A scopist is a professional who provides computer-aided transcription services for court reporters. The scopist receives the reporter's translated, unedited, unresearched notes on a computer disk or via modem or email. With the aid of specialized software and the scopist's skills of translating any undefined stenotype into English, punctuating, researching and formatting, flagging any questionable areas, the transcript is then returned to the reporter ready to be proofread.
Cost Benefit Analysis
The following is an example of how a reporter can actually make more money by using a scopist:
Day 1
Reporter A (with scopist) Reporter B (without scopist)
Appearance Fee: $75 Appearance Fee: $75
200 pgs. @ $2: $400 200 pgs. @ $2: $400
They each make $475 for that day.
Day 2
Reporter A (with scopist) Reporter B (w/o scopist)
Appearance Fee: $75 Scoping own work: $0
200 pgs. @ $2: $400
Makes: $475 for the day Makes $0 for the day
Reporter A pays $0.75 per page to the scopist ($150.00) and ends up with $325.00 for the day. Reporter B spent the day scoping the job from Day 1and made no money on Day 2.
Summary:
Reporter A makes $650 (plus the tax deduction of $300 paid to the scopist ) for the two days and Reporter B makes $475. Reporter A makes $175 more than Reporter B, and the scopist is tax deductible. A busy reporter may be losing money if he or she is not using a scopist.
(The above numbers are for example only.)
Day 1
Reporter A (with scopist) Reporter B (without scopist)
Appearance Fee: $75 Appearance Fee: $75
200 pgs. @ $2: $400 200 pgs. @ $2: $400
They each make $475 for that day.
Day 2
Reporter A (with scopist) Reporter B (w/o scopist)
Appearance Fee: $75 Scoping own work: $0
200 pgs. @ $2: $400
Makes: $475 for the day Makes $0 for the day
Reporter A pays $0.75 per page to the scopist ($150.00) and ends up with $325.00 for the day. Reporter B spent the day scoping the job from Day 1and made no money on Day 2.
Summary:
Reporter A makes $650 (plus the tax deduction of $300 paid to the scopist ) for the two days and Reporter B makes $475. Reporter A makes $175 more than Reporter B, and the scopist is tax deductible. A busy reporter may be losing money if he or she is not using a scopist.
(The above numbers are for example only.)