what is shorthand typing

Shorthand typing is a system of writing that uses symbols or abbreviations for letters, words, or phrases to increase the speed and brevity of writing as compared to longhand. Writing with shorthand symbols allows one to write at a quicker speed than traditional handwriting. Shorthand has been used by many professionals, such as personal assistants, secretaries, journalists, and court reporters, to take notes quickly and accurately. Shorthand comes in handy when taking notes at a meeting, during an interview, or at a class lecture. Many forms of shorthand exist, such as the Teeline method, the Pitman method, and the Gregg method. Shorthand was considered an essential part of secretarial training and police work and was useful for journalists. Although shorthand was used more widely in the past, before the invention of recording and dictation machines, it is still a valuable skill to have in todays world.