The prediction of phonetic transcription ability

This study investigated whether the Seashore Measures of Musical Talents, the Taylor Personality Scale of Manifest Anxiety, and the Michigan State University Orientation Tests could predict success in phonetic transcription. The Seashore Measures were administered at the beginning and at the end of a course in applied phonetics and a course in voice and diction. Significant changes were found in before‐ and after‐course change‐scores for the Seashore sub‐tests of Tonal Memory and Timbre. All the Seashore Measures and orientation test scores, other than the “numerical” sub‐tests, proved to be significantly correlated with transcription scores. The pairing of sub‐tests yielding the best prediction involved the Seashore sub‐tests of Time and Tonal Memory. A prediction equation utilizing these tests was evolved.