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In-person Skills Testing - Louisville, Kentucky

The testing information below pertains to the following NCRA certifications: RSR, RPR, CRR, and CRC, which will be conducted on site on Aug. 4, 2024, during the 2024 NCRA Conference & Expo in Louisville, Kentucky.

Registration is now closed.

Exam site information

Exam Date

Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024

All tests will be monitored and proctored by NCRA Staff and volunteers.
Specific exam report details will be sent via email to all registered candidates no later than July 1, 2024. Candidates must arrive by the assigned report time or forfeit their exam; there is no late admittance.

Exam Venue

Galt House Hotel

140 N 4th Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40202

Learn more at NCRA.org/Conference

Fees

(Pricing per individual test)

Certification test	Reporter member	Nonmember	Student member
RSR and RPR	$165	$195	$147
CRR	$280	Not eligible	Not eligible
CRC	$280	$305	$250

Report time schedule

Report time	Tests
8 AM (EST)	CRR	CRC
9:25 AM (EST)	RPR Literary	RSR Literary
2 PM (EST)	RPR Jury Charge	RSR Jury Charge
4:35 PM (EST)	RPR Testimony	RSR Testimony

NOTE: Due to the schedule, candidates cannot register to take both the CRR and CRC, or the RSR tests and equivalent RPR tests, as they are occurring in unison.

What to bring on exam day

You must bring a valid current government-issued photo ID with you to gain entrance to the exam. Candidates who do not arrive with identification will be denied entrance to the exam.
Bring a printout of your confirmation email.
Transcription Test Candidates (RSR/RPR) may use a printed Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Candidates are responsible for providing all necessary equipment including:

Computer (including power cord)
Steno machine (including power cord)
CAT software (security key if needed)
USB thumb drive (aka jump drive) for each test labeled with NCRA ID number and test type
Cables (realtime cable mandatory for CRR and CRC)
Extension cords (optional 6-foot recommended)
Adapters (if needed, ex. serial port to USB adapter)

NOTE: NOTE: You CANNOT bring any phones, smart watches, or other smart devices into the test room. Leave all smart devices in your hotel room or car. They will NOT be permitted into the test room. Bluetooth is NOT permitted. You must have a wired connection.

Test Day Etiquette

You will be tested in the same room as other candidates. You must be respectful of other candidates testing to ensure the best test experience for all candidates. Testing etiquette includes, but is not limited to:

No talking or whispering out loud during any part of the test.
Candidates must remain seated for the duration of the test until they submit the test on a USB (aka thumb, jump, or flash) drive or an Affidavit of Non-transcription.
Refrain from tapping fingers, shoes, etc.
No eating or chewing gum will be permitted.
No breaks will be permitted after candidates have entered the test room so as not to disturb other candidates who are testing.
When packing up equipment, please do so as quietly as possible so as not to disturb those still testing.
If you choose during the audio not to finish writing, please wait until the end of the audio to leave so as not to disturb other candidates who are still writing.
Phones and smart devices will not be permitted in the test room under any circumstances to prevent any accidental sounds during the test.

Important Note: If you cause a disturbance during the test, you may be liable monetarily for disrupting other candidates’ tests.

On your exam day

Make sure you:

Have read and understand all instructions for in-person testing.
Have all your required equipment.
Go to the restroom BEFORE checking in. Once you check in, no breaks are permitted.
Report promptly at the designated report time.
Show your current government-issued photo I.D. at check-in, sign the testing policy agreement, receive your test submission envelope.
Listen to instructions from NCRA Staff proctoring your exam.

Special Note:
If you are taking more than one test, you will need to pack up your equipment and leave the test room in between each test. Please be prepared to do so.

Exam instructions

RSR and RPR

Note: Each test leg will be taken separately. You will follow these steps for each test leg. You must have a registration for each test and you are required to check in separately for each test.

