Internet Scoping School Review – What It Is and What You Learn

Did you know that all across the US and Canada, people are working from home at a well-paying, high-demand career you might never have heard of? This Internet Scoping School review will tell you about it –  and how you can learn to be a scopist, too. 

Scoping might be for you if you enjoy crime TV,  playing with words, reading, and language. If you’ve been dreaming of a solid income that’s flexible enough to fit around your life, you’re in the right place.

Why might these characteristics make you a great scopist? My Internet Scoping School review can help answer that question. It will also give you the info you need to decide whether scoping (and this comprehensive scopist training program) is for you.

Scoping is so little known that even Linda Evenson, the creator of Internet Scoping School (ISS), learned about scoping almost coincidentally.

“I heard a friend of a friend was working from home, typing for court reporters. I was pregnant with my oldest daughter and wanted to work from home too. So I called up Kay and asked her about what she was doing.” 

That call started Linda on a career she developed for over 40 years. And, even better, it might be a great career option for you, too.

Linda noticed that “Court reporters were drowning in work and needed help,” but “there just weren’t enough good scopists to go around.” She realized there was a need for a good, thorough training program for scopists.

Quality scopists are a great asset to court reporters, and the ISS graduates we’ve spoken to have all the work they want (and sometimes more than they can handle!). And since it’s the work-from-home career most have never heard of, there’s plenty of room for you to join them.

About My Internet Scoping School Review

My team and I want you to have all the information you need before you make a decision about any online work-from-home courses. That’s why my team secured special permission to peek inside the course for this Internet Scoping School review. 

We’ve also relied on the National Court Reporters Association’s recommendation of this course and our own interviews with several scopists who are ISS graduates. We’ve explored the course syllabus, blog, Facebook group, and the 7-day free mini-course. And I’ve developed a relationship with Linda Evenson, so I can tell you that she’s a warm, funny, and very responsive instructor with incredible expertise in her field.

You’ll find links to our scoping interviews and other related posts in boxes like the one below throughout this review.

So What Exactly Is Scoping, Anyway?

During legal proceedings, court reporters type what they hear on a steno writer and use computer software to transcribe these notes. After completing the job, the court reporter hands the transcript and audio off to their scopist, who knows how to edit an official transcript. 

Simply put, scopists edit legal transcripts for court reporters who transcribe court hearings, trials, and depositions. 

The scopist makes sure the edited transcript exactly matches the audio. As simple as that may sound, you’ll need a number of skills to return a professionally edited legal transcript. Among these are being proficient with legal transcription software, understanding legal transcript formats, and legal terminology.

As you might have guessed, that’s where ISS comes in. Even if you don’t have any prior knowledge of legal transcript editing, this course has everything you need to know to become a successful scopist. So, if becoming a court transcript editor sounds fascinating to you, read on for our in-depth Internet Scoping School review.

Name: Internet Scoping School
Website: https://scopeschool.com/
Creator: Linda Evenson
Free Resources or Training: Intro to Scoping Mini-Course

Introduction to Internet Scoping School

Linda Evenson created Internet Scoping School (ISS) in 1998. ISS provides self-paced training that covers a wide range of topics related to scoping. 

Linda explains: I, as the instructor, have many more years of experience than any other teacher. That does count for something, as I have worked with many reporters and been in situations that people with less experience haven’t. Unlike the other instructors, I have given something back to the profession by giving seminars at state and national conventions, writing a column for the Journal of Court Reporting, and been otherwise involved in the profession.

From the basics to more advanced concepts and skills, ISS covers it all. From the  Internet Scoping School website, you can access Linda’s scoping blog;  read FAQs on ISS, scoping, and court reporting; download the course syllabus; and more.

Also,  if you decide to enroll in ISS, this is where you’ll access the course content, which Linda regularly updates (more on that later).

Internet Scoping School Course in a Nutshell

Type of course:	This intensive online course teaches how to scope and how to market scoping skills once acquired
Length of course:	Self-paced; it’s recommended not to rush through the process
Teaching materials:	Text-based modules; lessons with answer sheets; 50+ practice transcripts. Additionally (and purchased separately): two additional books and Case CATalyst 4+ software.
Testing:	Self-graded quizzes after each lesson; exam after each module. An actual 11-page transcript is the final exam, which is partially or completely hand-graded by course creator Linda Evenson.
What students receive upon completion:	Certificate of Completion and a thorough understanding of scoping.
How is student support provided?	Unlimited email support, private Facebook group for ISS students and graduates, and technical support with AnyDesk.
Course/program access:	Lifetime access to course materials, updates, and support.

