Shorthand Waec Syllabus

1. Business Matters
   • One of the passages for dictation shall be business in nature e.g., Letters, Memoranda, Reports, and any other related topics.
2. 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

1. Candidates must provide typewriters, shorthand notebooks, and other writing materials.
2. The shorthand notes may be written with either pen or pencil. The shorthand notes must be attached to the transcripts.
3. Specially marked typing papers will be supplied by the Council. No typing paper other than those supplied by the Council may be used.
4. Candidates shall not be allowed to make any carbon copies.
5. The shorthand readers shall be allowed access to the passages twenty minutes before the dictation commences.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Quarter-minute indications are printed on each passage. Care should be taken to articulate the words very distinctly. Punctuation must be indicated by the inflection of the voice and, in no case, dictated.
9. The reader is expected to leave the examination hall immediately after the dictation, taking away the shorthand passages. These should be returned to the Council or an official of the Council where one is available. The passages should not be left with either the Invigilator or Supervisor.

READING LIST

1. First course - Pitman
2. First-course review - Pitman 2000
3. Pitman 2000 Phrase Book
4. First Dictionary shorthand - Pitman 2000
5. 700 common words -  Pitman 2000
6. Office skills magazines
7. Journals
8. Speed development - Pitman 2000
9. Speed builder - Bryan Coombs