This study examined the validity of various measures of speed and accuracy for assessing proficiency in speech recognition. The study specifically compared two different word-count indices for speed and accuracy (the 5-stroke word and the 1.4-syllable standard word) on a timing administered to 114 speech recognition students measured at 1-, 2-, and 3-minute intervals. Speed scores measured by 5-stroke words were consistently 9% gross words a minute higher on 1-, 2-, and 3-minute timings than scores measured by 1.4-syllable standard words on the same timings; this difference was statistically significant. Speed increased with the length of timing; the effect was small but statistically significant. Accuracy scores were similar across assessment methods and length of timing. The findings indicate that the most valid and reliable measure of speech recognition speed was gross words a minute on timings with 1.4 syllabic intensity measured by the standard 1.4 syllable word count. In contrast to keyboarding timings, 1-minute, 2-minute, and 3-minute timings in speech recognition are reliable measures of speed and accuracy. (Contains 3 tables and 1 figure.)