You must prepare for the exam by studying the WAEC Shorthand syllabus. The format, notes, and goals for the shorthand exam are all included.
You must prepare for your exam by studying the shorthand subject. You can use it as a guide to help you decide which topics to read about. Additionally, there are notes on ideas that you ought to learn carefully.
Exam preparation without the use of Shorthand is equivalent to going to the farm without your farm equipment. You won’t be effective in the end.
Make sure to use the syllabus when you start your exam preparations.
The West African Examination Council’s suggested textbooks and shorthand are included in this article (WAEC).
Contents
WAEC Shorthand
Scheme of Examination
It will take two minutes to dictate two chapters at a rate of 80 words per minute. The passages’ syllabic intensities should range between 1.35 and 1.40.
The duration of each passage is three minutes. After the final reading, applicants will have five minutes to read through their shorthand notes before transcription gets started. The typewriter must be used for all transcription.
Shorthand and English dictionaries may be used. The examination will last 1 hour and 13 minutes (6 minutes for dictation, 7 minutes for intervals and 1 hour for transcription).
WAEC Shorthand Syllabus
- Business Matters
One of the passages for dictation shall be business in nature e.g. Letters, Memoranda, Reports, and any other related topics.
- Literary Matters
The other passage shall be literary and within the experience of the candidates. It shall not be technical or controversial.
Notes on the Examination
- Candidates must provide their own typewriters, shorthand notebooks, and other writing materials.
- The shorthand notes may be written with either pen or pencil. The shorthand notes must be attached to the transcripts.
- Specially marked typing papers will be supplied by the Council. No typing paper other than those supplied by the Council may be used.
- Candidates shall not be allowed to make any carbon copy.
- The shorthand readers shall be allowed access to the passages twenty minutes before the dictation commences.
A preliminary passage of 2 minutes duration will be dictated before the commencement of the actual examination to enable candidates to become accustomed to the reader’s voice. The preliminary passage must not be transcribed and does not form part of the examination.
- The candidate’s shorthand teacher may be appointed to dictate the passages. The invigilator must check the dictation and note errors or deviations from the total time allowed for each passage. A signed certificate of the actual time taken should be returned with the completed scripts.
- As quarter-minute indications are printed on each passage. Care should be taken to articulate the words very distinctly. Punctuations must be indicated by the inflexion of the voice and in no case dictated.
- The reader is expected to leave the examination hall immediately after the dictation, taking away with him the shorthand passages. These should be returned to the Council or an official of the Council where one is available. On no account should the passages be left with either the Invigilator or Supervisor.
Recommended Text
READING LIST
- First course – Pitman
- First course review – Pitman 2000
- Pitman 2000 Phrase Book
- First Dictionary – Pitman 2000 shorthand
- 700 common words – Pitman 2000
- Office skills magazines
- Journals
- Speed development – Pitman 2000 Bryan Coombs
- Speed builder – Bryan Coombs