Staring at a blank screen or a massive wall of text?
Whether you’re writing an essay or trying to absorb 20 pages of reading, learning how to switch between reading, typing and speaking will completely level up your study routine.
So, what are these tools?
- Speech-to-Text (STT), also known as dictation, turns your spoken voice into written words on the screen so you can write just by talking into your microphone.
- On the flip side, Text-to-Speech (TTS) reads written text aloud to you using synthetic speech, turning your document into an instant audiobook.
This time let’s look at Speech-to-Text.
Using speech-to-text is one of the fastest ways to get a first draft out of your head and onto the page without getting stuck or overthinking every word. Once your rough thoughts are down, switch back to the keyboard to refine, organize, and edit subsequent drafts.
The secret to improving your work is staying critical of your work at every stage. Every time you dictate a sentence or type out a paragraph, stop and ask yourself:
- ‘Am I answering the assignment question?’
By combining the speed of Speech-to-Text with a sharp critical eye, you will build better essays in half the time.
How to use Speech-to-Text
Dictation built into Google Docs and Microsoft Word requires zero voice training, you can jump straight in and start talking!
Top Tip: How to Speak for Dictation
Don’t speak in robot mode! For the best recognition accuracy, speak naturally and clearly. A great technique is to pretend you are speaking like a TV newsreader or teaching a friend. Speak naturally, pace yourself comfortably, and let your voice flow.
Speech-to-Text software you might use.
Google Docs
- Dictate Your Draft (Speech-to-Text).
- Go to Tools > Voice typing.
- Ctrl + Shift + S on Windows and Chromebook.
- Cmd + Shift + S on Mac.
- Click the microphone, speak clearly, and say punctuation out loud (e.g., ‘full stop’ or ‘comma’).
Microsoft Word
- Dictate Your Draft (Speech-to-Text):
- Select the Home tab,
- Then click Dictate Alt + ‘ (apostrophe) or Alt + ` (backtick) on Windows,
- Option + F1 on Mac.
- Speak into your mic to transform your thoughts directly into written text.