Pros

• You can work on the course at your own pace
• You don’t need a legal background to take this course 
• You’ll get lots of practice – you learn by doing what you read about
• ISS contains easy-to-navigate modules broken down into manageable lessons
• This course is recommended by the National Court Reporters Association.
• The course teaches you everything you need to know to build a successful scoping business, including how to market your business and red flags to watch out for as you get started
• ISS provides a high level of support through the ability to email questions directly to the course creator, through access to a private Facebook group, and via Anydesk, where your instructor can access your computer and help you understand concepts within the training
• You’ll have lifetime access to course materials, updates, and support
• If you have substantial knowledge base in the legal field, you can “test out” of some modules
• There is a free introductory course, so you can see what scoping is all about before you make an investment
• Internet Scoping School has flexible payment options
• The course is reasonably priced, considering everything it covers, and you can make a college-level income without the college-level costs
• You can purchase Scoping Fundamentals separately. It covers the basics of scoping, so you can see if it’s a good fit for you before buying the full course.
• As a scopist, you can take on the amount of work you want, and you can scale back or increase as needed over time
• Scoping is very much a network-based career; if a scopist does high-quality work, s/he is likely to get referrals for more

Cons

• You will need to be self-motivated to complete the course and get results
• Scoping isn’t for everyone; you need to have an aptitude for English and enjoy working with words
• ISS is not a “quick fix;” it takes hard work to get your “scoping legs” and keep your business going
• It takes time to build a scoping client base
• It takes time to increase your speed as a scopist, so it may be a while before you build a substantial income from scoping

Internet Scoping School Overview

Internet Scoping School is an intensive online course that teaches the skills you need to edit legal documents using actual transcripts. You’ll learn techniques and best practices to run a successful scoping business. The material is presented with concision, but also a sense of humor that makes the lessons more accessible.

Getting Started With ISS

If you’re new to the legal field, you’ll start with Scoping Fundamentals. This makes sure you have the skills you’ll need and that scoping is a good fit for you.

You can buy Scoping Fundamentals separately from the main course. Once you successfully complete it, you’ll be able to purchase the rest of the Internet Scoping School program.

After Scoping Fundamentals

This is an in-depth course that covers it all – from grammar and punctuation, through note reading, and on to how to find and keep the clients to create a thriving scoping business.

Each module is broken down into short, mostly task-based lessons.

If you invest your hard work and money into this course, Internet Scoping School will prepare you to take on your first client as soon as you finish. Each lesson ends with a self-graded quiz. Every module also concludes with a final exam. These give you a clear sense of where your strengths and weaknesses are as you move through the material – a valuable tool for improvement.

Once you’ve completed all the lessons, your final exam is to edit a transcript according to a reporter’s preferences. This will be partially or completely hand-graded by Linda Evenson herself. Since this is exactly what you will do when you have real-life scoping clients, you will gain the confidence and experience you’ll need to seek out those first clients by completing this process. Why? Because you’ll already know you can do it!

Who Is Internet Scoping School For?

So, who is this Internet Scoping School review for? 

It’s for you… if you want to have a professional work-from-home business and are willing to invest in longer-term training, and you have strong English-language skills.

Scoping can be a great way to earn a good income on your own terms.

It’s a realistic option for:

• Moms who want to be home with kids  (or just be free to attend field trips and appointments). 
• Older people ready to retire from a cubicle or a commute but who still want a good income.
• Those looking for a more flexible work schedule than an office job can provide.  

In other words, if you want to work when you want, taking on as little or as much work as you choose, scoping can be an ideal career for you. And Internet Scoping School can be your path to that career.

That being said, a scopist does need to have excellent word skills. You’ll be editing punctuation and spelling, so understanding the rules here is important.

You also need to be self-motivated and a hard worker. Scoping isn’t a “get-rich-quick” occupation. There’s a lot to learn, and you’ll need to build your proficiency and speed once you begin accepting clients. Patience is a must.

