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How to Prepare Notes for Public Speaking

Last Updated: May 21, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Deb DiSandro . Deb DiSandro is the Owner of Speak Up On Purpose, an organization dedicated to improving and teaching public speaking. Deb has over 30 years of experience as a national speaker and has presented at the Erma Bombeck Writer’s Conference and the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. She was awarded the National Speakers Association Member of the Year 2007 and has been published in Writer's Digest, Daily Herald, Women's Day, and Better Homes & Gardens. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 239,749 times.

You have to give a speech, and you wonder how you can give it without staring at a piece of paper. Rather than memorize the words, you can use notes. Notes are easy to make. First, write and refine your speech. Pick out keywords that represent the main ideas of your speech and write them on notecards. Finish filling out the notecards with important talking points. Good notes make you sound natural as a speaker while having a safety net in case you get lost.

Creating and Breaking Down Your Speech

• This is a draft. Pay attention to word choice and sentence structure. Make it as good as possible, but remember that you'll be able to fix any mistakes before you make your notes.
• Get all of your ideas on paper. It doesn't matter if they're crazy, inspiring, or weird. You have a chance to perfect what doesn't work later on. [2] X Research source

• It's a good idea to time yourself while you do this. That way, you'll know when you need to cut down your speech's length.
• Learn transitional phrases to help your speech flow naturally. [4] X Research source

• Highlight things that worked from your first draft and areas that you want to keep that need to be reworded.

• Record your own speech and listen to the phrases and pacing. Listen for any awkward phrases and try to smooth them out in the next draft.
• If you know someone who's given a public speech before, ask them to listen. They will have more experience and will be less biased.

Making Your Notes

• For example, you are speaking about the life of a politician. You can use the word “Military” to show yourself when it's time to talk about their military experience.
• Images can also help solidify the order of your speech. Visualize uniformed soldiers marching in unison and you won't forget you need to talk about military training.
• Write out the first words of your transition sentences to help keep yourself on track.

• For example, if you need to introduce your second idea at the three minute mark, write three minutes on the card containing that idea.

• Write the words in a pen that's legible to you. Black or blue ink works best.
• If you have bad handwriting, you can type out your notes. Cut and glue them onto your notes or print them directly by using the “Size” option in the “Print Layout” tab.

• For example, write out “award” or “Purple Heart” to remind yourself to mention the awards someone earned in service.

• For instance, write down “75% pass” if you need to inform your audience how many people pass a class.

• Customize the color code to whatever works best for you.
• This works best if you color code while you practice your speech, but it could be distracting or confusing by the time you give the speech.

• You can also bind the cards together. Use a drill or hole punch on the upper left corner of the notes. Loop a string through them. They'll be easy to flip and can't be mixed up.
• However, make sure the flipping of the notecards is not distracting to the audience.

Rehearsing Your Speech

• Memorizing a speech word-for-word is unhelpful because the audience can tell that you're reciting a script. Only use memorization and scripted words if you're painting a picture with your words or you need to tell a joke with comedic timing.

• Because you are using a minimal outline, your speech will sound a little different every time. However, it'll also sound more natural.

• You can time yourself again while giving the speech so you know exactly how long it is rather than making a guess. It can show you when you're going off-script too much. Keep in mind when you give the speech, you're bound to talk faster and the speech will be shorter.

Community Q&A

• Research name pronunciations before writing your speech. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 1
• Try to have 3 main points in the middle of your speech so the audience remembers it well. You can back these points up with further information or quotes. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 1
• Look at your card quickly and smoothly. Keep your thumb next to the line on your note card so you don't lose your place. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1

• When using visual aids, make them sparse and with few words. Visual aids are supposed to be for the audience. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1

Things You'll Need

• Blue or black pen
• Colored highlighters
• Index cards

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://pac.org/content/speechwriting-101-writing-effective-speech
• ↑ https://wrd.as.uky.edu/sites/default/files/1-Shitty%20First%20Drafts.pdf
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/speeches/
• ↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/publicspeaking/chapter/10-2-keeping-your-speech-moving/
• ↑ https://www.unr.edu/writing-speaking-center/student-resources/writing-speaking-resources/editing-and-proofreading-techniques
• ↑ http://www.washington.edu/doit/presentation-tips-0
• ↑ https://examples.yourdictionary.com/keyword-outline-examples.html
• ↑ http://academics.umw.edu/speaking/resources/handouts/preparing-speaking-notes/
• ↑ https://www.ted.com/participate/organize-a-local-tedx-event/tedx-organizer-guide/speakers-program/prepare-your-speaker/rehearsals
• ↑ https://www.student.unsw.edu.au/speaking-audience

About This Article

Public speaking can be scary, but using notes can increase your confidence and make it a little easier. To prepare notes for public speaking, begin by writing your speech. Once you’ve written the first draft, read the speech out loud and make any necessary changes so it sounds smooth. When you’re happy with your speech, translate it into notes by highlighting keywords to mark where each new idea begins. Then, write one keyword per notecard. Make sure your writing is clear so you can read it easily as you speak! If you need to remember specific details or statistics, include these on your notecards. For example, you could write ”75%” in your notes if you need to tell the audience how many people pass a class. When you’ve finished making your notes, number each one to avoid getting them mixed up. For more information from our Public Speaking co-author, like how to practice your speech, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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55 Speaking Notes and Practice: Reminders and Additional Tips

Learning Objectives

Use notes wisely and effectively

• Create effective notecards that enhance your speech delivery.
• Rehearse your speech for an extemporaneous delivery.

Preparing for Your Speech Delivery

As we have learned, speech making is a process of sequential steps that will help us to deliver an effective speech. We are now at our final speech preparation steps – again! Below are some reminders as well as additional tips to help you finish your preparation for a successful speech delivery!

Preparing Notes

Once you have created a comprehensive outline and have thought through your speech, you should be able to create your note cards or whatever you might be using (notes or an iPad for instance). Every speaker is a bit different, and different speech topics and organizational patterns may require different notation techniques.

Tips for creating and using your note cards

Your note cards (or cue sheets) must have enough information on them to be able to deliver the speech without missing details; they should be organized in the precise order that you have planned. When you are finalizing your speech making process and putting the finishing touches on your outline, you are ready to make the notecards. DO NOT make note cards before you are done with your speech making process. Your note cards should only contain a few words that will guide your speech. You will read your outline word-for-word if you use an outline; so, it is essential for you to spend time on creating note cards. Once you have created effective note cards, you will want to practice with your visual aid, your note cards, and any other props you have to ensure a strong delivery.

During the delivery:

• You should be able to glance at the cards, get your bearings, and look back at the audience. If you are reading the cards word-for-word, there are too many words on them, unless it is an extended exact quote, or group of statistics that must be delivered precisely.
• Be sure your notes or cards are numbered (e.g., boldly in the upper right hand corner), so you can keep them organized. Color-coding is often done to easily distinguish the cards at a glance. Losing your place can be very stressful to you and distracting to the audience.
• Avoid writing or printing on two sides; flipping a page or card is distracting to the audience. The audience should not be aware of the notes. It is best to simply slide the cards aside to advance to the next card.
• Rehearse your speech using the notes that you will bring to the podium. Be sure you can glance at the notes, get your information, and look up to have eye contact with the audience.

Watch this quick Youtube video to learn how to use notes effectively in a speech. There are great ideas to overcome bad habits and engage in “good” note card use.

Rehearsing the Speech

Students under estimate the amount of time the goes into outlining, creating note cards, and rehearsing their speeches. This “tying up loose ends” is essential for a strong speech delivery. Here are a few tips to remember before you deliver your speech.

Rehearse your speech – aloud and ideally with a colleague or fellow student as an audience

• Rehearse in front of a mirror if needed.
• Think of doing a quick SWOT analysis. What strengths are present? What weaknesses are present? What opportunities for improvement do you have? What threats exist?
• Practice as if you are LIVE. Use the same technology, presentation aids, notecards and/or tangible props.
• Use a timer – consider writing the time on your note cards to keep yourself on track with the pace of your speech.
• Create a practice timeline that will allow plenty of revision time, editing of your outline, and updating your note cards for delivery. Be sure to implement feedback in order to strengthen your argument.

You should also know exactly how your speech will begin and end. Regardless of how dependent on notes the speaker may be, here is one constant word of advice: know exactly how you are going to begin your speech. Not just an idea, but verbatim, with every inflection, every gesture, every eye contact with the audience. The first few sentences should be so ingrained, that you could perform it during an earthquake without batting an eye.

A memorized introduction accomplishes several goals. First, it gives you the opportunity to breathe, and realize it’s not so bad to be up there after all! Second, it lets the audience know you are prepared. Third, it signals to the audience that what you are about to say is important. Finally, it gives you the opportunity for direct eye contact (because you are not reading) and commands the audience’s attention. Eye contact is a signal to the audience that you care about them!

The conclusion of your speech is equally important. In show business parlance, the end of a song or a scene is called a “button.” It is a “TAH-DAH” moment that lets the audience know you are finished, and that it is their turn to applaud. The ending impression your speech leaves with the audience is greatly affected by how effective the ending is. The content and structure notwithstanding, you should also know exactly how you will end (verbatim), so there is no hesitation, no stumbling, no tentative “I guess that’s all” feeling. A confident and decisive beginning will draw the audience to you; a confident logical ending will be very effective in preserving a lasting impression on the audience.

One of the key elements to an effective speech is our delivery method. We are presenting speeches, not reading them . Our goal is to deliver our speeches extemporaneously.

Extemporaneous speaking is one of the most natural methods for delivering a prepared speech. You can use an extemporaneous speech to achieve a more natural tone, flow, and style with the audience. This requires extensive preparation and practice.

To prepare for an extemporaneous speech, you must understand the difference between your preparation outline and speaking notes.

• Your preparation outline helps you to get prepared for your speech by providing the opportunity to organize and write your ideas in a speech format. This is your “formal” outline you use to organize your ideas (it is also the outline you turn in to me).
• Your speaking notes help you achieve a conversational and natural speech delivery.

See these tips for creating speaking notes:

https://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-Notes-for-Public-Speaking

Another Guide to Preparing Speech Notes

Speaking notes have an advantage over preparation outlines. For example, you can easily look at your notes for reference and as a personal reminder of which topics to discuss as you’re speaking.

Speaking notes commonly take two forms: alphanumeric and decimal.

An alphanumeric outline includes a capitalized number or letter at the beginning of each topic. Look at the sample:

Thesis statement: E-mail and internet monitoring is an invasion of employees’ rights

I. The situation: Over 80% of today’s companies monitor their employees.

….A. To prevent fraudulent activities, theft, and other workplace related violations.

….B. To more efficiently monitor employee productivity.

