A SURVEY INTO THE DEGREE OF USEFULNESS OF SHORTHAND TO MODERN SECRETARIES

The degree to which shorthand is used in offices has been of serious concern both to students and tutors in secretarial studies.  This study investigated the extent to which secretaries make use of shorthand in their day-to-day office work, whether the extent of usage is proportionate to the effort put in learning the skill and whether employers who want secretaries regard shorthand skill as job requirements.
In order to arrive at a c conclusive decision on the above objectives, the researcher carried out a library research, interviews and questionnaires.
The population of this study consisted of sixty secretaries in three branches of Union Bank Plc in Enugu State drawn from secretaries and executives in the banks.  Questionnaires and oral interview were used to collect data.
Statistical tools used are simple average and percentage.  When the data was analyzed, it was found that shorthand is not extensively used in offices and that the speeds at which employers dictate is between 80 and 100 w.p.m.  It was further discovered that executives insist on shorthand skill as a job requirement for secretaries though they do not use it extensively and would not employ a secretary two has no shorthand skill.
It was recommended that as many secretaries prefer to make use of their shorthand skill in their work, the executive should encourage them by dictating rather than writing out correspondents for them.  It was further recommended that as shorthand is still considered a job requirement for secretaries, they should strive hard to master this skill in spite of the difficulties encountered in learning it to enable them meet the needs of their employers.
As executive do not dictate at any speed higher than 100 w.p.m., there is need for secretarial training institutions to step down their shorthand speed requirement from 120w.p.m to 100 w.p.m. to relieve the secretaries of the anxiety of the additional 20 w.p.m.

Title page                                    i
Approval page                                ii
Dedication                                    iii
Acknowledgement                                iv
Abstract                                    vi
Table of content                                viii

Chapter one
1.0    Introduction                                1
1.1    Background of the study                        1
1.2    Statement of the problem                        4
1.3    Purpose of the  study                        6
1.4    Delimitation     of the study                        6    
1.5    Significance of the study                        7
1.6    Research questions                            7

Chapter two            
2.0    Review of related literature                    9
2.1    The meaning of a secretary                    9    
2.2    Qualities of a secretary                        10
2.3    Training of a secretary                        16
2.4    Qualification of secretary                        22
2.5    Uses of shorthand and summary                26
2.6    Summary of literature review                    32
  
Chapter three
3.0    Research methodology                        33
3.1    Population                                33
3.2    Sample and sampling technique                    34
3.3    Data collection instrument                    35
3.4    Distribution and retrieval of questionnaire            35
3.5    Method of data analysis                        36                    

Chapter four    
4.0    Presentation & analysis of data                    38

Chapter five
5.0    Discussion & findings, recommendation and conclusion    63
5.1    Summary of findings                        64
5.2    Recommendations                            65
Limitation                                    66
Appendix                                    68
Questionnaire                                69
REFERENCES