Article: Using quality headphones will ensure that your audio sounds clear, and is easy to understand. This will prevent you from having to go back over the audio again and again, trying to make out words that seem inaudible. Good quality headphones can go for as little as $20 at your local Radio Shack or Walmart Store. Good headphones will offer comfort, sound isolation, and frequency range. Finding headphones with a solid frequency range will serve you well for audio transcription. Good transcription software allows you to pause, rewind, and speed up/slow down your audio at your own discretion. This can be done using "hotkeys," or simple keyboard shortcuts, that improve your speed. Download a free transcription program, or find one for purchase. Some examples of free software include InqScribe, Express Scribe, and MacSpeech Scribe. Correction tools, such as Autocorrect on Microsoft Word or QuickCorrect in Word Perfect, can help reduce the number of keystrokes you make while typing. This can greatly increase your transcription speed and accuracy. These tools are often turned on by default, but you may need to check your settings to ensure that these functions are enabled. Some word processors (such as Microsoft Word) offer "auto-complete" functions. These tools finish words that you begin to write and understand certain abbreviations. Try turning this function on in your settings to improve your transcription speed. For example, auto-complete will type "thank you very much" for "tyvm." Many transcription programs (such as Express Scribe) are designed to work with an optional foot pedal. These USB foot pedals allow you to start and stop audio playback with your foot. This has been proven to be even faster than using hotkeys. Consider investing in a transcription foot pedal to improve your speed. These foot pedals start around $20 and can be purchased at Radio Shack or online. Create some files with stock formatting that you can plug specific info into. (These are called "templates"). It is helpful, for instance, to set up templates when transcribing medical or legal files on a regular basis. Using a template will save you the time it requires to keep recreating documents with a similar format.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Acquire good quality headphones. Utilize transcription software. Use "correction" tools. Explore "auto-complete" functions. Use a foot pedal. Create templates.
Article: While the basics of speaker technology have not really changed since 1924, audio technicians have been perfecting the design, electronics, and sound of speakers ever since. That said, all speakers contain a few basic components: Driver: Transforms an electrical signal into sound. Drivers come in many shapes and sizes, but all share the same function -- they make noise. Many speakers have multiple drivers to handle many frequencies. For example, "woofers" are large drivers that work well for low-frequency sounds like bass, while "tweeters" handle high frequencies. Crossovers: These small relays take complex electrical signals and break them up into smaller parts to send to different drivers, isolating bass, treble, and mid-range frequencies. Cabinet: This is the shell of a speaker where the electronics are housed. In order to eliminate noisy "resonance" or to get greater volume they are produced in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. While you can certainly buy all of the parts separately, it is incredibly difficult to build good speakers without years of studying the principles of sound and electricity. However, the budding DIY speaker enthusiast has another option -- buying pre-designed speaker kits with drivers, crossovers, and cabinets included. When searching for a good speaker kit, you should consider: Is the cabinet is included? Many speaker kits only contain blueprints for the cabinet -- you will have to buy, cut, and fasten the wood together yourself. Is the crossover pre-connected? Depending on your comfort level with electronics, you may want to purchase a kit where the crossover is already assembled, or you can attach and solder the pieces yourself. How high-quality to you want your sound? Most audio professionals consult the Loudspeaker Design Cookbook or LDSB, for advice on choosing drivers and crossovers, and you can expect to pay more for better quality components. How powerful, or loud, do your speakers need to be. In general, this is determined by the size of you drivers. You will need a soldering iron, hot glue, and a pattern to make sure your crossover works correctly. All speaker kits come with a chart illustrating how to attach everything, and sample patterns can be found with a quick internet search if you are working from scratch. This prevents your speakers from shorting or burning out. Make sure you completely understand how to read wiring diagrams before continuing. Once your parts are attached, secure them to a small board with a hot glue gun or zip ties. Finish by attaching your crossover cables to the drivers with speaker wire. If your cabinet is not provided for you, you will need to buy the wood and cut it to fit your drivers. Most speakers are rectangular, but talented carpenters can play with other shapes, from polygons to spheres, to get better sound. While all cabinets are different, there are a few guiding principles to their design: Use material that is at least 1.5" thick. Always measure your wood so that it fits together perfectly -- any sound that leaks out of the speakers will greatly diminish their quality. Fit the speakers together before adhering them. Wood glue is the preferred adhesive, but you can also use a drill and screws or biscuit clips as well. The paint or stain you chose for your cabinet will not affect the sound, but decorate your cabinet before installing components to protect your electronics. Be sure you are comfortable with carpentry equipment before building original speaker cabinets. If you followed your blueprints correctly the drivers should fit snugly into the holes you cut on the front of the cabinet. Adhere the crossover board to the cabinet so that the cables to the driver are not stretched or stressed. The drivers are usually screwed into a plastic molding on the outside of the cabinet. Use wood glue or adhesive to securely fasten the crossover to the cabinet. " This specially designed fabric is meant to dampen sound inside the speaker so that you don't hear weird vibrations or echos. While not necessary, it can help the sound considerably.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Understand the components of a speaker. Buy a speaker kit. Solder the crossover together following the provided crossover pattern. Cut, stain, and assemble your cabinet according to your blueprint. Install your drivers and crossover. Fill the rest of your speaker with "acoustic stuffing.
Article: There are many areas of the law in which you could work as a legal secretary. The major distinction is between civil and criminal law, but within civil law there are narrower areas of specialty, including corporate litigation, real estate, contracts, employment. In thinking about which would be the best fit for you, consider your interests and the type of environment in which you would like to work. If you like the idea of working for the government and for the public interest, you may like working for a District Attorney or Public Defender's Office. If you like meeting people from other countries, a small immigration firm might be a good fit. If you are interesting in earning a high salary and do not mind stress, consider working for a corporate law firm. Tailor your resume to the work done by the particular employer. If, for example, you took a training course in filing documents in criminal court and you are applying for a job with a criminal defense firm or Public Defender's Office, include the course prominently on your resume. Highlight relevant work experience or, if you have none, draw attention to relevant skills, such as computer and interpersonal skills, and familiarity with legal procedure. Once you know the area of the law in which you would like to work, a temp agency can help place you in available jobs in that field. Though temp jobs are not ideal in terms of salary or benefits, they are a great way for you gain work experience and network with employers. Finding an entry-level job when you do not yet have experience can be challenging. For this reason, it is important that you be strategic in choosing employers more likely to hire brand new legal secretaries. Target solo practitioners and small firms. Smaller firms, consisting of one or two attorneys, are more likely to accept you with less experience. Apply for government jobs. Though government jobs pay less than large corporate firms, the provide an excellent opportunity for new legal secretaries to break into the job market.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Choose an area of specialty. Prepare a strong resume. Contact a temp agency. Be strategic in where you look for permanent jobs.