II. What are employees’ privacy rights when it comes to electronic monitoring and surveillance?

….A. American employees have basically no legal protection from mean and snooping bosses.

……..1. There are no federal or State laws protecting employees.

……..2. Employees may assert privacy protection for their own personal effects.

….B. Most managers believe that there is no right to privacy in the workplace.

……..1. Workplace communications should be about work; anything else is a misuse of company equipment and company time.

……..2. Employers have a right to prevent misuse by monitoring employee communication.

Decimal outline

The decimal outline shows how each item at every level relates to the whole sample.

Thesis statement:

1.0 Introduction

….1.1 Brief history of Liz Claiborne

….1.2 Corporate environment

2.0 Career opportunities

….2.1 Operations management

……..2.1.1 Traffic

……..2.1.2 International trade and corporate customs

……..2.1.3 Distribution

….2.2 Product development

You will note that in both examples, only keywords are used. You can handwrite or type your notes on either a sheet of paper or note cards. The important point is that you do not have a word for word speech – you only have reminders on your key points. This seemingly small difference helps you to have a natural and conversational delivery. 

Practice and Rehearsal Guidelines

The following guidelines are best practices on how to practice and rehearse an extemporaneous speech:

• Speak in a conversational style by pretending you are  with  your audience.
• Rehearse with your graphics and coordinate them with your talk.
• Display your graphics  only  when you are talking about them.
• Rehearse in front of others and solicit feedback.
• Record and listen to your timed practice speech.
• Prepare for interruptions and questions at the end.

Extemporaneous speaking is not memorization and manuscript speaking and requires you to organize and prepare your content and notes ahead of time to deliver a speech that will engage your audience.

Key Takeaways

Deliver your persuasive speech with note cards, a visual aid, and strong body language.

• The use of note cards is essential to public speaking.
• Public speaking students overlook the importance of note cards and visual aids to enhance their delivery; when used effectively, note cards can greatly increase a students effectiveness.
• To ensure a smooth delivery, practice with plenty of time to make any changes to your delivery notes and method of audience connection.

Victor Capecce, M.F.A.. Provided by : Millersville University, Millersville, PA.  Located at :  http://publicspeakingproject.org/psvirtualtext.html .  Project : The Public Speaking Project.  License :  CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives

Public Speaking Copyright © by Dr. Layne Goodman; Amber Green, M.A.; and Various is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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• Preparing Speaking Notes

Suggestions for Preparing Speaking Notes

While several of these reminders might strike you as obvious, speakers often ignore them when preparing to speak.

USE an outline format for your notes:

An outline helps you visually recall the structure of your talk. Placing numerals and letters by the various points in your talk also helps you distinguish main points from subordinate ones. If you indent supporting points, the outline will be easier to read while you are speaking.

KEEP the outline as brief as possible:

Too much detail on your notes encourages you to read them to your audience. When this happens, you can’t maintain eye contact with your listeners and you’ll lose any sense of conversation with your audience.

PLACE visual cues on the outline if necessary:

A good speaking outline includes the content of the talk as well as reminders about how you wish to proceed. You might mark certain sections of notes where you wish to pause, or to speak more slowly or loudly to achieve emphasis. You might remind yourself about when to use a visual aid. Perhaps you want to pause a particular spot to ask the audience for questions.

MAKE you speaking notes legible:

Under the stress of speaking before a group, you may suddenly be unable to decipher your own writing. You’ll need to be able to read your notes at a distance — they need to be clear and large enough for you to do so easily.

PRACTICE speaking with the notes you have prepared:

That’s the only way to tell for sure if your notes will make sense to you at the time you’ll be giving the final presentation.

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How to Use Notes in a Speech: A Guide for Speakers

Only one of the following statements is true. Do you know which one?

• You should never use notes because you will look unprepared.
• You should always use notes because memorization weakens your delivery.
• You should never use slide text as notes.

In this article, we identify scenarios where a full script is warranted or where memorization is advisable. For all your speaking scenarios in the middle, we discuss 21 tips for using notes effectively .

Full Script, Notes, or Nothing at all?

A previous Six Minutes article ( how to read a speech ) identified several speaking scenarios where reading a full script may be required or preferred :

You are speaking at a highly  formal occasion  (e.g. a commencement speech) You are delivering a particularly  emotional speech  (e.g. a wedding speech, a eulogy) You are forced to read word-for-word by  lawyers or campaign managers  (e.g. a corporate statement; a political speech) A  speechwriter  has written your speech. Life  prevented you from preparing  adequately. (Don’t let this happen often… your speech really would go better if you prepare.) You are a brand new speaker, and  you haven’t developed the confidence  yet to go without a script.

Likewise, there are speaking scenarios where it is highly desirable to avoid any notes  and memorize your speech instead:

• You are giving a TED talk  (or speaking at a similar “ballroom” event) where you’ve got twenty minutes or less. These events set a high bar for preparation.
• You are pitching to investors, potential customers, potential employers, or any type of career-shaping presentation . I would include many academic and industry conferences in this group, although some may have a less rigorous culture.
• You are offering a short toast .
• You are completing a course speech assignment, and you are not allowed to have notes.
• Your speech is so short (~ six minutes or less) that you ought to be able to deliver without notes.

If we eliminate those two extremes (full script and no notes at all), we are left with a majority of speaking scenarios where using notes is perfectly acceptable . These include:

• You are teaching a course, which is several hours or days in length.
• You are delivering a keynote address or some other lengthy speech at a conference.
• You are delivering a lunch-time seminar.
• You are addressing a service club or community group.
• You are delivering a webinar.
• You are doing a routine presentation at your workplace.
• Any other scenario where your speech is too long to memorize, but not formal enough to demand a full script .

If you are ever concerned about the culture and expectations for an event at which you are speaking, consult with the organizers. If this isn’t possible, err on the side of caution and be prepared to present either without notes or with absolute minimal notes.

Tips for Using Notes Effectively

If you decide to use notes for your presentation, you still have several choices to make. What medium do you choose? Can you use slide bullets for notes? Does it matter how your notes are formatted? What messages can you pass yourself within the notes? How do you deliver with notes in a way that doesn’t hamper your impact?

Choose the medium that suits your style.

“ The purpose of notes is to jog your memory, not provide lengthy passages to read. ”

• Use a classic: index cards. Many speakers–from elementary school students to career professionals–swear by index cards. If this is what you like, invest in a good hole punch and link all the cards together with a metal ring. This prevents the disastrous “Oh my! My cards are out-of-order” phenomenon.
• Go big (or at least letter-sized). Some people prefer using legal pads or standard letter-sized paper. The main advantage is that you can fit more on a page, so you won’t need to flip pages very often. For many presentations, a single one-sided page is all you’ll need.  [This is my personal preference.]
• Go little: sticky notes. I’ve seen a couple professional trainers work from a large cardboard “palette” covered with many little colored sticky notes, each with a word or phrase. As each topic was covered, the trainer adeptly moved the corresponding note to the “done” pile to keep track of what they had covered. This allows a highly adaptive presentation style where you can cover content in an audience-driven order or not-at-all.
• Go digital with a tablet. There are countless note-taking or outline apps that can do the job for you. Some people love that it’s paper-less; others worry about the device staying charged long enough to be useful. Having to “swipe” your device back on from a black screen every time you need to consult your notes could be annoying, for you and your audience.
• Use presentation software… but do it properly. If you are presenting visuals, then the notes feature of your presentation software (e.g. PowerPoint) can be used in two distinct ways. In the first method, you can print out a set of “notes pages” which combine the slide content with your notes content. In the second method, you can use “Presenter View” to display your slides for the audience and, simultaneously, your slides and notes for you. For a well-rehearsed speaker, this can work very well. (Don’t show up at the event expecting to learn it on the fly!) Finally, do not ever use text on slides themselves as your notes. Audiences universally hate this.

Design your notes for easy consumption.

“ Do not ever use text on slides themselves as your notes. Audiences universally hate this. ”

• Minimize the words. Remember that the purpose of notes is to jog your memory, not provide lengthy passages to read. Don’t use sentences; use keywords or phrases instead. For example, you might distill an entire talk into short notes like “crutch metaphor”, “dentist story”, or “personnel strategy”. Verbose notes leads to two equally bad outcomes: [1] lots of reading, and [2] a high likelihood that you’ll get lost in your notes.
• Maximize scan-ability. Regardless of which medium you choose, be sure to type or print as neatly as possible. The last thing you need to do during your presentation is to decipher a messy or handwritten notes page. Use the largest font you can, and plenty of white space.
• Format wisely to provide clues. Used strategically, formatting such as bold, italics, underline, and color or size variations allows you to convey meaning to your future self.
• Adjust with colored pens or highlighters. Let’s say you’ve got a nicely printed notes page, but while rehearsing you realize that it’s missing a few words or some emphasis. A little touch-up with a colored pen or highlighter will fix it. Avoid using light pencils as it can be hard to read and it is prone to smudge.
• Use meaningful layout. Mirror your speech outline in the notes. Assuming you’ve distilled each point (paragraph), anecdote, or story down to a few words, these can still be displayed in a hierarchy that mirrors your speech outline.
• Organize in whatever style works for you. Don’t be afraid to use any organization scheme that works for you. One of my speaking mentors sometimes uses a single-page mind map as her “notes” page. I don’t think this method would work for me, but it worked wonderfully for her. Experiment!

Use notes for strategic purposes.

• Use notes for other people’s words. You can memorize quotations or a short excerpt of another work (e.g. a poem, story, or news article). However, there’s virtually no down side to reading it from your notes instead. An added bonus is that it signifies the respect you have for the other author.
• Aim for precision. Similarly, facts, statistics, and definitions can be memorized (and definitely should be if they are used in your speech opening), but it’s often safer to just put them in your notes. Reading a statistic from a note (as opposed to memorizing it) signals that you value truth and precision over appearing polished and “smart”.
• Remind yourself to interact with audience. In the past, I was prone to forgetting things like polling the audience, or doing a brainstorm exercise on a flip chart. (I think these items are easy to forget because they are always skipped during rehearsal.) So, I developed a habit of inserting clues like “[POLL AUDIENCE!!!]” or “[FLIP CHART]” in my notes to remind me.
• Remind yourself about timing or logistics. When I teach courses that last several hours, my lesson plan includes a rough timing breakdown which tells me that I should complete the first section in twenty minutes, or complete the group exercise by the ninety minute mark, and so on. I insert these timing reminders right into my notes, and I do the same for other logistical reminders such as “[STRETCH BREAK]” or “[DISTRIBUTE 2nd HANDOUT]”.
• Spell unfamiliar words phonetically to aid pronunciation. In a 1963 speech from Berlin, U.S. President John F. Kennedy uttered the famous phrase “ Ich bin ein Berliner ” (I am a Berliner). President Kennedy desired to pronounce this phrase correctly, so he wrote the words out phonetically: “ Ish bin ein Bearleener ” (his handwriting is shown in the photograph below). Though I don’t recommend handwriting today, I’ve often used this trick as a Master of Ceremonies to avoid pronunciation mistakes when introducing other speakers.