It’s important that you be ready for a “desk job”, too. Even though you’re passing on the boss and a commute, you need to be prepared to sit down and get your assignments done. So you’ll need to be able to stay still and manage your time so you can meet your clients’ deadlines.

If these requirements sound like I’m describing you, scoping might be the perfect fit!

Internet Scoping School Training and Resources

We’ve already looked at an overview of the course. But this Internet Scoping School review wouldn’t be very useful to you without more details on what’s covered within the course.

Sneak a peek at the full Internet Scoping School syllabus!

An Inside Look at Scoping Fundamentals

Students new to the legal field will start with Scoping Fundamentals, the introductory section of ISS.

UNIT 1: All About the Scoping Profession 

You’ll learn the role and functions of court reporters, and how they do what they do, how the steno language works, and the process of scoping from notice to production. More, you’ll learn vocabulary, formatting, and typical errors to look out for. Additional resources will help you gain further knowledge of the scoping industry.

UNIT 2: Fundamental Punctuation And Word Use With Quizzes  

In this unit, you’ll cover commonly misspelled/misused words and phrases; American vs. British spellings; and learn transcript-specific punctuation. Includes lessons on transcript-relevant capitalization, punctuation rules, and quizzes.

UNIT 3: Word Skills Test

Test your word skills with the 100-question, industry-standard Word Skills Test used by multiple training programs to test and train legal support specialists.

As you can see, Scoping Fundamentals really does provide a solid preparation for the main course. It will also let you know if scoping isn’t a good fit for you – before you spend the money for the full course.

Looking Inside the Main Course

Like Scoping Fundamentals, the main body of ISS is filled with the information you’ll need to build a career as a reputable and in-demand scopist. My Internet Scoping School review wouldn’t be complete without a peek at what we found inside the course, broken down by section.

ISS MAIN COURSE SECTION 1: Advanced Punctuation and Word Use 

Linda Evenson wrote this section, which is based on several punctuation texts and websites. The goal is to keep you from being overwhelmed by punctuation rules. You’ll learn from Margie Wakeman Wells’ book, Bad Grammar/Good Punctuation in conjunction with your ISS lessons.

There are examples for each rule, quizzes, and a final exam. 

SECTION 2: Notereading 

You’ll learn how to read the shorthand stenographers use to create transcripts. This will prepare you to work with a wide variety of reporters. This section contains a whopping 56 lessons!

You’ll learn through drills, quizzes with answer keys, your first transcript, and a final exam.

SECTION 3: Medical Terminology 

This section is based on the book A Court Reporter’s Guide to Medical Terminology by Nathaniel Weiss. You’ll learn Latin root words for body parts, procedures, and more. This will make your research easier. Reading steno of medical terms and researching spellings are covered.

You get lessons from the book, quizzes and answer keys, and a final exam where you’ll test your knowledge and put together your first transcript from beginning to end.

SECTION 4: Transcript Production 

These nine units will teach you how to find out reporters’ preferences and edit their work accordingly.  You’ll learn how to produce high-quality transcripts using computer software. You get practice in multiple formats and effective Internet research techniques.

This section includes quizzes, answer keys, and a final exam. 

SECTION 5: Case CATalyst 4+ Software Training 

This is where you’ll learn how to operate the software you’ll use to produce transcripts for your court reporter clients. This section has shortcuts, tips for accuracy and speed, and advanced functions. You’ll need Case Catalyst Version 2.0 or higher to get the most out of this training. Updates are added as new versions of the software are released. As an ISS student, you’ll also get a significant discount on the program!

You will be able to test your knowledge with quizzes, answer keys, and a final exam.

SECTION 6: Practice Files 

Here, you gain access to a large collection of actual files, written by about a dozen or more different court reporters. You can use these to practice your editing skills. The edited “Answer Key” files are also included. This lets you compare them to your own work and see where you’ve made mistakes. That means you’ll avoid making repetitive errors, and you’ll get more practice with assorted reporters’ styles.

You’ll finish with an eleven and a half page section of a real transcript to practice everything you’ve learned in the course. This is your final exam, which Linda will hand-grade partially or completely.

