ABSTRACT
For the effective discharge of their duties, professional  secretaries must have a mastery of the basic office skills. These skills include Shorthand, typewriting etc. of all these skills, shorthand happens to the most important and most challenging of all.

         But in secretarial departments of most tertiary institutions, most students believed that secretaries no longer write shorthand in business offices with the invention and installation of such machines e t c.

This nation has contributed to their poor performance in the course since their interest is restricted to passing the course only and not in mastering the

skill.

      The purpose of the study is to determine whether secretaries still apply this skill in the discharge of their duties.

                In order to achieve this purpose, the research as reviewed the contributions of some anthers on the research topic. This made up their literature Review. They also selected five business organizations in Enugu state for their study. The population of her study is all the secretaries in the area of the study.  They also constructed questionnaires which were distributed to all the respondents in the area of the study. These questionnaires were letter collected and the responses analyses.

        After the analysis, the researchers found out that shorthand is still an indispensable tool to the practicing professional secretary in spite of the modern office equipments at her disposal.  They also found out that most executives do not give office dictation often never the less, they take it for granted that the practicing professional secretary is a wizard in the art of writing shorthand.

               Based on their findings, they reprimanded that students should accept the challenges posed by shorthand, take measures to master the skill and devote more time to their studies. They also recommended that lecturers should review their methods of teaching often and on to ensure adequate supervision and guidance.

           Having done justice to the research topic, the researchers suggested that other project researchers should investigate those areas

(a)    Factors responsible for students poor performance in shorthand.

(b)     Strategies for effective teaching and learning of shorthand.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page

Approval

Dedication

Acknowledgment

Abstract

Table of content

List of Tables

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     Introduction

1.1     Background of the study

1.2     Statement of the problem

1.3     Purpose of the study

1.4     Significance of the study

1.5     Scope of the study

1.6     Research limitations

1.7     Research questions

1.8     Definition of terms

CHAPTER TWO

2.0     Literature Review

2.1    History of shorthand.

2.2     Development of shorthand

2.3     Usefulness of shorthand

2.4     The vale of the secretary in a business office

2.5     The secretary and other modern office equipment and machine

CHAPTER THREE

3.0     Research methodology

3.1     Research Design

3.2     Area of the study

3.3     Population of the study

3.4     Sources of Date collection

3.5     Method of Date collection

3.6     Analysis of Research instrument

3.7     Description of research instrument

3.8     Validation of Research instrument

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0     Presentation and analysis of data

4.1     Presentation and analysis of data

4.2     Presentation of respondents by organisation

4.3     Analysis of data

CHAPTER FIVE

4.0     Finding, Recommendations and Conclusion

5.1     Discussion of the Findings

5.2     Implication of the study

5.3     Conclusion

5.4     Recommendation

References 

Appendix 1

LIST OF TABLES

Tables

3.1            Analysis of data

4.1a    Presentation of responses by organisatons

4.1b    Presentation of responses on test of skill before appointment

4.2              Presentation of responses on speed administered during the test.

4.3              Presentation of responses on the importance of the test to getting the job

4.4              Presentation of responses on the designation of the secretaries

4.5              Presentation of responses on the applicability of the skill in the performance of duties

4.6              Presentation the uses of the skill

4.7              Presentation of responses on the availability of modern office equipment

4.8              Presentation of responses on the type of modern office equipment available

4.9              Presentation of responses on the possibility of using machine in place of shorthand skill

4.10         Presentation of responses on the effect of modern office equipment on the application of the skill

4.11         Presentation of responses on whether bosses give dictation

4.12         Presentation of responses on the reteat which bosses give dictations

4.13         Presentation of the speed at which bosses give dictations

4.14         Presentation of responses on the performance of secretaries during dictation

4.15         Presentation of responses on the opinion formed of the secretary by her boss in relation to her performance during dictation

4.16         Presentation of responses on the relationship that exist between the secretaries and their bosses

4.17         Presentation of responses on typing of manuscript

4.18         Presentation of the reasons why bosses give manuscript instead of dictation

4.19         Presentation of responses on the attitudes of secretaries to writing shorthand

4.20         Presentation of responses on the preferability of typing form shorthand outlines

4.21         Presentation of responses on the relevance of the skill to effective discharge of duties

4.22         Presentation of response on whether the skill of shorthand I still relevant in this modern age

4.23         Presentation of reasons why shorthand should be encouraged

4.24         Presentation of responses of the problematic nature of the skill

4.25         Presentation of kinds of problems pose by shorthand

4.26         Presentation of responses on whether secretaries take measures to improve on their skill

4.27         Presentation of theses measures

THE STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

In recent times, shorthand writing enjoyed wide acceptability and applicability due to the benefits inherent in its use. An advantage of shorthand in its use.  An advantage of shorthand lies in the area of its cost effectiveness.  The system also helps in facilitating secrecy in business transaction and for quick recording and processing of information.  The need for shorthand writers increased daily with the increase in industrial and business activities.  It was expected that in so far as business organizations exist, speeches being delivered, shorthand shall continue to enjoy a pride of place in business offices.

But today, technology is taking the world by surprise.  Modern office machines and equipment are being produced.  These machines include the computer, word processors, tape records, dictating machines etc.

The problem of this study is to determine;

(a)              Whether technological developments have affected the application of this skill in business offices.

(b)             Is the practical skill of shorthand (and typewriting) still a starting point for defining the role of a secretary?

(c)              Do bosses/Executives give office dictations?

(d)             What is the secretary/s attitude to applying this skill – is it one associated with pride or contempt?  Do they feel that the course should be encouraged or phased out?

CHAPTER ONE

1.1            BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY:

Shorthand, sometimes called stenography, is a system of writing by sound; that is phonography.  The New Age Encyclopaedia (1977:455) defined shorthand as “an abbreviated system of writing that utilizes symbols or short alphabetic combinations to facilitate rapid recording of the spoken word”.  It is thus the system of using signs and symbols to represent sounds.  This has succeeded in promoting fast writing, labour saving and time-saving phenomena.  As the adage says “time is business”.  Shorthand writing facilities speed and saves a lot of time when taking down spoken words.  It also makes possible a verbation record of spoken words as much the same time as the speaker speaks.  The benefits of shorthand writing have enhanced its general acceptability and popularity in the world of business.

With the growing interest in efficient system of business management, he inventors of shorthand feel it necessary to develop a system that would facilitate speed writing and help to reduce the problem of communication for management.  They made a close study of the phonetic structure of the English