Handwriting of President John F. Kennedy to indicate the correct pronunciation of several speech phrases.

Deliver with confidence.

• Don’t apologize for having notes. It’s okay to have notes. Really! I cringe whenever a speaker apologizes for “needing” notes… not because the apology is so tragic, but rather because it usually signifies a lack of confidence. Prepare and deliver to the best of your ability, and skip the apologies.
• Practice with your notes, and revise as necessary. Just as with visuals, props, or anything else you intend on having with you during your presentation, rehearse with your notes. As you practice, add keywords to your notes if there’s a point, a story, a transition, or anything else you tend to forget. If you’ve never used “Presenter Mode” with slides before, then practice!! I’ve seen dozens of people launch into this mode without any prior preparation, and it usually kills a few minutes pointlessly.
• Glance at your notes at natural breaks. When you are speaking, try to keep your eyes up on your audience. Take advantage of natural pauses to refer briefly to your notes. For example, when I teach courses, I tend to glance down  just after  I change the slide. At that moment, the audience will direct their attention to the new slide, so this is a perfect opportunity. Once you’ve finished, bring your head back up and begin speaking again.
• Avoid glancing at your notes at critical moments. Your opening, closing, and any other “core moment” should be delivered with confidence, and glancing at your notes at this time will detract.
• Put your notes down… if there’s a place to put them. If you carry your notes around, it can be a visual or auditory distraction. Also, if you’ve got anything in your hands for a long period of time, it tends to limit natural gestures. If there’s a lectern, table, or any convenient surface, that will work. But if there is literally no where to put the notes, then just hold your notes in your hand. (Don’t put them on the floor. Bending down repeatedly will lead to awkward moments that are best avoided.)

Put in into Practice

Think about the next presentation you are scheduled to deliver.

• Are notes appropriate for this setting?
• How can you improve the content of your notes?
• Do you have quotations, facts, or other content that can go into notes to lessen your cognitive burden?
• Is today the day you will learn how to use Presenter Mode in your presentation software?

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Was talking to a client this afternoon about using notes when #presenting. Here is another great article from… https://t.co/M6Coa1JM6i — Mel Sherwood – Pitch & Presentation Specialist (@MelSherwood_) Dec 7th, 2018

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Module 6: Organizing and Outlining Your Speech

Methods of speech delivery, learning objectives.

Identify the four types of speech delivery methods and when to use them.

There are four basic methods of speech delivery: manuscript, memorized, impromptu, and extemporaneous. We’ll look at each method and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each.

A manuscript page from President George W. Bush’s address to the nation on the day of the 9/11 attacks in 2001.

A manuscript speech is when the speaker writes down every word they will speak during the speech. When they deliver the speech, they have each word planned and in front of them on the page, much like a newscaster who reads from a teleprompter.

The advantage of using a manuscript is that the speaker has access to every word they’ve prepared in advance. There is no guesswork or memorization needed. This method comforts some speakers’ nerves as they don’t have to worry about that moment where they might freeze and forget what they’ve planned to say. They also are able to make exact quotes from their source material.

When the exact wording of an idea is crucial, speakers often read from a manuscript, for instance in communicating public statements from a company.

However, the disadvantage with a manuscript is that the speakers have MANY words in front of them on the page. This prohibits one of the most important aspects of delivery, eye contact. When many words are on the page, the speakers will find themselves looking down at those words more frequently because they will need the help. If they do look up at the audience, they often cannot find their place when the eye returns to the page. Also, when nerves come into play, speakers with manuscripts often default to reading from the page and forget that they are not making eye contact or engaging their audience. Therefore, manuscript is a very difficult delivery method and not ideal.  Above all, the speakers should remember to rehearse with the script so that they practice looking up often.

Public Speaking in History

The fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989, owed in large part to a momentary error made by an East German government spokesperson. At a live press conference, Günter Schabowski tried to explain new rules relaxing East Germany’s severe travel restrictions. A reporter asked, “when do these new rules go into effect?” Visibly flustered, Schabowski said, “As far as I know, it takes effect immediately, without delay.” In fact, the new visa application procedure was supposed to begin the following day, and with a lot of bureaucracy and red tape. Instead, thousands of East Berliners arrived within minutes at the border crossings, demanding to pass through immediately. The rest is history.

The outcome of this particular public-relations blunder was welcomed by the vast majority of East and West German citizens, and hastened the collapse of communism in Eastern and Central Europe. It’s probably good, then, that Schabowski ran this particular press conference extemporaneously, rather than reading from a manuscript.

You can view the transcript for “The mistake that toppled the Berlin Wall” here (opens in new window) .

A memorized speech is also fully prepared in advance and one in which the speaker does not use any notes. In the case of an occasion speech like a quick toast, a brief dedication, or a short eulogy, word-for-word memorization might make sense. Usually, though, it doesn’t involve committing each and every word to memory, Memorizing a speech isn’t like memorizing a poem where you need to remember every word exactly as written. Don’t memorize a manuscript! Work with your outline instead. Practice with the outline until you can recall the content and order of your main points without effort. Then it’s just a matter of practicing until you’re able to elaborate on your key points in a natural and seamless manner. Ideally, a memorized speech will sound like an off-the-cuff statement by someone who is a really eloquent speaker and an exceptionally organized thinker!

The advantage of a memorized speech is that the speaker can fully face their audience and make lots of eye contact. The problem with a memorized speech is that speakers may get nervous and forget the parts they’ve memorized. Without any notes to lean on, the speaker may hesitate and leave lots of dead air in the room while trying to recall what was planned. Sometimes, the speaker can’t remember or find his or her place in the speech and are forced to go get the notes or go back to the PowerPoint in some capacity to try to trigger his or her memory. This can be an embarrassing and uncomfortable moment for the speaker and the audience, and is a moment which could be easily avoided by using a different speaking method.

How to: memorize a speech

There are lots of tips out there about how to memorize speeches. Here’s one that loosely follows an ancient memorization strategy called the method of loci or “memory palace,” which uses visualizations of familiar spatial environments in order to enhance the recall of information.

You can view the transcript for “How to Memorize a Speech” here (opens in new window) .

An impromptu speech is one for which there is little to no preparation. There is often not a warning even that the person may be asked to speak. For example, your speech teacher may ask you to deliver a speech on your worst pet peeve. You may or may not be given a few minutes to organize your thoughts. What should you do? DO NOT PANIC. Even under pressure, you can create a basic speech that follows the formula of an introduction, body, and conclusion. If you have a few minutes, jot down some notes that fit into each part of the speech. (In fact, the phrase “speaking off the cuff,” which means speaking without preparation, probably refers to the idea that one would jot a few notes on one’s shirt cuff before speaking impromptu.) [1] ) An introduction should include an attention getter, introduction of the topic, speaker credibility, and forecasting of main points. The body should have two or three main points. The conclusion should have a summary, call to action, and final thought. If you can organize your thoughts into those three parts, you will sound like a polished speaker. Even if you only hit two of them, it will still help you to think about the speech in those parts. For example, if a speech is being given on a pet peeve of chewed gum being left under desks in classrooms, it might be organized like this.

• Introduction : Speaker chews gum loudly and then puts it under a desk (attention getter, demonstration). Speaker introduces themselves and the topic and why they’re qualified to speak on it (topic introduction and credibility). “I’m Katie Smith and I’ve been a student at this school for three years and witnessed this gum problem the entire time.”
• Body : Speaker states three main points of why we shouldn’t leave gum on desks: it’s rude, it makes custodians have to work harder, it affects the next student who gets nastiness on their seat (forecast of order). Speaker then discusses those three points
• Conclusion : Speaker summarizes those three points (summary, part 1 of conclusion), calls on the audience to pledge to never do this again (call to action), and gives a quote from Michael Jordan about respecting property (final thought).

While an impromptu speech can be challenging, the advantage is that it can also be thrilling as the speaker thinks off the cuff and says what they’re most passionate about in the moment. A speaker should not be afraid to use notes during an impromptu speech if they were given any time to organize their thoughts.

The disadvantage is that there is no time for preparation, so finding research to support claims such as quotes or facts cannot be included. The lack of preparation makes some speakers more nervous and they may struggle to engage the audience due to their nerves.

Extemporaneous

The last method of delivery we’ll look at is extemporaneous. When speaking extemporaneously, speakers prepare some notes in advance that help trigger their memory of what they planned to say. These notes are often placed on notecards. A 4”x6” notecard or 5”x7” size card works well. This size of notecards can be purchased at any office supply store. Speakers should determine what needs to go on each card by reading through their speech notes and giving themselves phrases to say out loud. These notes are not full sentences, but help the speakers, who turn them into a full sentence when spoken aloud. Note that if a quote is being used, listing that quote verbatim is fine.

The advantage of extemporaneous speaking is that the speakers are able to speak in a more conversational tone by letting the cards guide them, but not dictate every word they say. This method allows for the speakers to make more eye contact with the audience. The shorter note forms also prevent speakers from getting lost in their words. Numbering these cards also helps if one gets out of order. Also, these notes are not ones the teacher sees or collects. While you may be required to turn in your speech outline, your extemporaneous notecards are not seen by anyone but you. Therefore, you can also write yourself notes to speak up, slow down, emphasize a point, go to the next slide, etc.

The disadvantage to extemporaneous is the speakers may forget what else was planned to say or find a card to be out of order. This problem can be avoided through rehearsal and double-checking the note order before speaking.

Many speakers consider the extemporaneous method to be the ideal speaking method because it allows them to be prepared, keeps the audience engaged, and makes the speakers more natural in their delivery. In your public speaking class, most of your speeches will probably be delivered extemporaneously.

• As per the Oxford English Dictionary' s entry for "Off the Cuff." See an extensive discussion at Mark Liberman's Language Log here: https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4130 ↵
• Method of loci definition. Provided by : Wikipedia. Located at : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Method_of_loci . License : CC BY-SA: Attribution-ShareAlike
• The mistake that toppled the Berlin Wall. Provided by : Vox. Located at : https://youtu.be/Mn4VDwaV-oo . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• How to Memorize a Speech. Authored by : Memorize Academy. Located at : https://youtu.be/rvBw__VNrsc . License : Other . License Terms : Standard YouTube License
• Address to the Nation. Provided by : U.S. National Archives. Located at : https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2011/09/06/911-an-address-to-the-nation/ . License : Public Domain: No Known Copyright
• Methods of Speech Delivery. Authored by : Misti Wills with Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution

How to Use Notes in a Speech: 14 valuable tips for a speaker

• Filed under: Featured articles , Public speaking articles , Public speaking tips and tricks , Speech delivery , Speech preparation

While we’ve already explored the topic of speaking without notes here on my site, I’ve figured I should add a piece about speaking with notes. After all, there is nothing wrong with using notes in a speech, and it is the preferred method of many speakers. I know that there are a lot of times when I choose to use notes during a speech.

