mid-lesson check to see if a student understands a new brief
Correct answer: End-of-semester final speed examination determining whether a student advances
Summative assessments evaluate cumulative learning at the end of an instructional period and determine advancement or completion.
Question 3: When a student disagrees with an instructor's error count on a graded transcript, best practice is to:
- Dismiss the student's concern and finalize the grade
- Change the grade automatically to avoid conflict
- Review the disputed items together using the agreed-upon grading rubric (Correct answer)
- Ask another student to re-grade the transcript
Correct answer: Review the disputed items together using the agreed-upon grading rubric
Reviewing disputed items against an established rubric ensures transparency, consistency, and a learning opportunity for the student.
Question 4: A CRI mentoring a working reporter who is developing CART skills should FIRST assess the mentee's:
- Steno machine brand preference
- Current realtime translation rate and untranslate frequency (Correct answer)
- Familiarity with ADA accommodation law
- Typing speed on a standard keyboard
Correct answer: Current realtime translation rate and untranslate frequency
CART proficiency is fundamentally built on realtime translation quality, making the current untranslate rate the most critical baseline measure.
Question 5: Inter-rater reliability in court reporting transcript grading means:
- All graders finish grading at the same time
- Different instructors grading the same transcript reach consistent error counts (Correct answer)
- Students agree with the instructor's grade
- Only one instructor grades each student's work
Correct answer: Different instructors grading the same transcript reach consistent error counts
Inter-rater reliability ensures that grading standards are consistent across different evaluators, producing fair and defensible scores.
Question 6: A mentor reviewing a student's theory outlines discovers systematic omission of word endings. The MOST effective instructional response is:
- Require the student to memorize the entire dictionary
- Design targeted drills focused on suffix briefs and word-ending patterns (Correct answer)
- Advance the student to the next speed level to force correction
- Ask the student to switch steno theories
Correct answer: Design targeted drills focused on suffix briefs and word-ending patterns
Targeted suffix drills directly address the identified pattern weakness and build the habit of consistent word-ending strokes.
Question 7: Which principle of adult learning (andragogy) is MOST relevant when mentoring experienced reporters pursuing CRI certification?
- Adults learn best through rote memorization
- Adults are self-directed and bring prior experience that should inform instruction (Correct answer)
- Adults need the same structured approach as beginning students
- Adults are primarily motivated by external rewards
Correct answer: Adults are self-directed and bring prior experience that should inform instruction
Andragogy recognizes that adult learners are self-directed and leverage rich prior experience, requiring mentor approaches that honor and build on that experience.
CRI Student Assessment & Mentoring 4
A student passes dictation tests consistently but submits transcripts with chronic punctuation errors.
The mentor should address this by: