Fact · Typing and writing speed
The patent says a dictation system may accept macros that enhance effective words per minute, because one short spoken phrase can produce a longer text.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“the dictation system may be designed to accept macros to enhance effective words per minute”
Method and systems for measuring user performance with speech-to-text conversion for dictation systems, Brian Marquette et al., United States Patent and Trademark Office (US 8,639,512 B2), 2014, Detailed description, macro example.
Open the original- What it measures
- The patent's example is a common phrase that a macro maps to a longer clause, so the user speaks four words and the system returns the full text.
- What it does not show
- A macro is a shortcut that expands into longer text. A speed score that counts the expanded text overstates how fast the person spoke. Count the words you wrote, not the words the tool produced.