So, how do you use notes in a speech? Realize that notes are just notes, and shouldn’t be the full manuscript of your speech. Cue cards can be very effective when speaking in public. Make sure you are writing down keywords and phrases to remember. Try not to look down at your cards too much.

There are many benefits and also tricks to using notes during your speech. It’s okay if you aren’t experienced with this skill yet, because everyone has to start somewhere. If you’re really serious about learning to properly utilize this in your presentations, then I am going to show you some of my best tips. Read on!

Meanwhile, if you want to be a better public speaker, I have compiled a great list of the best public speaking books you definitely should read. Check out these books here

Table of Contents

How to Use Notes in a Speech

When you are using notes, remember that how you use them is more important than anything. Almost everyone does notes differently, so it can help you to ask for advice from a trusted friend or mentor.  And you should always remember to let things flow and be natural. If you are awkward and acting less than natural onstage, your audience could feel uncomfortable.

And above all, if you are in the middle of your speech and something is not going as you planned in your notes? That is perfectly okay. Not everything can be planned for, and sometimes you just have to go with the flow.

#1 Identify if You Need Notes or Not

There may be times when it is more or less appropriate to use notes, or not. For the most part, it is your choice. However, there are some other factors you should consider:

Maybe it is required to use notes

Some places where you speak may explicitly require you not to use notes. This also includes certain formats such as TED talks or short toasts. Make sure to find out whether or not using notes or not using notes is preferable at your venue, and for your style of speech.

It is not allowed to use notes

If you are explicitly not allowed to use notes. This may be the case if you are giving a presentation at school, or a speech as part of a verbal essay.

How long is your speech?

Is your speech too short to warrant the need for notes? Most of the time, speakers don’t use notes if their presentation is less than six minutes or so.

Delivering a keynote speech at a major event, teaching an educational course that is multiple days long, or giving a speech that is too long to memorize are good times that it is appropriate for you to use notes.

When you assess whether or not you should use notes, you avoid a lot of confusion when you show up to give your speech. You also avoid a potentially awkward situation. This goes right along with something that I am always telling my colleagues and students: be prepared!

If you are somehow here because you need to know how to give a speech without notes, check out the article that I have done here about that subject. For the rest of this article, we will exclusively be talking about public speaking with the use of notes. It’s important to say, though, that there is nothing inherently wrong with either method.

Creating and Planning Your Speech is a Great Start

Now, let’s talk about creating and planning your speech with the use of cue cards. If you know anything about me, you know I’m a bit fan of planning your presentation out as much as you can. After all, planning and practice both make perfect!

Here are some steps you should take to plan your speech out with notes using cue cards:

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The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything... Fast!

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#2 What is the purpose of your speech?

Knowing the purpose of your speech is always the first step. What is the reason you are speaking? What cause are you trying to further? Get out a piece of paper, and write the purpose of your speech at the very top in big letters.

This is something you need to keep in mind throughout the entire process so that you don’t lose sight.

#3 Draft and outline

Write a draft with an outline prepared. Make sure to underline or highlight key points of your speech.

#4 Tweak your draft

Go through your draft as many times as possible to add or subtract anything that you need to. Take this time to fix any mistakes you may have made.

#5 Let someone else take a look

Have a friend or mentor look over your draft for you, since they may be able to give you some proofreading tips. If you know someone who is good at writing or is an English major, they may be best able to help you.

#6 Prepare your cards

Then, take your cue cards and write down the key ideas of your outline onto the cards.

Try to select one main idea per card. If you cram too many ideas onto one card, this may end up getting confusing. It could even cause you to lose your place. Also, make sure you are writing legibly at all times.

#7 Prepare for the time limit

If your speech has a time limit, write on each card how much time you should spend on each particular idea.

#8 Number your cards

Number your cards if applicable so you know what order you are going in.

#9 Write Interaction Reminders or Important Facts

As I mentioned before, notes are a better choice than using a scripted speech if you want to maximize the connection with your audience members. That is why it is a good idea to include reminders to interact with your audience on your note cards.

Here are some interaction reminders you could write for yourself:

• “Ask Poll Question”
• “Change Slide”
• “Flip Chart”
• “Give Five Minute Break”
• “Distribute Handout”

And if you have any exact information that you need to remember, such as percentages or names, you should write this down to remember.

When I give this piece of advice, many students have told me that they are worried that writing down interaction reminders with make them look too unnatural or scripted. But interacting with your audience is just as important as what you have to tell them.

With practice, your audience interaction won’t look unnatural even if you have to remind yourself when to do it.

#10 Are You Using PowerPoint Slides?

PowerPoint slides can be very helpful for a lot of things. And while they can be a great visual aid for your audience, you should not use them as a substitution for regular notes.

Why? Well, this will be too much material for your slides. And the PowerPoint is supposed to be used as a visual aid, not as the sole source of information. After all, what do you need to speak for if all of your information is available on your slides?

#11 Practice, practice, practice

When you are completely done writing out your notes, practice reading them during your rehearsal. This will help you identify any possible problems before the day of your presentation.

When you effectively plan out your speech and your note cards, you will be best prepared when the big day comes. And being prepared for your speech is one of the best things you can do.

Notes Aren’t a Manuscript for the Entire Speech

There are times when reading from a full script is appropriate, or required. But in general, notes are considered a better overall way to speak to an audience. Why? Well, that is because notes give you more of an opportunity to be yourself onstage.

Don’t allow your use of notes to reduce how you are able to connect with your audience. What if you are reading from a full script, and someone asks a question that interrupts that script? This is exactly why your notes should only represent a general outline and reminders, not an entire script.

#12 Use bullet points instead of a full script

Here are a few other reasons you should use notes or bullet points instead of a full script:

• Full scripts require you to constantly be looking at a piece of paper, but this looks unnatural . You should be giving some attention to looking at your audience, and focusing on your hand gestures.
• Writing out only specific key phrases can help you remember what you want to talk about , while also giving you some freedom to improvise when needed.
• Not having to look at a full script will give you the freedom to move around the stage.
• You have a guide with notes, but you are not fully committed to the full word-for-word script, which gives you flexibility.

While reading from a full script shouldn’t be completely thought of as bad, I often find that it is easier to talk more freely and connect with the audience better when I am not chained to a script. But the security of having notes or a set of bullet points on hand can help greatly when the time comes.  

#13 Cue Cards Help Tremendously

Should you use regular paper, or note card stock?

A regular paper can be great for the planning stages, but you will definitely benefit in the long run from having your notes on smaller cue cards. Cue cards also look more graceful when you are handling them onstage.

Plus, what if you get nervous and your hands start to shake? A larger piece of paper will make the shaking more noticeable to your audience.

Heavy card stock is a good choice. This way, your notes are less likely to blow away if there is a fan, air conditioning, or it is windy and you are outside. However, you should also be prepared to bring a paperweight with you, just in case. You don’t want to end up chasing your notes around instead of giving your speech!

If you are used to giving speeches with a full script, and now you’re looking to switch to note cards, try to give yourself a smooth transition . It might take a little while to get used to doing things differently. This is why rehearsal, asking for help from a mentor and revising your notes many times before the actual speech is good ways to prepare.

#14 Don’t Constantly Look Down at the Notes

Giving eye contact to your audience members is a good way to connect with them during a speech . But constantly looking down at your note cards can have the opposite effect, and make you look more distant.

Throughout your speech, make sure you are putting forth an effort to look out into the audience, make eye contact, and smile. You should also make gestures with your hands, when appropriate. (If you need more tips on what to do with your hands, check this out ).

However, you shouldn’t constantly apologize when you glance down at your notes. Your audience members are forgiving, and they know that sometimes, speakers need to make good use of note cards. Remember, they won’t care that you are using notes , so don’t be self-conscious!

You should not be trying to hide your cards from the audience. If you’re making it look like you have something to hide, you are making yourself look suspicious. Try to treat your note cards like a natural extension of your own hand.

Try recording yourself doing a practice run of your speech. If you notice yourself looking down at the note cards too much, then try making an effort to look out into the audience a bit more.

Is it Professional to Use Notes in My Speech?

After we’ve made it this far, maybe you are still wondering whether or not it is professional for you to use notes when giving a speech. Believe it or not, but I get asked this question all the time from students, friends, and other speakers. It makes me baffled to think that people still believe that using note cards in a speech could be unprofessional.

Listen to me when I say that there is nothing unprofessional about using notes in your speech . In fact, until the rise of the note-less TED talk format, it used to be common for most speakers to use notes during their presentations.

When I speak to students, it seems that they are mostly afraid that using notes indicates a lack of self-confidence. Or worse, they are afraid that they appear uneducated or unprepared. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

What if you were in the middle of your presentation , and you forgot to talk about a key part? It was very important and forgetting it threw you off track for the rest of the speech.

In the end , your audience was confused about the purpose of your speech, and you came off looking very unprepared. Some people just give better speeches if they have notes. And if that describes you, then you absolutely should have notes.

After all, why put yourself at risk of forgetting something important? If you are worried about the opinions of someone else, don’t be. After all, they are not the ones giving your speech for you, and you have to do what will help you give your best speech.

To many, using notes indicates that you took the time to thoroughly prepare. And if you are new to a topic or inexperienced in the subject material, notes can be a lifesaver for you. So use notes without a worry , because it is absolutely not unprofessional.

Conclusion: How to Use Notes in a Speech?

Today, I hope you have learned something valuable about speaking with notes. Giving a speech with proper notes can be a great way to be prepared for an excellent presentation. As long as you are fully prepared, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. And if you have anything else to share about using notes during a speech, make sure to leave it in the comments section!

Are you looking for good tips to end a speech on a powerful note? Check out my article here , for several tips to properly end a speech. There are also many more articles on how to give a good speech on this website.

Related Questions

Is it okay for me to read a speech? It is usually better for you to read notes instead of an entire speech. If you have to read a full manuscript, that is also okay. Make sure you do what feels comfortable. Leave room to be able to connect with your audience.

How do I prepare for a speech? Make sure you know the purpose of your speech from the beginning. Take time to plan and create your notes if you are using them. Practice and rehearse as much as you possibly can. Rehearse in front of a friend or family member who can give you feedback.

How do I use your my effectively in a presentation? Watch your volume, and be mindful of your intonation. Speak clearly at all times when you are giving a speech. Place emphasis on the right words. Make sure you pace yourself accordingly. Pause when appropriate. (full article here)

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I have been teaching public speaking at Estonian Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences

Here, I am sharing the wisdom of how to cope in different public speaking situations.