SECTION 7: Legal Terminology 

You will learn both Latin and English legal terms. These are listed in alphabetical order to make it easy for students (and practicing scopists) when looking up spellings. In other words, this is a resource you may use again and again!

You also get a quiz workbook, answer keys, and bonus Latin prefixes – plus the final exams for both English and Latin legal terms.

SECTION 8: The Successful Professional Businessman/woman 

At this point, you’ve completed your scopist training, but there’s still a lot to learn! For example, how do you set up and begin your scoping business? How do you keep everything running smoothly?

This section has information on the documents you need, how to organize them, tracking due dates, finished jobs, and invoice transcripts; payment services, bookkeeping, and basic tax information; how to send files; and a lot more information you might not know if someone didn’t tell you. Guest-written by Lisa Hall Head, a member of CATalyst All Stars Realteam® scopists, and the owner of Triple Threat Scopist Job Board.

SECTION 9: The Successful Professional Scopist 

This section teaches you how to get and keep clients, how to research spellings, essential software, and general computer usage. You’ll learn all the aspects of scoping included in the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) Scopist Job Analysis. It also includes, as Linda says, “every single tip I can think of to make you a success at your new profession.”

You’ll learn the essentials of marketing yourself and your business, including ISS-exclusive opportunities. This section also includes quizzes, answer keys, and a final exam.

COMMENCEMENT

At this point, you are a highly-trained Internet Scoping School graduate! Congratulations! You are ready to start your scoping business, armed with all the knowledge you gained from your hard work up to this point.

ISS Has a New AI-Based Program

With the shortage of live stenographic reporters, the Stenograph Corporation has created an AI-based program called MaxScribe. This software translates speech to text. Scopists can then edit this text record.

This program and training on using it are available free through the Stenograph Corporation.

ISS has created a new course that incorporates this program and eliminates the Notereading section of the full scoping course, since there are no underlying notes with MAXScribe.

This new course includes over 70 files for practicing commands once you’ve finished the free training. You’ll become familiar with the software and increase your editing speed before you take on clients.

With ISS’s MAXScribe transcription course, you will be able to edit efficiently.

The training is $2495 and can be completed a little faster than the full ISS course. There are also a la carte options and a special registration rate for ISS graduates who would like to take the MAXScribe course.

Additional Resources Needed

In order to give you the best information, ISS uses two additional professional books, Bad Grammar/Good Punctuation and A Court Reporter’s Guide to Medical Terminology. These will add depth to your knowledge. 

You can purchase your copies at ncra.org to get the most out of the course. 

You will also need the newest version of Case CATalyst software to learn on (and use in your scoping business). ISS students receive a discount on this software. You don’t need to buy it before you start the course.

Support provided by ISS

As an ISS student, you’ll have lifetime access to unlimited email support. In fact, Linda prides herself on answering students’ questions promptly. In her opinion, access to her time and expertise is a vital part of what Internet Scoping School tuition pays for, and what makes it unique.

This access was mentioned by many of the graduates we interviewed while preparing this  Internet Scoping School review, too. As graduate Andrew Theodosakis explained in his interview, “If I had to choose one aspect about ISS that made me appreciate it as I was going through its coursework, it would be the personal and prompt responsiveness of the instructor. If I ever had questions or needed technical issues addressed, I would get a quick-turnaround response, if not same-day.”

Online Support

Plus, ISS students have lifetime access to a private Facebook group. In this group, students and graduates of Internet Scoping School share information, resources, and even job referrals. They are also ready to support one another through frustration and disappointment, as well as celebrate each other’s wins.

Better still, Internet Scoping School uses AnyDesk as part of its course support. This lets your instructor access your computer and help you understand concepts you’re struggling with. They can also share computer screens during calls to give you one-on-one assistance. As you can imagine, this feature is very helpful when you’re really stuck on a concept.

Continuing Education

Since you have lifetime access to the course material, your scoping education never ends! As things change or develop in the world of scoping, you will know about them because Linda updates the course and keeps members of the online community up to speed. For instance, Legal Terminology and The Business of Scoping are sections that have been added over the last couple of years. Another recent addition is a one-on-one mentoring session with a scoping professional.

