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Need comma help - katiekamrad

Posted: Mar 06, 2010

Hi everyone,

No I'm not post happy, but I do have a few questions that I feel need to be answered.

I am having a hard time with commas. When I did a transcription test (none medical) for a transcription service, I got my test back and it was all marked up and they said it was mostly punctuation errors, like commas. Can anyone suggest how I can overcome my comma problem so I don't fail anymore transcription service tests? I was really embarrassed to get my test back because it wasn't even a medical transcription test. It was very easy verbatum test, and I failed that miserably BECAUSE of my comma issue.

It would really help me if anyone can suggest a book about punctuations and how to use them properly. I was always able to use punctuation when typing my college papers, but when it comes to listening to dictations and figuring out where the commas go, I seem to stumble on them a lot.

Also, that's what my previous boss said my main issue was as well. Punctuation.

Am I stupid for having this issue or is it common for new transcriptionists to have this issue?

I am a newbie.

Help - bb

[ In Reply To ..]
I use The Gregg Reference Manual.

commas - vet

[ In Reply To ..]
Dear Katie -
Even us "oldies" have problems with commas. Some managers are sticklers for commas being exactly right, however, others say don't obsess over where they go. Its is confusing either way, as so much dictation is spoken with poor sentence structure anyway and it is all we can do to make the sentence read right, let alone figure out where commas should be. Google "commas," or "how to use commas" and there are a lot of samples out there on how to use them. Also confirm with the AHDI Book of Style. Good luck!

thanks vet - KatieK

[ In Reply To ..]
:)

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