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I have been teaching and blogging about public speaking since spring 2007. Here, I am sharing the wisdom of how to cope in different public speaking situations.

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How to Use Notes During a Speech

by Allison Shapira | Jun 16, 2016 | Speaking Tips , Writing Tips | 1 comment

Imagine you have a big presentation next week and you’re unsure what to bring with you on stage. You know your subject matter but are afraid of losing your place halfway through the speech. At the same time, you don’t want to write the speech out and memorize it because you’re afraid it will sound inauthentic.

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is: What type of notes should I bring to my presentation: bullet points, a script, or nothing at all?

First and foremost, I do not recommend memorizing your speech word-for-word; when you do that, you spend more time trying to recall the next phrase than you do connecting with your audience. For that same reason, I don’t recommend using a script of your speech: it’s difficult to make a connection with the audience if your eye contact, voice, and energy are focused on looking down at your words.

Most of the time, it’s perfectly fine to bring bullet points with you to a speech or presentation. Because many people fear forgetting their main messages, having the bullet points nearby can reduce speech anxiety. You are able to relax and focus on your message; then, if you need to remind yourself of the next point, you can glance down at the bullet points to find your place.

There are times when it is acceptable to bring the script of the entire speech with you to the presentation, such as during a formal occasion when you had limited time to prepare or a legal proceeding in which every word matters. However, most of the time, simply bring bullets.

Here are some tips for using bullet points:

1. Write brief phrases instead of full sentences: When you glance down at your notes, it’s easier to find your place if you look for a phrase rather than a full sentence. Phrases also help you speak conversationally instead of reading from a script. If the story in your speech is about an experience in Miami, write “MIAMI” instead of writing out, “Let me tell you about some work we’re doing in Miami, Florida.”

2. Use lots of white space: Don’t try to cram all of your bullets onto one page; include spaces in between every point so you can easily find your place.

3. Print single-sided pages: Using single-sided paper helps you easily move from one page to the next, while double-sided notes require you to flip the paper back and forth which can confuse you. Write page numbers at the top of each page in case they fall out of order before (or during!) the speech.

4. Use large font: Print or write your bullets in large font so you don’t have to squint at a piece of paper – it will be quicker and more seamless to glance down if you can easily read the words.

5. Practice the speech with the bullet points in front of you: Speaking from bullet points takes practice as you’ll need to add in transitions and descriptions on your own. Make time to practice giving the speech with the bullet points so you familiarize yourself with where the words fall on the paper.

6 . During the speech, rest the notes on a lectern or table: Try not to hold them in your hand, otherwise they may reveal your shaky hands or you may subconsciously start to play with the paper. Also, feel free to move around the stage, away from the lectern. It creates a better connection with your audience and you can always walk back to your notes when you need them.

7. Don’t apologize for looking down : It’s natural for us to look down and find our place; it’s not a fault or mistake. Simply pause, nod thoughtfully, look down, and keep going. The more comfortable you are, the more comfortable the audience will be.

Unless you’re giving a TED talk, it’s OK to use some form of bullet points – and bullets are always preferable to a script. It does take extra time to prepare, but it leads to a more authentic and more engaging speech for all involved.

There are two versions of every speech: the version you write and the version you deliver. They are rarely the same, and that’s OK as it keeps your speech fresh and authentic.

Take the time to create bullet points that remind you of your main points, practice using those notes, and then focus on your message and your motivation. The more comfortable you are with your message and the more prepared you are when you walk on stage, the more powerful your speech will be.

Wow, I ace my speech thanks to your useful note taking ideas! I will be sure to bookmark this page for next time!

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How to make cue cards

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Cue cards for public speaking 

How to make cue cards & use them effectively.

By:  Susan Dugdale  

Making good cue cards from standard office supply index or note cards to help you confidently deliver an extemporaneous  speech is relatively easy.  And using them well will lift the quality of your presentation immeasurably. (Truly! I promise you that's not hyperbole. ☺)

What's on this page

Step-by-step guidelines on how to make cue cards and use them well:

• what are cue cards ?
• the benefits of using cue cards
• the materials required to make cue cards
• the 10 features of an effective cue card
• how to write up cue cards - the 3-step process to get from a speech outline to cue cards that work the way you want them to  
• how to rehearse with cue cards
• the difference between cue cards and flash cards

What are cue cards?

Cue * or note cards, used by speakers when making an extemporaneous speech * , are typically handheld. They are about 4 inches by 6 inches in size, with carefully selected and ordered words and phrases written on them. These act as prompt to help speakers remember what they have to say.

* A  cue is a signal or a prompt to say or do something. * extemporaneous speech -a well-prepared speech that relies on research, clear organization, and practiced delivery, but is neither read nor completely memorized.

The benefits of using cue cards

People who do not use cue cards to help them deliver a prepared speech either read it from a word-for-word printout or rely entirely on their memory.

However, both these delivery methods have potential traps for the unwary.

• Reading a speech well is a skill and like any skill it needs work to become proficient at it. Someone who hasn't practiced reading aloud is very likely to be difficult to listen to and to watch.
• Opting to deliver a speech entirely from memory is only effective if you've done enough practice. A blank-out and trying to chase down lost words in front of an audience can be hard to recover from. (There is no safety-net!)

Enter cue cards!

The benefits of using cue cards well are:

• Not being anchored to a podium reading the entire text of your speech. This enables you to freely interact with your audience: -to make eye contact, -to observe and readily respond, for instance to clarify a   point you can see has not been understood, to leave out   bits you can tell are not wanted or needed..., -to gesture and move easily.
• Not being left stranded and floundering because you have forgotten important details, or the sequence of your material. Cue cards are reassuring.  

A well-prepared set of cue cards will give you confidence. You will sound, look and feel more present, and your entire delivery will have more life, more energy! 

For those of you who are nervous about making the transition from the safety of a complete sentence by sentence script to note cards, don't be. Take it slowly. Give yourself time to thoroughly prepare and rehearse with them, and you'll be delighted with the result.

The materials needed

You'll need a packet of standard index cards, similar to the one in the illustration below, a selection of highlighters, (for example, yellow, pink, blue and green), and an easily-read pen. I suggest using one with either blue or black ink.

The 10 features of good cue cards 

The information you put on your cards and how you lay it out is critically important. You need to be able to read and understand them at a glance. (See the illustration below)

The most user-friendly cue cards:

• have ONE main subject heading or idea per card
• have a heading showing which part of the speech the card belongs to  
• are written or printed clearly using larger than usual font   - so you can read them easily
• have plenty of white space around each word or phrase to help them stand out
• use bullet points or numbers to itemize the supporting ideas under the main heading
• are written on ONE side of the card only
• are clearly numbered so that you know the order they come in and it can be a good idea to tie them together .   Use a hole punch to make a hole through the left corner of your cards and tie with a loop of string long enough to allow them to be flipped. The advantage of that is if you drop or somehow get them out of sequence, you're not scrabbling around trying to get them back into the right order and find where you'd got up to while being watched. That can be tough with dozens of pairs of eyes on you!  
• are color-coded to show your main idea, supporting ideas, examples and transitions or links.
• have where props are to be shown . For example: Main Idea One - Supporting Idea - Example - Show slide 1
• have approximate timings marked so you can track yourself through your allotted time. If you find you're going over you can adjust by leaving out an extra example or conversely if you're under time, you can add one in.

Preparing your speech for cue cards

Before starting the cue cards you need to make sure your speech is fully prepared.

The next 3 steps are an essential part of the preparation process.

1. Reviewing your speech outline

Using your speech outline go through from the beginning checking the sequence of ideas, supporting material and  transitions to ensure all your information is in an effective and logical sequence.  (And if you haven't made an outline yet  download and use the blank one available from the link below.)

Have you outlined your speech?

If you haven't got a speech outline already prepared ...

Use the printable blank speech outline template you'll find on this page: sample speech outline . It will make preparing your cue cards a breeze. 

2. Try your speech out loud

Use your outline to try your speech out loud. Say it through as if you were actually giving it and time yourself.

Remember to allow for pausing, waiting for the audience to finish laughing before you begin talking again, and so on.

You may need to edit if it's too long and it's a lot easier to do that at this stage. 

3. Feedback

Once you have the length right for your time allowance, ask a few people whose judgment you trust to listen to you give your speech. Have them give you feedback on its content, structure and delivery, paying particular attention to the introduction and the close.

(For more information see speech evaluation| giving and receiving meaningful feedback .) 

Use the feedback you've been given to rework your speech if you need to.

When you're satisfied you have it the best it can possibly be, you're ready to prepare it for cue cards.

Getting from outline to writing up your cue cards

Identifying good keywords and phrases.

Each segment or part of your speech, from its introduction to conclusion, should be reducible to a key word or phrase.  The phrase or keyword will act as a prompt, or trigger, making you immediately remember what it was you wanted to say.

Before you can write your cue cards you need to go through your speech outline and choose a word or phrase that best represents what each part is about.  

Once you've finished, you're ready to write up your cards using the  1-10 guidelines  above.

Test your cards as you make them

Double check the effectiveness of each card as you write them to make sure you are using keywords or phrases that actually do trigger your memory.

This is also particularly important for links or transitions. Forgetting how you got from one piece of information to the next not only leaves you stranded but your audience as well.

NB.  Be sure to note the names of important people, facts or processes too.

A word of warning

Do not be tempted to print or write the whole of your speech out, then cut it into bits and stick those bits onto cue card sized pieces of cardboard. * It will defeat your purpose entirely.

You'll finish with ridiculously cramped notes that, as well as being difficult to read, stop you from freely interacting with your audience. You'll be head down trying to decipher what you wrote!

* (I've seen it in action! Occasionally one of my student's would try it and the result was never, ever good.)

Rehearsing with your cue cards

You'll find a full page here on ' how to rehearse ' .

It includes notes specifically on rehearsing using your cue cards as well as other valuable tips for delivering your speech successfully.

Now that you've completed your set of cards, please don't shortchange yourself by assuming you are fully prepared and ready for delivery.

To use them well you really do need to practice with them. Before you give your speech aim for at least three concentrated rehearsal sessions and do more if possible.

Cue cards and flash cards. What's the difference? 

The principal difference between them is their purpose.

Flash cards are used to help memorize information for example, vocabulary lists for a new language you're learning, the sequence of events leading to the outbreak of WW2, or the names and placement of all the bones in the human body.

They frequently have diagrams and pictures as well as words on them to make the information easier to remember. 

The goal or purpose of them is instant recall. They are extensively used by students, particularly as part of their exam preparation.

In comparison, cue cards are generally larger than flash cards and have less information on them - just an ordered sequence of a speech's key words and phrases.

