I think maybe damned if you do/damned if you don't

They obviously want to know if you can type the actual subject matter, spell the words and correct obvious grammatical or terminology errors.  My accounts all claim to be strictly verbatim, yet still expect you to fix  'I spoke to she and her husband.'  

They may also want to know if you understand standard formatting.  But if you add stuff not dictated, they could think you are prone to 'padding the line count' or some other such nonsense. 

For instance, on the several accounts for which I work, each expects something different in terms of headers, whether PE and ROS are paragraph form or list, what lists are numbered, and how to handle the subheadings as well as whether standard headings may be added if they have not been dictated.  Even how to format the allergies and code status sections differ.  And they really mean it, so better not get confused switching from one to another. 

It would be really hard to second-guess all the things this test hopes to measure. If this were an untimed test, I would be tempted to do it once exactly as dictated, make a notation that this was verbatim, then once as I think it should be formatted. If timed, just as dictated, a notation, and then as much of a formatted version as I had timed for.  Just so they know you know the difference.

It's really hard to second guess what this particular employer really wants.  Maybe somebody who actually scores or hires from these tests will offer a better-informed opinion. 

• Questions about testing...please help! - Testing MT
  • For future reference... - CC-QA
  • I think maybe damned if you do/damned if you don't - Catch-22?
    • Thanks for your response! sm - Testing MT/KyMT
  • Nevermind...already submitted. nm - KyMT

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