Educational qualifications and skills needed

To succeed at Internet Scoping School, you should have a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent. There are some other basic skills you’ll need, too:

• Basic computer knowledge
• The ability to work independently
• Strong English skills and  an enjoyment of working with words

Along with the books and program listed above, you’ll also need to have:

• Email
• Printer
• Computer and high-speed internet
• Ability to download Case Catalyst 4+ Software
• Word Processing Program such as Word or Drive.

Want to Know More?

For more information on ISS and scoping, check out this interview with course creator Linda Evenson. You’ll get a first-hand look into the world of scoping, learn how scoping might be a rewarding career that fits your busy life, and get a glimpse of her sparkling personality, too.

You can visit the Internet Scoping School website and check out their blog, which features great scoping content written by both Linda and her students!

Price options for Internet Scoping School

No Internet Scoping School review is complete if it leaves out the price of the program. So I’ve got the information you need to decide if ISS fits into your budget, and which tuition plan will work best for you if it does.

Scoping Fundamentals costs $197. That means you won’t have to invest a huge amount to learn whether scoping is for you.

If you successfully complete this module and proceed, the amount will be applied to the price of the full course, which is now $2995 (see the box below).

Along with everything covered in the syllabus, you also get a one-hour one-on-one mentoring session with Lisa Hall Head. She is a seasoned RealTeam® Scopist, member of the CATalyst All Stars, and owner of TripleThreat Scoping Job Board, so this is a valuable bonus!

ISS also offers multiple payment options, so you can learn scoping in a way that’s friendly to your budget. Here’s the breakdown, taken directly from the ISS registration page:

If you opt out of Scoping Fundamentals, your payment choices look like this:

If you’d like to purchase the modules as you go, you can. However, the ISS team tells us that you’ll pay more than any payment option in the long run. So, the payment plan options can save pain on your budget.

That said, if you have a good deal of experience in this field, and you just want training in one or two specific areas, it might be a better choice to just purchase the modules you need. There are also options for test-outs, and it’s possible to take an abbreviated version of the course.

Do You Have More Questions on ISS Pricing?

I know… the pricing is a little confusing. If you still have questions, you can visit the pricing page at ISS to learn more about the various pricing options.

My Internet Scoping School Review Verdict

If you’re ready to become a successful scopist, this course is the real deal. You get in-depth education for a career that can offer college-level income at a fraction of college tuition costs.

You’ll need to make some investments of time and money to succeed. You also have to bring the commitment to do the work to finish the course, because it’s thorough and intensive – and that means it’s not always easy!

You will get the benefit of Linda Evenson’s 40+ years of knowledge and experience, as well as her prompt support when you need it. And, since this course is updated regularly by Linda and her team, you’ll stay up to date on changes in scoping as they happen.

If you’re willing to do the work, you will learn how to be a legal document editor. You will not only know how to edit a transcript, but how to run your scoping business, too. Even better, you’ll be ready to go when you graduate. And you’ll have the tools you need to find those first court reporter clients, too.

The National Court Reporters Association recommends Internet Scoping School, and I concur. More than that, I’ve spoken with and interviewed a number of successful ISS graduates who shared a great deal about how ISS has helped them build their careers.

You Determine Your Success With ISS

While I recommend this course, it’s important to stress that only self-motivated students will be successful. You will need to be proactive to find clients, especially in the beginning. Also, it takes time to build up your income because your hourly wage will depend on your speed, and you need experience to get faster.

In other words, you won’t be able to count on making a substantial income right off.

Scoping definitely isn’t for everyone, as I’ve tried to make clear in this Internet Scoping School review. It’s a great idea to take the free seven-day mini-course, then invest in Scoping Fundamentals if you feel it’s right for you. 

However, if you follow through with the course and establish a base of clients that are happy with your work, you’ll have a referral-based business with the potential for a very nice work-from-home income. If you‘re interested in learning more about scoping, the free mini-course is a great place to start.

Ready for Scoping Fundamentals?

If you are eager to find out if you and scoping are a match, it might be time for Scoping Fundamentals. The button below will take you straight to the signup page. You could be on your way to a scoping career today!

My Internet Scoping School Review Verdict: Internet Scoping School provides the training you need for a legitimate anywhere and anytime career.

As always, I’m happy to answer your questions about our Internet Scoping School review. I also encourage comments. If you have anything to share about scoping, I’d love to hear it. Let’s get a discussion going!