Whereas flash cards are used prior to an examination or test, cue cards are used during a presentation. Their purpose is to prompt or remind the speaker to say what they wanted to.

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SpeechTexter is a free multilingual speech-to-text application aimed at assisting you with transcription of notes, documents, books, reports or blog posts by using your voice. This app also features a customizable voice commands list, allowing users to add punctuation marks, frequently used phrases, and some app actions (undo, redo, make a new paragraph).

SpeechTexter is used daily by students, teachers, writers, bloggers around the world.

It will assist you in minimizing your writing efforts significantly.

Voice-to-text software is exceptionally valuable for people who have difficulty using their hands due to trauma, people with dyslexia or disabilities that limit the use of conventional input devices. Speech to text technology can also be used to improve accessibility for those with hearing impairments, as it can convert speech into text.

It can also be used as a tool for learning a proper pronunciation of words in the foreign language, in addition to helping a person develop fluency with their speaking skills.

Accuracy levels higher than 90% should be expected. It varies depending on the language and the speaker.

No download, installation or registration is required. Just click the microphone button and start dictating.

Speech to text technology is quickly becoming an essential tool for those looking to save time and increase their productivity.

Powerful real-time continuous speech recognition

Creation of text notes, emails, blog posts, reports and more.

Custom voice commands

More than 70 languages supported

SpeechTexter is using Google Speech recognition to convert the speech into text in real-time. This technology is supported by Chrome browser (for desktop) and some browsers on Android OS. Other browsers have not implemented speech recognition yet.

Note: iPhones and iPads are not supported

List of supported languages:

Afrikaans, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Basque, Bengali, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Burmese, Catalan, Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Filipino, Finnish, French, Galician, Georgian, German, Greek, Gujarati, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Javanese, Kannada, Kazakh, Khmer, Kinyarwanda, Korean, Lao, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malay, Malayalam, Marathi, Mongolian, Nepali, Norwegian Bokmål, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Sinhala, Slovak, Slovenian, Southern Sotho, Spanish, Sundanese, Swahili, Swati, Swedish, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Tsonga, Tswana, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uzbek, Venda, Vietnamese, Xhosa, Zulu.

Instructions for web app on desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux OS)

Requirements: the latest version of the Google Chrome [↗] browser (other browsers are not supported).

1. Connect a high-quality microphone to your computer.

2. Make sure your microphone is set as the default recording device on your browser.

To go directly to microphone's settings paste the line below into Chrome's URL bar.

chrome://settings/content/microphone

To capture speech from video/audio content on the web or from a file stored on your device, select 'Stereo Mix' as the default audio input.

3. Select the language you would like to speak (Click the button on the top right corner).

4. Click the "microphone" button. Chrome browser will request your permission to access your microphone. Choose "allow".

5. You can start dictating!

Instructions for the web app on a mobile and for the android app

Requirements: - Google app [↗] installed on your Android device. - Any of the supported browsers if you choose to use the web app.

Supported android browsers (not a full list): Chrome browser (recommended), Edge, Opera, Brave, Vivaldi.

1. Tap the button with the language name (on a web app) or language code (on android app) on the top right corner to select your language.

2. Tap the microphone button. The SpeechTexter app will ask for permission to record audio. Choose 'allow' to enable microphone access.

3. You can start dictating!

Common problems on a desktop (Windows, Mac, Linux OS)

Error: 'speechtexter cannot access your microphone'..

Please give permission to access your microphone.

Click on the "padlock" icon next to the URL bar, find the "microphone" option, and choose "allow".

Error: 'No speech was detected. Please try again'.

If you get this error while you are speaking, make sure your microphone is set as the default recording device on your browser [see step 2].

If you're using a headset, make sure the mute switch on the cord is off.

Error: 'Network error'

The internet connection is poor. Please try again later.

The result won't transfer to the "editor".

The result confidence is not high enough or there is a background noise. An accumulation of long text in the buffer can also make the engine stop responding, please make some pauses in the speech.

The results are wrong.

Please speak loudly and clearly. Speaking clearly and consistently will help the software accurately recognize your words.

Reduce background noise. Background noise from fans, air conditioners, refrigerators, etc. can drop the accuracy significantly. Try to reduce background noise as much as possible.

Speak directly into the microphone. Speaking directly into the microphone enhances the accuracy of the software. Avoid speaking too far away from the microphone.

Speak in complete sentences. Speaking in complete sentences will help the software better recognize the context of your words.

Can I upload an audio file and get the transcription?

No, this feature is not available.

How do I transcribe an audio (video) file on my PC or from the web?

Playback your file in any player and hit the 'mic' button on the SpeechTexter website to start capturing the speech. For better results select "Stereo Mix" as the default recording device on your browser, if you are accessing SpeechTexter and the file from the same device.

I don't see the "Stereo mix" option (Windows OS)

"Stereo Mix" might be hidden or it's not supported by your system. If you are a Windows user go to 'Control panel' → Hardware and Sound → Sound → 'Recording' tab. Right-click on a blank area in the pane and make sure both "View Disabled Devices" and "View Disconnected Devices" options are checked. If "Stereo Mix" appears, you can enable it by right clicking on it and choosing 'enable'. If "Stereo Mix" hasn't appeared, it means it's not supported by your system. You can try using a third-party program such as "Virtual Audio Cable" or "VB-Audio Virtual Cable" to create a virtual audio device that includes "Stereo Mix" functionality.

How to use the voice commands list?

The voice commands list allows you to insert the punctuation, some text, or run some preset functions (#newparagraph, #undo, #redo) using only your voice. On the first column you enter your voice command. On the second column you enter a punctuation mark or a function. Voice commands are case-sensitive. Available functions: #newparagraph (insert new paragraph), #undo (undo the last change), #redo (redo the last change)

To use the function above make a pause in your speech until all previous dictated speech appears in your note, then say "insert a new paragraph" and wait for the command execution.

Found a mistake in the voice commands list or want to suggest an update? Follow the steps below:

• Navigate to the voice commands list [↑] on this website.
• Click on the edit button to update or add new punctuation marks you think other users might find useful in your language.
• Click on the "Export" button located above the voice commands list to save your list in JSON format to your device.

Next, send us your file as an attachment via email. You can find the email address at the bottom of the page. Feel free to include a brief description of the mistake or the updates you're suggesting in the email body.

Your contribution to the improvement of the services is appreciated.

Can I prevent my custom voice commands from disappearing after closing the browser?

SpeechTexter by default saves your data inside your browser's cache. If your browsers clears the cache your data will be deleted. However, you can export your custom voice commands to your device and import them when you need them by clicking the corresponding buttons above the list. SpeechTexter is using JSON format to store your voice commands. You can create a .txt file in this format on your device and then import it into SpeechTexter. An example of JSON format is shown below:

{ "period": ".", "full stop": ".", "question mark": "?", "new paragraph": "#newparagraph" }

I lost my dictated work after closing the browser.

SpeechTexter doesn't store any text that you dictate. Please use the "autosave" option or click the "download" button (recommended). The "autosave" option will try to store your work inside your browser's cache, where it will remain until you switch the "text autosave" option off, clear the cache manually, or if your browser clears the cache on exit.

Common problems on the Android app

I get the message: 'speech recognition is not available'..

'Google app' from Play store is required for SpeechTexter to work. download [↗]

Where does SpeechTexter store the saved files?

Version 1.5 and above stores the files in the internal memory.

Version 1.4.9 and below stores the files inside the "SpeechTexter" folder at the root directory of your device.

After updating the app from version 1.x.x to version 2.x.x my files have disappeared

As a result of recent updates, the Android operating system has implemented restrictions that prevent users from accessing folders within the Android root directory, including SpeechTexter's folder. However, your old files can still be imported manually by selecting the "import" button within the Speechtexter application.

Common problems on the mobile web app

Tap on the "padlock" icon next to the URL bar, find the "microphone" option and choose "allow".

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Speechnotes review

Live notetaking built around the chrome browser.

TechRadar Verdict

It might not be sophisticated, but it is free. And, for those that just need to quickly dictate some thoughts or quotes, it might be fine. Just don’t expect it to understand you entirely or output subtitle files.

Free functionality

Works on Chrome and Android

Won’t process recordings for free

Lacks output formats

Limited security

Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

We’ve all loaded an app on to our mobile devices that claimed to be ‘free’, only to discover that the key functionality was disabled or effectively kneecapped.

Speechnotes confronts those cynical expectations by providing some very useful functionality that you can use for free on Android mobile devices or any computer that runs the Chrome browser.

But is this repurposing of the Google Speech engine worth your time, even it is free?

• Want to try Speechnotes? Check out the website here

Basic functionality on Speechnotes is free, and it is possible to use it without spending any money whatsoever.

For those that want to support the developer, Rehavat Ilan, Speechnotes Premium can be purchased through the Chrome Web Store for $9 per year. That enormous investment nets you the joys of continuous unlimited dictation and voice-typing, voice-typing on any website, quick editable stamps with the extension, and you don’t see adverts.

You also get Premium access to our support, and you can make feature requests. And, you can enjoy all future upgrades as they appear.

A new feature released recently is Speechnotes Files, an audio and video file transcription service that you can send files that are then transcribed by software.

That service is charged at only 10 cents per minute or less, making it highly affordable.

This service requires you add credit to then use to transcribe, and you can buy in 45 minute, 120 minute, 10 or 20 hour blocks. Each is charged at the same rate, so buying 20 hours costs $120, and ten hours $60.

For the purpose of this review, we'll be concentrating on the standard Speechnotes, but at just $4.50 to buy some credit it doesn't cost much to try out Speechnotes Files.

As a welcome gift, Speechnotes is offering 10% extra time on the first purchase.

This being a software solution, Speechnotes Files has a quoted 95% accuracy for high-quality audio, but more typically 80% is what most users should expect.

Systems that use human transcribers can often hit 98 or 99%, but they only cost much, much more per minute of audio.

Supported file formats include aac, m4a, avi, mp3, mp4, mpeg, ogg, raw, flac, wav, mov and  amr, and they don’t accept physical media.

As web-based applications go, this is a remarkably simple one designed to work well on just about any hardware that Chrome can run.

The application page has an icon-based menu on the left, workspace in the centre, and some reminders of how to cope with punctuation on the right.

One critical icon is the microphone, as that activates the app to listen and transcribe whatever is said to the work area.

The first time you click this icon, the app will ask for permission to access the microphone, and once that is provided, you can start.

Once you’ve completed a session, you can click another icon to get the words spoken back to you. It’s our experience that listening to typed or transcribed contents is an excellent way to find faults, as you can often notice things that scanning visually misses.

The captured words can be saved as a text file or Word document, emailed, printed, uploaded to Google Drive and are automatically saved on the system.