If job dictionary words are provided, add them to your job dictionary.
Write the one-minute warmup. No need to create a new file … just make sure to space between warmup and the exam to be able to easily copy your final transcript.
Write five-minute exam dictation.
Transcription time: Seventy-five minutes.
After completing your transcription, save the steno note file and transcript in CAT software format. Copy to the USB (aka thumb, jump, or flash) drive. In addition, save your CAT transcript and FINAL transcript in .txt or .rtf format to USB (aka thumb, jump, or flash) drive labeled with your full name, NCRA ID number, and test type (RSRJ, RPRT, etc.). Remember: Your final transcript file submitted for grading should ONLY include the test transcript and no other information.
- No line numbers
- No warmup
- No page numbers
- No headers
- No footers
It is recommended that you test these formats before arriving at the test site. Create either a .txt or.rtf file from a transcript and then open the file. There should be NO line numbers, pages numbers, headers, or footers included.
Permanently delete testing files from machine’s memory and computer. Not complying with this step will result in forfeiture of your test. Note: If you are unfamiliar with this process, contact your machine and/or CAT software vendor for assistance.
Submit labeled USB thumb (aka thumb, jump, or flash) drive in testing envelope to NCRA Staff.
If you choose not to transcribe your test, you will be required to sign an Affidavit of Non-transcription before you leave.

CRR and CRC

If job dictionary words are provided, add them to your job dictionary.
Write the one-minute warmup. No need to create a new file … just make sure to space between warmup and exam to be able to easily copy your final transcript.
Write five-minute exam dictation.
You have five minutes to complete the copy and deletion steps. THERE IS NO TRANSCRIPTION TIME. Anyone caught editing their transcript will forfeit test submission and grading.
Save steno note file and transcript in CAT software format. Copy to the USB (aka thumb, jump, or flash) drive. In addition, save your CAT transcript and FINAL transcript in .txt or .rtf format to USB (aka thumb, jump, or flash) drive labeled with your full name, NCRA ID number, and test type (CRC, CRR etc.). Remember: Your final transcript file submitted for grading should ONLY include the test transcript and no other information.

No line numbers
No warmup
No page numbers
No headers
No footers

It is recommended that you test these formats before arriving at the test site. Create either a .txt or.rtf file from a transcript and then open the file. There should be NO line numbers, pages numbers, headers, or footers included.
Permanently delete testing files from machine’s memory and computer. Not complying with this step will result in forfeiture of your test. Note: If you are unfamiliar with this process, contact your machine and CAT software vendor for assistance.

Submitting your exam

The Skills Test transcripts must be the work of the individual candidate. Candidates are responsible for producing their own transcripts and notes without assistance, including saving and converting to the appropriate format.

Submit labeled USB (aka thumb, jump, or flash) drive in testing envelope to NCRA Staff.
If you choose not to transcribe your test, you will be required to sign an Affidavit of Non-transcription before you leave.
Candidates must know how to have their software write a text file double-spaced. Be sure to review “What is an error for CRC”, “What is an error for CRR", and What is an error for RSR/RPR.

First...know your file extension

Deleting testing files

All candidates are required to delete all forms of the test before leaving the testing room. If your machine has an SD card, be sure it is blank. If you are not sure how to do this, contact your CAT vendor. Not complying with this step will result in forfeiture of your test.

Equipment and software rules and regulations

The setup and operation of equipment are integral parts of the exam. Therefore, candidates should not expect or receive instruction from NCRA Staff or other candidates on how to operate their own equipment. Additional time will not be allowed for equipment failure, accidental erasing of computer files, forgotten items (e.g., cables, power cords), or related events. Use of the candidate’s own equipment is strictly at the candidate’s own risk. The site and NCRA Staff assume no responsibility should any equipment not perform properly or be dropped, stolen, damaged, etc.

If your steno machine has a test mode, the test mode must be used. If you do not know if test mode is available on your steno machine, please contact the manufacturer or refer to your user manual prior to registration. The laptop screen must be situated in such a manner so that the display will not be visible to other candidates.

If you are taking more than one test, you will need to pack up your equipment and leave the test room in between each test. Please be prepared to do so.

Prohibited

Candidates are prohibited from using electronic devices of any kind once they have signed in at the test site except for their writer and computer. Electronic devices include, but are not limited to, cell phones, smart watches, audio sync, digital recorders, and any other audio recording and/or screen capture tools. NCRA Staff have the right to inspect a candidate’s equipment, including computer settings and desktop recycle bin, before and after the test.

No audio assist of any kind is permitted during test dictation or during transcription.
Headphones are prohibited while transcribing the test.
No breaks will be permitted after candidates have entered the test room.
One bottle of water will be permitted. No other drinks and no food, including gum, will be permitted.
Bluetooth is NOT permitted. Your connection must be wired.
You CANNOT bring any phones, smart watches, or other smart devices into the test room. Leave all smart devices in your hotel room or car. They will NOT be permitted into the test room.