I am probably going to seem completely stupid asking this question, but after three years of transcribing, I decided Autocorrect was just too much and with the start of a new job, I plunged into learning IT.

My biggest question is about continuations. I have made my glossaries from the multiple file compilation, but I am not getting the continuations I want. I am blessed to have only two physicians to transcribe for and they are pain management doctors, so they are very repetitive. However, they do tend to variate how they say certain things. I have tried adding those different sentences (I am pleased to evaluate....versus....I am happy to evaluate). When IT makes the glossary, I get my continuations. When I add my sentences, I am finding that IT will bring up the entire sentence (sometimes it can be over 11 words) and not bring it up in pieces with continuations.

Am I making sense? I feel I am just completely overwhelmed with this and I know I am making it more difficult on myself than it should be.

Thanks and I am learning so much by reading this forum!

If the physicians are very repetitive and you have only two of them, IT should capture these repetitions very well - if you have a large enough sampling of the previous dictation to compile and if your settings for the multiple compilations are right for the sample size. There are some threads on the IT forum and probably here too about multiple compilation settings.

A few years ago I found that repeat multiple compilations of the same set of reports/work leads to improved results. Some entries that didn't show up previously do when you do a repeat multiple compilation.

E.g. compile the work with settings of minimum word frequency of 2 and maximum words per phrase at 5, save the glossary, and then compile another glossary with settings of 5 and 9. I also check "Word Section includes all Words" for one of the two glossaries. More details of this method are in the box with my name at the top of the IT forum.

IT forum:
http://textware.com/board/itmainforum/index.html

A thread on the IT forum about (repeat) multiple compilations
http://fitaly.com/board/itmainforum/posts/3312.html

With a few tweaks IT should deliver well what you need.

Jon

Welcome, Gwen! I just want to echo Jon's sentiment that with two physicians to transcribe for, you should be able to get beautiful continuations and in fact, I'm certain you will with a bit of tweaking. Jon gave great advice on doing that tweaking so, I'll say no more there. But to me, continuations is what IT is all about. Well OK, it has other great features, it's true, but I personally remain in awe, on a daily basis, of IT's ability to supply great continuations to my fourth finger on the semicolon marker key! And I have a pool of about 12 docs. It also gets better with time and your own assistance. (How long have you been using IT?)

It is very difficult for me to analyze Instant Text and how it does what it does (I've tried). But as regards your asking about continuations popping up from entries you have added manually, they happen, definitely. A post by Jean Ichbiah (IT creator) about "manual" continuations may interest you; the post is here Plus, through my own use, I assure you, 100%, that they happen.

I hope this helps!

Thanks so much for the responses! I will definitely be reading up on what you recommended, Jon. Thank you!

Harrie, I have only been using IT since beginning with this company three weeks ago. I have been transcribing for 3 1/2 years. I had already been using autocorrect and autotext with my previous jobs but wanted to start fresh with this new company. It's hard to make old habits die, that is for sure, and it seems the older I get the harder it is to create a habit!
However, I am determined to make this work. I am in the process of getting Cheryl's book and Laura Bryan's book on productivity within Word. Laura also has a video out giving instruction on IT. Another thing I have learned with age is that I learn much better being "shown" something as opposed to my reading it and figuring it out. Just call me lazy I guess!

Thanks so much, and I'll be back with the results of what I learned soon!

I think I'm also a person who can really grasp something more quickly when "shown," as well.

The good news is, three weeks is a very short time with IT. The whole hand/eye/brain thing, and the way you watch the advisories and glance at your screen to catch and produce continuations, does take a little bit of time to really become second nature. So you're bound to see it get better and better, Gwen!

Gwen, I used to teach computer classes for adults, and I can tell you that people simply have different ways of learning -- there are a few general categories of how people learn, but being shown is a very common one. It does not mean that you are lazy. Only you know how you learn best, and that knowledge enables you to make sure that's what you get. Coming here for help, finding the necessary books, and ordering them shows a lot of initiative and anything but laziness. Good for you!

(Yes, I have a sore spot from long hours of working with adults who had been convinced they were stupid, lazy, dumb, or whatever, which was never once the actual case. In fact, they always, without exception, went on to blow people away with their intelligence, creativity, and accomplishments.)