It’s possible to open a session and insert the cursor for changes or additions, allowing for much longer documents to be created over multiple uses.

It isn’t meant for many recording sessions, as there isn’t any folder structure to organise the stored files.

The languages supported are those that Google assistant understands, and that includes a wide range of regional English, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic, along with various other European and Asian languages.

Android App

Alongside the Chrome browser solution, Speechnotes is also available as an Android app that should work on any modern Android phone or tablet with a microphone.

What’s slightly confusing about the Android solution is that it works differently to the Chrome app, as you can’t verbalise punctuation.

Instead, as you capture a note on the phone or tablet, a punctuation keyboard is provided on the screen where you can punch them in by hand.

This difference offers a speed advantage, but also annoying if you use the Chrome solution and then try to use this, as they require slightly different skills to master.

But the other elephant in this room is that already built into Android, and using the same core technology is a feature that allows the insertion of spoken words into any application using the microphone icon on the screen keyboard.

We also noticed that notes created on the phone do not appear on the Chrome App, or vice versa, disappointingly.

A limitation with this tool is that it only has two output formats, text files and Word documents.

It is also possible to copy the text to the clipboard, enabling it to be pasted into any other suitable software that is running on the system. And, if you save to Google Drive, it will automatically use the text format rather than giving you a choice.

It seems odd, given its connections to Google, that generating a Google Doc isn't an option.

For our testing, we read out the classic short poem “No Man Is An Island” by John Donne, and even our first attempt was a reasonably successful exercise.

Some of the mistakes it made were down to our pronunciation since we don’t often use words like ‘promontory’ around our office.

What needs some adaptation is that for the contents to be correctly formatted all punctuation must be explicitly added. Therefore, if you want to start a new section, you must say ‘new line’ or ‘new paragraph’ for the system to do that.

There isn’t any logic that assumes long pauses are the start of a new section or grammatical logic that understands why question marks are required.

And, they don’t list all the possible punctuations it understands, but they chose to include on the list that you can add a smiley face.

The inference, if you aren’t getting it, is that this tool was probably intended for quickly generating emails without a keyboard and its fine for that purpose.

Overall, as the Google technology that it is based, it’s not incredible, but it is useable.

The only security the system offers is that used by Google. Depending on how the users Google account is set up, that could range from being reasonably secure to almost negligible. If you choose not to bother with Google two-factor authentication then your account won't be well protected, and any note you take with this system won't be either.

Final verdict

Speechnotes isn't the most sophisticated solution available, but not everyone is looking for 100% accuracy and the ability to translate cockney rhyming slang.

What Speechnotes offers is a no-frills means to turn live speech into typed words, and with that modest objective, it is mostly successful.

Our only real complaint is that the Chrome tool and the Android app demonstrate no single design thinking or even a common repository for notes taken.

Where the Chrome app has value, the inherent functionality of Android makes that version of Speechnotes a bit redundant. But if you have very occasional needs to rapidly convert spoken words into text, Speechnotes might be useful to you on both platforms.

• We've also highlighted the best transcription services

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Google Chrome Required

Please open dictation.io inside Google Chrome to use speech recognition.

Cannot Access Microphone

Please follow this guide for instructions on how to unblock your microphone.

Dictation is now publishing your note online. Please wait..

Speed is the rate at which the selected voice will speak your transcribed text while the pitch governs how high or low the voice speaks.

Speak Reset

Turn messy thoughts into actionable notes. Fast.

The #1 ai. voice note app.

Turn hours of note taking into minutes. Just record a voicenote, and let the AI transcribe, clean up and structure it for you. Available on web, iOS and Android.

• Web and mobile app
• Works in 50+ languages
• Trusted by +3000 happy users

Preparing your note...

How does it work?

1. record your voice.

Speak your thoughts & ideas. Don't stress about format, grammar, pauses or mistakes, just talk naturally, we handle the rest.

2. Choose a style

TalkNotes will transcribe your voice into any kind of content. Transcript, Task list, journal entry, Blog post... Your creativity is the only limit!

3. Edit & organize

Tweak your note to your liking. Create folders, add tags, change the format, edit the transcript or share it with others.

Brainstorming

Capture your creative sparks on the go! TalkNotes transcribes your brainstorming sessions, so you can focus on your next big idea without missing a beat.

Content Creation

Create content effortlessly! Dictate your thoughts directly into text and speed up the writing process. Ideal for bloggers, writers, and content marketers.

Document your personal journey with ease! Voice journaling with TalkNotes helps you express feelings, ideas, and memories without the need to type.

Transcribe interviews in real-time! Whether it's for journalism or research, TalkNotes provides accurate text from your recorded conversations.

Make meetings more productive! Record discussions, transcribe them instantly, and never miss an important detail again.

Educational Notes

Enhance your learning! TalkNotes allows students and educators to convert lectures and study sessions into clear, organized notes for future reference.

Want to see the app in action? No worries, I've got you covered! Here is a live demo showing how to create a note: (Watch in x2 if you're in a hurry)

Turn your ramblings into actionable notes

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TalkNotes + Include:

Is there a mobile app?

Yes, Talknotes is available for both iOS and Android. You can download it from the App Store or Google Play Store.

How accurate is the voice-to-text conversion?

Our state-of-the-art AI technology ensures a high accuracy rate. However, it may vary depending on the clarity of the speech and background noise. You can always edit the text if needed!

Can I use TalkNotes in different languages?

Yes! TalkNotes supports 50+ languages: Afrikaans, Arabic, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Belarusian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Catalan, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, Galician, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Icelandic, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Kannada, Kazakh, Korean, Latvian, Lithuanian, Macedonian, Malay, Marathi, Maori, Nepali, Norwegian, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Slovak, Slovenian, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Tagalog, Tamil, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese, and Welsh.

Can I upload my own audio files?

Yes! TalkNotes + gives you the ability to upload your own audio files up to 20 minutes long (or 2 hours with Pro). Perfect if you need to transcript a phone or zoom call.

Can I edit the text once it's converted?

Absolutely! TalkNotes allows you to edit and organize both the content and the transcript. Tailor it to your needs & create content easily.

Do I need an internet connection to use TalkNotes?

Yes, an internet connection is required to utilize the full range of features in TalkNotes.

What about privacy?

Glad you asked! All audio files are deleted after they are transcribed, and we don't train the AI using your notes. Your notes are 100% yours.

How can I contact support if I have questions or need help?

We're here to assist you! Feel free to reach out via live chat or email us at [email protected] . Your satisfaction is our priority!

Is there an API?

If you're interested by an API, contact me at [email protected] !

Speechnotes - Speech To Text Notepad

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Highest rated speech recognition editor on the Chrome store. Increase productivity for free.

Featured on ProductHunt, Techpp.com & other leading tech magazines. Loved by users thanks to its high level of accuracy, great features and ease of use. Powered by Google's Speech-to-Text engines & proprietary algorithms, to make it a business-class working tool. Although free, users find it to be a great alternative to the industry's leader Dragon NaturallySpeaking. Distraction-free clean design. Great both for dictation & regular typing Lets you edit speech results easily. Auto-saves everything. Great export options. One click email, print, google-drive upload and more. -- More: Speechnotes is a powerful speech-enabled online notepad, designed to empower your ideas by implementing a clean & efficient design, so you can focus on your thoughts. Designed to Inspire Creativity and Keep You Focused Features Built to Increase Productivity & Efficiency for both Voice Typing & Regular Key Typing For many of us, key-typing is slow and thus time-consuming. Speechnotes lets you type at the speed of speech (slow & clear speech). Speechnotes lets you move from voice-typing (dictation) to key-typing seamlessly. This way, you can dictate when convenient and type when more appropriate. You can also dictate and edit your text results right away, and continue dictating. No need to go through app modes or even stop dictation. Insert punctuation marks by speech (voice commands) or by a single click. Other features built for productivity for both type of typing are: Auto save that saves the document in real time upon any change, so you don't ever have to disturb yourself with it. Export to Google Drive (cloud saving) or download as a document to your computer. One click to email, or print your note. Automatic smart capitalization of letters at the beginning of sentences. No Login, registration, installation, or download needed. Works "right out of the box". Unlimited usage for free. Leading Technology Speechnotes is based on Google's high-end speech-recognition engines. Accuracy above 90% Health Advantages to Voice Typing Voice typing is one of the main recommended ways to minimize these risks, as it enables you to sit back comfortably, freeing your arms, hands, shoulders and back altogether. Who can benefit from Speechnotes? Anyone who is tired of ordinary key-typing might find Speechnotes useful. It might also be helpful specifically for people with difficulties in typing. Such difficulties could be of a result of physical condition, or simply not mastering the keyboard typing technique in an early enough age. In addition, people who type a lot as their profession or hobby might find Speechnotes very useful as long keyboard typing might be very tyring, and even have medical implications as side effects. Needless to say, transcribers (from students to professionals) will find Speechnotes super helpful, as they can listen to a recording and repeat the speech into the mic, to get Speechnotes to transcribe it for them.

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interesting but does not give an offline version ...

The Church of Trump: How He’s Infusing Christianity Into His Movement

Ending many of his rallies with a churchlike ritual and casting his prosecutions as persecution, the former president is demanding — and receiving — new levels of devotion from Republicans.

A rally for former President Donald J. Trump in July in Erie, Pa. At many of his recent rallies, Mr. Trump delivers a roughly 15-minute finale that evokes an evangelical altar call. Credit... Maddie McGarvey for The New York Times

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By Michael C. Bender

Reporting from Conway, S.C., and Washington

• April 1, 2024

Long known for his improvised and volatile stage performances, former President Donald J. Trump now tends to finish his rallies on a solemn note.

Soft, reflective music fills the venue as a hush falls over the crowd. Mr. Trump’s tone turns reverent and somber, prompting some supporters to bow their heads or close their eyes. Others raise open palms in the air or murmur as if in prayer.

In this moment, Mr. Trump’s audience is his congregation, and the former president their pastor as he delivers a roughly 15-minute finale that evokes an evangelical altar call, the emotional tradition that concludes some Christian services in which attendees come forward to commit to their savior.

“The great silent majority is rising like never before and under our leadership,” he recites from a teleprompter in a typical version of the script. “We will pray to God for our strength and for our liberty. We will pray for God and we will pray with God. We are one movement, one people, one family and one glorious nation under God.”

The meditative ritual might appear incongruent with the raucous epicenter of the nation’s conservative movement, but Mr. Trump’s political creed stands as one of the starkest examples of his effort to transform the Republican Party into a kind of Church of Trump. His insistence on absolute devotion and fealty can be seen at every level of the party , from Congress to the Republican National Committee to rank-and-file voters .

