EasyScript Express: Learn To Take Fast Notes in a Matter of Hours [Hardcover]

Leonard Levin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2001

If you are looking for the least expensive way to master a speed writing method, EasyScript Express is the answer. You will learn a complete speedwriting system to abbreviate ANY word. The manual is used as a workbook. It contains writing exercises to reinforce the rules. It has sections for building proficiency, adapting to your own application and a dictionary of abbreviations for most frequently used words.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

The Only English Grammar-Based Method

EasyScript is a simple speedwriting method that's easy to learn and easy to remember. All you need to know basic English Grammar and remember five abbreviating rules. It's proven by people of almost all occupations from salespersons and managers to secretaries and students. You also have the option to transcribe your abbreviations using ComputerScript software, which translates your typed abbreviations into readable text. EasyScript and ComputerScript use identical rules and can be used separately.

EasyScript Is

* quick to learn: it takes less than a day and uses knowledge you already have
* easy to master: it's based on English Grammar and a small set of rules so anyone can learn it and no more endless memorizing of shorthand symbols!
* proven to work: more than 30,000 people all over the globe use the system and the customer base is consistently growing
* ready to use right away: no tests, no further study; once you've learned it you're ready to go.

From the Author

Imagine being able to write as twice as fast and take information down when people speak! Who wants to spend months learning traditional shorthand? Now you don't have to. Existing shorthand methods are based on learning of a large volume of random and hard-to-memorize abbreviations which require very extensive studying and daily usage of the symbols memorized. Those abbreviations that are not used daily cannot be remembered when needed.

EasyScript/ComputerScript is a simple, easy-to-learn, easy-to-remember, shorthand and speedwriting method. It is logical and makes sense. Best of all, you can master this method in just a few hours with our convenient self-study programs.

EasyScript/ComputerScript concept is unique and offers a promise of demystifying a confusing and intimidating subject and empowering you to succeed. We are happy to report that after its introduction in 1990 EasyScript/ComputerScript has become a widely recognized and regarded speed writing/typing method in the United States and it is gaining acceptance in many regions and countries around the world such as United Kingdom, South America, Scandinavia, West Africa, China, India, Indonesia, France, Japan, Germany, Spain, Italy, Canada, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, Australia and New Zealand.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 168 pages
• Publisher: Legend Pub; Rev & Updated edition (January 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1893726002
• ISBN-13: 978-1893726000
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #468,162 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #76 in Books > Business & Investing > Skills > Secretarial Aids & Training

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice system, acceptable book, July 1, 2004

By 

Snorkledorf (Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: EasyScript Express: Learn To Take Fast Notes in a Matter of Hours (Hardcover)

The system itself seems to be a good one, and EasyScript Express an acceptably effective way to learn it.

Here's how the book is broken down:
5pp Introduction
8pp Lesson 1: Simple words
7pp Lesson 2: Prefix words
10pp Lesson 3: Suffix words
11pp Lesson 4: Prefix/Suffix words
6pp Lesson 5: Compound words
2pp Easyscript Overview
2pp Adapting to EasyScript
8pp Answers to the exercises
45pp EasyScript Dictionary

The remaining 60 of the total 164 pages (most of the left-hand pages of all the chapters) are lined "notes" pages presumably for the student to practice in, leaving 104pp total of actual content. Of the content, at least 50% is lists of vocabulary for the learner to transcribe into EasyScript.

This would be a fine basic workbook for a class taught by an instructor that was available to explain things to you. As a self-training book it's rather lean. Ideally I'd want an introductory book like this to have perhaps triple the content (At least fill in those "Notes" pages). I'd want a lot more explanation of the reasoning behind the design, some anecdotes and examples of what people have been using ES for in their lives, examples that show it being used for something other than dictated business letters...something to "humanize" it a bit more.

I'd also like the opportunity to review previously-learned rules, and a lot more opportunity to familiarize myself with it by reading EasyScript text, not just writing isolated words. There are seven brief business-letter transcription exercises, but that's not enough. There's little EasyScript text available on the web (and basically nothing but generic PR stuff available on the official website), so after this brief overview of the basics, my only opportunity to practice is going to be to write something out myself, hope I'm doing it more or less correctly, and practice on that.

Basically the feel of this book was "Okay, we got a couple of hours. Here are the rules, here's a list of words to practice on, now go out and use it, good luck." After going through all the exercises I kind of vaguely know the basics, but I want more. Preferably without paying a hundred dollars...

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Decent system, but poorly presented, overpriced, March 30, 2006

By 

ReadNReVu - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: EasyScript Express: Learn To Take Fast Notes in a Matter of Hours (Hardcover)

The Good:

The EasyScript (ES) speedwriting system does NOT require cursive writing--so all of us hand printers out there can easily use it.

It is also a forward-moving speedwriting system, you write and move on--no constantly going backwards to underline letters or place tick marks, as is done with some other speedwriting systems.

You can use it on your computer or PDA.

Fairly easy to learn, and the rules are clear enough that compared to other systems, you can still transcribe your notes after a longer period of time has passed than you can with other speedwriting/shorthand systems.

The Bad:

Almost half of the book consists of empty note-taking pages. Worse, they are on the LEFT side, which, considering that the majority of people are RIGHT-handed, is not conducive to most people actually using the book as a workbook.

There are some typographical errors and omissions in the book--one glaring one is using a symbol that looks like a large backwards "6" to indicate "Paragraph" on page 59--where this key is on the keyboard, I have no idea.

The included dictionary is not of much use, since with their system you truly can figure out how to abbreviate any word--what would have been much more useful is a dictionary of general brief forms (not necessarily business-related either) for you to memorize.

As to the method itself, if this is your first try at speedwriting, you could do a lot worse. If, on the other hand, you have any previous experience with another letter-based speedwriting system you will probably want to tweak the ES system and/or combine it with abbreviations you're already using if some of the ES concepts don't make sense to you.

Bottom line: Decent system. The book is 'way overpriced (even at the Amazon price), considering how little actual content/instruction is in the book, so go in with a friend or buy used.

31 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'd rather use EasyScript, April 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: EasyScript Express: Learn To Take Fast Notes in a Matter of Hours (Hardcover)

It's impressive method the way it can be adapted to individual needs. It's so simple that could be learned in 2 hours. It was nice to be able to find something to replace shorthand. After using Gregg shorthand for 20 years I'd rather use EasyScript.