Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
This sentence is part of a paragraph in which that particular math problem came at the end of the braille line.
LauraI am transcribing a math text with calculator keys. On two occasions, there is a double capital E above the calculator key. Should I treat this as a modified expression?
Thank you Dorothy. The individual wanted further clarification.
“I have a couple of questions concerning your response to Transcriber’s Note in Nemeth.
I want to make sure that I understand your answer. Because I am waiting to take the Nemeth exam, I want to be clear on this. Are you saying that if there is something in the course that is not in the Code or the 2007 Update it should not be followed? There are several things in the course that are not in the Code. For example, in §181.c of the course book we are instructed to treat ununified systems of equations as spatial. The course errata changed this section from not spatial to spatial. There is no counterpart to this in the code book. So, because this course errata is not supported by the Nemeth Code itself nor the 2007 Update, nor anything on the BANA website, it should not be followed. Therefore, the ununified systems of equations should not be considered to be spatial and the original section in the course book restored. Is that correct?
Another example of something in the course that is not in the Code is in §36.b of the course book, which states in part, “An abbreviation and a preceding or following numeral or letter to which it applies must be placed on the same braille line.” There is no such requirement, that I can find, in the Code book, nor is there anything in EBAE or Braille Formats. This is not part of the errata, but the original course material. Should I continue to follow this practice?
As there are several things that are in the course that are not in the Code, I’m wondering how I will be graded on the Nemeth test? Is it a test of the Nemeth code, or the Nemeth course?”Thank you for your help in understanding this complex issue.
Marie
I also have the same expression with a minus sign before the vector, and the minus is also bold. How do you handle a bold minus?
Standards and Guidelines for Tactile Graphics, which was recently approved by BANA (but has not yet been published), acknowledges the use of braille embossers (such as Tiger) for graphics such as pie charts and bar graphs. I, personally, would not recommend it for more complex diagrams such as maps.
There are no “rules” regarding this, and it usually depends upon what an agency or production house has determined in terms of cost effectiveness and staff time required to produce the tactiles. Since you have started a new job, and aren’t in a position to make the decision, it is probably best at this point to follow their guidance.
Research has shown that braille readers find that the collage method (textures which are then thermoformed onto plastic sheets), yields the most distinct results. However, with the improvements in computer graphics, and the need the need for access to completed tactiles in a timely manner, many readers have found this to be an acceptable alternative.
Betty
A transcriber wondered if she was missing something in the original question here. When would the example equation ever need to be divided at the equal sign? It is a short sentence that will fit on the braille line. I responded that I assumed it was a question about the general situation, not necessarily that specific equation. But now I want to make sure my assumption was correct, or if there is something I missed also.
Hi Julie. I checked this out in one of our publications (Labeled Statements and Formal Proofs). This is itemized material with no subdivisions so the margins will be 1/3. The identifier begins in cell 1. “Given” is a new paragraph so it starts in cell 5 with runovers in cell 3. A new paragraph is also begun for the auxiliary caption “Prove” (5/3).
Although nothing in Computer Braille Code prohibits us from dividing a line of notation within a word, the recommendation is to divide at a logical point, keeping in mind the readability of your transcription. A logical place might be following a punctuation mark or a symbol such as a backslash or tilde. A division within a word should probably be done between syllables for readability, but again there is nothing to prohibit dividing at any place within the word. You may not divide between cells of a multi-cell sign (such as a Caps lock) or immediately following a begin CBC symbol or preceding the end CBC symbol.
In an equation made up of words you may use contractions in words that are not next to an operation sign or a comparison sign. In your example, all of the words would have to be uncontracted because “original” is next to the comparison sign and “discount” is next to the operation sign and the following comparison sign. You do not leave any spaces between the operation sign and the words. You would use (ed)4 for the boxes (if they are squares) and space them as if they are what they represent — in this case a number. If the sentence expression must be divided at the end of the line, you must divide first of all before a comparison sign, just as you would with an equation composed of numbers.
That is a good suggestion. Thanks.
It’s good that you are discussing it though. I don’t believe that there has ever really been time for the best minds to consider this. The person who told me to use Nemeth and following spacing and capping in print also said to do that “for now, until we figure this out”. This was about 10 years ago.
Thanks as always. bt
If you have not been instructed to braille the material as consumable (with the intention that the student will braille or write on the actual embossed copy) you will not include any accomodations for the student to enter answers to questions. Even then, I would think the student would be re-writing the expression with the parentheses in place, and not actually trying to enter them into the embossed text. If you have been told to leave room for inserting the parentheses, you would have to insert spaces between each number and operation sign so that you wouldn’t give away the correct answer by the spaces you added.
The margin in effect is not part of the Nemeth Code or Braille Formats. Follow Braille Formats rules for any formatting that is not defined by the Nemeth Code for use in Nemeth transcriptions. When the 2007 Update to the Nemeth Code was adopted, it replaced all previous updates to the Code. Although there is no official update document for the Nemeth Course, if an item in the Course errata is not supported by the Code itself or the Update (2007) or any subsequent updates as posted on BANA’s website, it should not be followed.
edited by dworthing on 1/5/2011
