xstyping

Do you have English as your mother tongue?

We are always looking for highly experienced, intelligent and capable Self Employed fast and accurate Audio Typists to join our skilled quality team working from home.

Previous transcription experience is essential, as is having excellent spelling, grammar and proofreading capabilities, in addition to being highly proficient in Microsoft Word.

All applicants will need to take the following online typing test prior to being considered for acceptance.

In order to do the test you will require high speed broadband internet connection, a reliable e-mail account and your own USB digital foot pedal.

Strictly no telephone applications.

Applications will be considered only from candidates based in the following countries: (view countries list)

Personal Details

Name: (max 100 chars)
Email address: (max 100 chars)
Email again: (max 100 chars)
Country:

Brief employment history: (max 5000 chars)


Why are you interested in doing this work? (max 500 chars)


Have you applied to us previously and failed?	Yes No

Further questions

Please answer these further questions.

1.1 - Is English your native language?
yes no
1.2 - Are you able to accept payment into a Paypal account? (If you are from outside the UK this will be a prerequisite.)
yes no
1.3 - We are only able to accept people who can work for us on a Self Employed basis. Are you able to undertake work for us on a Self Employed basis? (This is a prerequisite.)
yes no
1.4 - Is your computer an AppleMac? If so, then our software will not be compatible with your machine.
yes no

Correct/incorrect statements

Please state whether the following are grammatically correct or incorrect.

2.1 - The dog was digging in the garden because it was looking for its bone.
correct incorrect
2.2 - If I had known it was going to rain, I would have brought my umbrella.
correct incorrect
2.3 - Jane suggested to go to the theatre.
correct incorrect
2.4 - This morning I rode my boat five miles down the river.
correct incorrect
2.5 - Sometimes I think he is not wholly responsible for his actions.
correct incorrect
2.6 - My son went forth into the world at the age of seventeen.
correct incorrect
2.7 - When we came to a copse in the wood we decided to set up camp.
correct incorrect
2.8 - When the judge asked me for examples I was able to site several.
correct incorrect
2.9 - I don't care what you do - you can suite yourself.
correct incorrect
2.10 - The children are playing at they're friend's house.
correct incorrect
2.11 - No sooner had I got into the bathtub than the telephone began to ring.
correct incorrect

Multiple choice questions

Read the passage below, and for each missing word, select the best response from the four choices available.

If you were born in the early 1960s, your first …(1)… of the outside world would have been from the plush interior of a coachbuilt pram, probably with four huge spoked and sprung wheels.

But Owen Finlay Maclaren, a retired aerospace engineer, test pilot and grandparent, felt these prams were too …(2)…, and he thought he could make something better using his engineering knowledge. Having worked on the design of the undercarriage of the Supermarine Spitfire, he was used to designing ultra-light structures in aluminium, …(3)… that just the right amount of strength was built in.

His first buggy weighed in at just six pounds, less than many new babies. It had a …(4)… designed double joint in the middle, and could fold in half or be clipped together, like an umbrella, with just one hand.

Maclaren …(5)… it on July 20 1965 and the first models were …(6)… the production line in Maclaren’s converted stables by 1967. The Maclaren buggy was an instant success across the world.

3.1 -
hint glimpse sign clue
3.2 -
risky uncomfortable bulky fragile
3.3 -
hoping ensuring assuming certifying
3.4 -
cunningly sneakily deviously stealthily
3.5 -
designed patented marketed sold
3.6 -
leaving from setting up churning out rolling off

Text questions

Rewrite the sentences below using the word given in bold. Begin your sentence as shown.

For example:

Immediately after winning the race, Chris began training for the next one.
HAD
No...

Answer:
No sooner had Chris won the race than he began training for the next one.

4.1 - The inventor never actually claimed that his idea was an original one.
POINT
At...

4.2 - Her colleagues were surprised when the headteacher resigned.
TOOK
The headteacher's...

4.3 - People can only enter the stadium if they have a pre-booked ticket.
RESTRICTED
Entrance...

4.4 - Joanna went to Africa because she wanted to study the wildlife.
REASON
Joanna's...

4.5 - A local team has won the basketball championship for the third year running.
SUCCESSION
For the...

4.6 - Donna was not the only person to notice the abandoned car that morning.
ALONE
Donna...

4.7 - We ask passengers not to use mobile phones in this carriage.
REFRAIN
Passengers...

4.8 - They chose that holiday resort because it was recommended in a newspaper article.
INFLUENCED
Their...

Transcription

Below is a 4-minute mp3 recording which you should now download and transcribe.

You can play this recording in any audio software such as Windows Media Player, but it is easier to transcribe using transcription software. If you do not already have transcription software on your computer, we recommend the FTW Transcriber, which you can download for free here:

http://www.theftwtranscriber.com/

When you have installed this software, there are two ways you can access the test recording.

1 - right-click on the link below and download the recording to your computer, then open it and play it; or

2 - simply select and copy the link below, then in the transcription software go to File, Open from Remote, and paste the link. It will then begin to play without you needing to download it.

Instructions for transcription

This recording is not intended to be easy - there is no point in an easy test. It is typical of the more challenging types of work that we sometimes receive from clients. Some recordings we work with are easier, some are harder.

When transcribing this recording:

do not transcribe "prompts", e.g. when one person is talking at length, and the other person says "Yes", "Mm-hm", etc, these must be omitted;

do look up spellings of words you do not know;

if you are 80% sure you have recognised a word, include it; otherwise type [unclear]. However, you must try your best to make out unclear words. If you leave out or misrecognise too many words, your transcript will not be useful to the client;

do use punctuation and grammar as you would in normal English writing.

You should aim to spend around 15 minutes producing your transcript, or perhaps somewhat more if you have not transcribed before. If the work takes you longer than that, your speed is probably not of the level required for transcription to be an economic activity for you.

5.1 - http://scribesifter.com/test_recording.mp3

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