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How to dictate essay outlines from recorded lectures

A plain guide for students recording lectures to dictate essay outlines: what to prepare, steps to follow, tools to compare and mistakes to avoid.

By XP Daily ยท

XP Daily is published by the makers of DaysAid, QuickDictate and YTSort, which are compared here alongside other tools.

Record the lecture or your notes, then say the main points in order as short headings, with two or three supporting points under each. Pick a tool that types into the document where you keep the outline, and check the words it gets wrong before you write the essay.

OptionWhat it does for the outlinePrice
Built-in voice typingCheck whether it types into the window you use for the outlineNot published here
Notes or word processing app with a dictate buttonCheck whether its button writes into the same documentNot published here; check the app's own page
QuickDictateTypes what you say into whichever window you are using [1]Free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account [1]

What you need before you start

Dictating an outline works best with a few things ready before you start. You need the lecture recording or your own notes from it, since the outline comes from what was said. Write the essay question at the top of the page so you know what the outline must answer. A short list of the parts the essay needs, such as the argument, the main points and the evidence, keeps the dictation in order. A quiet room and a microphone placed close to your mouth make your words easier for any tool to pick up. Last, open the document or notes page where the outline will live, so the words have somewhere to land.

Step by step

These steps work with any tool, including typing by hand.

  1. Write the essay question at the top of a blank page.
  2. Play back the lecture or read your notes, pausing at each main point.
  3. Say each main point as a short heading, then dictate two or three supporting points under it.
  4. Put the points in the order the essay will argue them.
  5. Dictate any evidence or example next to the point it supports.
  6. Read the outline once from top to bottom and fix anything the tool heard wrongly.
  7. Save the outline in the document you will write the essay in.
  8. Review the outline the next day against your lecture notes, and add anything you missed.

Tools that can do it

Several tools can take dictation for an outline. Compare each one on whether it types into the document you keep the outline in, whether it needs the internet, and what it costs.

Built-in voice typing on your computer or phone is the simplest starting point. Check whether it types into the window you use for the outline and whether it works without a connection before you rely on it for a lecture.

A notes or word processing app with its own dictate button works when the button writes into the same document. Check the app's own page for its limits and cost, since none are given here.

QuickDictate is made by the team that publishes this site. QuickDictate is a Windows program that types what you say into whichever window you are using. [1] What you say is typed into whichever window has focus, such as an editor, chat box, terminal or web form. [1] You hold a key while you talk, or press it once to start and once to stop, and you can change both keys. [1] If you need dictation without a connection, install the offline speech files once, and after that dictation works without internet. [1] Saying "scratch that" throws away the text you just dictated instead of typing it in, and it is the only voice command the program ships. [1] It runs only on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11. [1]

Common mistakes to avoid

Dictating before you know the question. Without the essay question written down, the outline wanders. Write the essay question first, then check each point against it.

Trusting the first pass. Read the dictated outline once and fix the words the tool got wrong. Names, dates and course terms are the usual trouble spots.

Dictating over the lecture. If the recording is still playing, your voice and the lecturer's can blur together. Pause the recording while you dictate each point.

Skipping the vocabulary step. A tool that has not heard your course terms may spell them differently each time. Add the terms before you start.

Leaving the outline in a scattered place. Keep one document for each essay so the points stay together.

Waiting until the day before. A short outline written after each lecture is easier to expand than one started at the deadline.

Frequently asked questions

Can QuickDictate type essay outlines into any window?

QuickDictate is a Windows program that types what you say into whichever window you are using. [1] What you say is typed into whichever window has focus, such as an editor, chat box, terminal or web form. [1] You hold a key while you talk, or press it once to start and once to stop, and you can change both keys. [1] Check that the document for your outline is in focus before you start speaking, so the words land in the right place.

Is QuickDictate free for personal use?

QuickDictate is free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account, but cloud providers bill you separately for their service. [1] The licence depends on the version: from v0.9.0 on it is source-available under PolyForm Noncommercial 1.0.0, while releases up to v0.8.0 were MIT. [1] Check the licence on the release you download.

Does QuickDictate work offline for lecture outlines?

Yes, once its speech files are on your computer, it can dictate without an internet connection. [1] Cloud providers are the other option, and with five of them words appear while you are still talking. [1] Pick the mode that suits the place where you will be working.

Which computers can QuickDictate run on?

QuickDictate runs only on 64-bit Windows 10 and 11. [1] You download it from GitHub as a Windows program and run it. [1] Check your Windows version before you download it, so you know the program will run.

Can QuickDictate fix spellings in an outline?

You can teach it course names and fix words it gets wrong, such as "Chat GPT" to "ChatGPT". [1] Add your course terms and names before a lecture, so they come out spelled the way you need. If the program hears the wrong sentence, saying "scratch that" discards the text you just dictated. [1]

QuickDictate is free for personal and other noncommercial use, with no subscription or account. Cloud providers bill you separately for their service. [1]

Try QuickDictate

Sources

  1. QuickDictate's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher)

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