Assume you are the supervisor of a stenographic unit. One stenographer discovers an erroneous statement in a letter dictated by a bureau head. Because of prior criticism for rephrasing, what is the best action for you to take?

• A. correct the error and have the stenographer type the letter as corrected, after you have initialized her notebook to show that you have authorized the change
• B. have the stenographer type the letter as it was dictated by the bureau head, but have her attach a note calling his attention to the erroneous statement
• C. have the stenographer tra
• D. call the bureau head's attention to his error and have the stenographer make any change authorized by him

Answer: (D)

When material is dictated, changes should come from the author, not the editor or stenographer. If an error is found, you should promptly bring it to the bureau head’s attention and have any correction made only with his explicit authorization. This preserves the author’s original intention, maintains the document’s authenticity and accountability, and avoids misquoting or unintended rewording. Since there’s been prior criticism of rephrasing, the stenographer should not alter the text on her own; she should implement changes only as directed by the author.