Mr. Trump’s ability to turn his supporters’ passion into piety is crucial to understanding how he remains the undisputed Republican leader despite guiding his party to repeated political failures and while facing dozens of felony charges in four criminal cases. His success at portraying those prosecutions as persecutions — and warning, without merit, that his followers could be targeted next — has fueled enthusiasm for his candidacy and placed him, once again, in a position to capture the White House.

‘He’s definitely been chosen by God’

Mr. Trump has long defied conventional wisdom as an unlikely but irrefutable evangelical hero.

He has been married three times, has been repeatedly accused of sexual assault, has been convicted of business fraud and has never showed much interest in church services. Last week, days before Easter, he posted on his social media platform an infomercial-style video hawking a $60 Bible that comes with copies of some of the nation’s founding documents and the lyrics to Lee Greenwood’s song “God Bless the U.S.A.”

But while Mr. Trump is eager to maintain the support of evangelical voters and portray his presidential campaign as a battle for the nation’s soul, he has mostly been careful not to speak directly in messianic terms.

“This country has a savior, and it’s not me — that’s someone much higher up than me,” Mr. Trump said in 2021 from the pulpit at First Baptist Church in Dallas, whose congregation exceeds 14,000 people.

Still, he and his allies have inched closer to the Christ comparison.

Last year, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican and a close Trump ally, said both the former president and Jesus had been arrested by “radical, corrupt governments.” On Saturday, Mr. Trump shared an article on social media with the headline “The Crucifixion of Donald Trump.”

He is also the latest in a long line of Republican presidents and presidential candidates who have prioritized evangelical voters. But many conservative Christian voters believe Mr. Trump outstripped his predecessors in delivering for them, pointing especially to the conservative majority he installed on the Supreme Court that overturned federal abortion rights.

Mr. Trump won an overwhelming majority of evangelical voters in his first two presidential races, but few — even among his rally crowds — explicitly compare him to Jesus.

Instead, the Trumpian flock is more likely to describe him as a modern version of Old Testament heroes like Cyrus or David, morally flawed figures handpicked by God to lead profound missions aimed at achieving overdue justice or resisting existential evil.

“He’s definitely been chosen by God,” said Marie Zere, a commercial real estate broker from Long Island who attended the Conservative Political Action Conference in February outside Washington, D.C. “He’s still surviving even though all these people are coming after him, and I don’t know how else to explain that other than divine intervention.”

For some of Mr. Trump’s supporters, the political attacks and legal peril he faces are nothing short of biblical.

“They’ve crucified him worse than Jesus,” said Andriana Howard, 67, who works as a restaurant food runner in Conway, S.C.

A political weapon and vulnerability

Mr. Trump’s solid and devoted core of voters has formed one of the most durable forces in American politics, giving him a clear advantage over President Biden when it comes to inspiring supporters.

Forty-eight percent of Republican primary voters are enthusiastic about Mr. Trump becoming the Republican nominee, and 32 percent are satisfied but not enthusiastic with that outcome, according to a recent New York Times/Siena College poll . Just 23 percent of Democrats said they were enthusiastic about Mr. Biden as their nominee, and 43 percent were satisfied but not enthusiastic.

The intensity of the most committed Trump backers has also factored into the former president’s campaign decisions, according to two people familiar with internal deliberations. His team’s ability to bank on voters who will cast a ballot with little additional prompting means that some of the cash that would otherwise be spent on turnout operations can be invested in field staff, television ads or other ways to help Mr. Trump.

But Democrats see an advantage, too. Much of Mr. Biden’s support comes from voters deeply opposed to Mr. Trump, and the president’s advisers see an opportunity to spook moderate swing voters into supporting Mr. Biden by casting Mr. Trump’s movement as a cultlike creation bent on restricting abortion rights and undermining democracy.

Gov. Gavin Newsom of California, a top Democratic ally of Mr. Biden, pointed to an increasingly aggressive online presence from the president’s re-election campaign, which has sought to portray Mr. Trump as prone to religious extremism .

“There’s a huge opportunity here,” Mr. Newsom said in an interview. “Trump is so easily defined, and he reinforces that definition over and over and over again. And Biden has a campaign that can weaponize that now.”

‘Does he really care about evangelicals? I don’t know.’

Mr. Trump’s braiding of politics and religion is hardly a new phenomenon. Christianity has long exerted a strong influence on American government, with most voters identifying as Christians even as the country grows more secular. According to Gallup , 68 percent of adults said they were Christian in 2022, down from 91 percent in 1948.

But as the former president tries to establish himself as the one, true Republican leader, religious overtones have pervaded his third presidential campaign.

Benevolently phrased fund-raising emails in his name promise unconditional love amid solicitations for contributions of as little as $5.

Even more than in his past campaigns, he is framing his 2024 bid as a fight for Christianity, telling a convention of Christian broadcasters that “just like in the battles of the past, we still need the hand of our Lord.”

On his social media platform in recent months, Mr. Trump has shared a courtroom-style sketch of himself sitting next to Jesus and a video that repeatedly proclaims, “God gave us Trump” to lead the country.

The apparent effectiveness of such tactics has made Mr. Trump the nation’s first major politician to successfully separate character from policy for religious voters, said John Fea, a history professor at Messiah University, an evangelical school in Pennsylvania.

“Trump has split the atom between character and policy,” Mr. Fea said. “He did it because he’s really the first one to listen to their grievances and take them seriously. Does he really care about evangelicals? I don’t know. But he’s built a message to appeal directly to them.”

Support from local pastors

Trump rallies have always been something of a cross between a rock concert and a tent revival. When Mr. Trump first started winding down his rallies with the ambient strains, many connected them to similar theme music from the QAnon conspiracy movement, but the campaign distanced itself from that notion.

Steven Cheung, a spokesman for Mr. Trump, said in a statement: “President Trump has used the end of his speeches to draw a clear contrast to the last four years of Joe Biden’s disastrous presidency and lay out his vision to get America back on track.”

But the shift has helped turn Mr. Trump’s rallies into a more aesthetically churchlike experience.

A Trump rally in Las Vegas in January opened with a prayer from Jesus Marquez, an elder at a local church, who cited Scripture to declare that God wanted Mr. Trump to return to the White House.

“God is on our side — he’s on the side of this movement,” said Mr. Marquez, who founded the American Christian Caucus, a grass-roots group.

And at a rally in South Carolina in February, Greg Rodermond, a pastor at Crossroads Community Church, prayed for God to intervene against Mr. Trump’s political opponents, arguing that they were “trying to steal, kill and destroy our America.”

“Father, we have gathered here today in unity for our nation to see it restored back to its greatness,” Mr. Rodermond continued, “and, God, we believe that you have chosen Donald Trump as an instrument in your hands for this purpose.”

But some Christian conservatives are loath to join their brethren in clearing a direct path from the ornate doors of Mar-a-Lago to the pearly gates of Heaven.

Russell Moore, the former president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s public-policy arm, said Mr. Trump’s rallies had veered into “dangerous territory” with the altar-call closing and opening prayers from preachers describing Mr. Trump as heaven-sent.

“Claiming godlike authority or an endorsement from God for a political candidate means that person cannot be questioned or opposed without also opposing God,” Mr. Moore said. “That’s a violation of the commandment to not take the Lord’s name in vain.”

Michael C. Bender is a Times political correspondent covering Donald J. Trump, the Make America Great Again movement and other federal and state elections. More about Michael C. Bender

Our Coverage of the 2024 Presidential Election

News and Analysis

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has emerged as a wild card in the 2024 election , attracting a motley mix of ideologically diverse supporters, raising piles of cash and drawing legal attacks from Democrats and verbal barrages from former President Donald Trump.

Melania Trump, who has been mostly absent from public view while her husband campaigns for president, will appear at a fund-raiser at Mar-a-Lago , marking a return of sorts to the political arena.

The centrist group No Labels has abandoned its plans to run a presidential ticket in the 2024 election, having failed to recruit a candidate. The group had suffered a string of rejections recently  as prominent Republicans and Democrats declined to run on its ticket.

Florida court rulings on abortion have all but guaranteed that voters will have the issue on their minds in November, bringing potential risks for two anti-abortion Republicans  in the state whose districts aren’t solidly red.

Trump’s falsehoods about mail voting have created a strategic disadvantage for Republicans, who must rely on Election Day turnout . The group Turning Point Action has a $100 million plan to change voters’ habits to encourage early voting.

The focus of Trump’s hotel business is shifting from big cities to his golf resorts,  after a deal to host tournaments for LIV Golf , the upstart league sponsored by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, another example of the ties between the Saudis and the Trump family.

Biden and Trump are the oldest people ever to seek the presidency , challenging norms about what the public should know about candidates’ health.

Simon Rosenberg, a Democratic strategist and consultant, has spent the past two years telling Democrats they need to calm down. His Biden-will-win prediction is his next big test .

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Trump's Georgia election subversion case faces key hearing

By Hannah Rabinowitz , Holmes Lybrand , Nick Valencia and Dan Berman , CNN

The hearing on Trump's Georgia election case wrapped without a ruling. Here's a recap of what each side said 

From CNN staff

The hearing in Fulton County, Georgia, over efforts to dismiss the state election subversion case against Donald Trump and his co-defendant David Shafer on First Amendment grounds concluded after nearly two hours of arguments.

The judge did not rule from the bench, nor did he say when he would rule. The Georgia case is one of four criminal cases Trump is facing while his 2024 presidential campaign is underway — and the stakes are high for the former president and the country.

Here's a recap of what each side said during today's hearing :

Trump's attorney: Trump attorney Steve Sadow argued that the former president's statements about the 2020 presidential election in Georgia are " core political speech” and he therefore cannot be prosecuted. The attorney repeatedly argued that the charges against Trump should be dropped because his actions alleged in the indictment were protected under the First Amendment. Sadow also claimed that Fulton County prosecutors cannot prosecute the former president only on the basis that his allegations were “false.”

Fulton County prosecutors: Donald Wakeford, a prosecutor with the Fulton County district attorney’s office, said that it was “premature to consider” First Amendment arguments and that such arguments should be put before a jury during trial. Wakeford added that all the communication from Trump in the indictment related to charges in the case are not protected by the First Amendment. Wakeford pushed back on Trump’s argument that his false claims were protected, saying that his lies furthered a criminal conspiracy. “He’s never been prosecuted for lying,” Wakeford said. “He’s been prosecuted for lying to the government.” The prosecutor also pointed to a federal judge’s ruling against Trump's First Amendment argument in the parallel  election subversion case  in DC.

Shafer's attorney: Craig Gillen, an attorney for Shafer, the former chair of the Georgia Republican Party who allegedly acted as a 2020 fake elector in the state, disputed the allegation in the indictment that Shafer was not a “duly” appointed elector. Gillen also put forth an argument that other co-conspirators have also raised in the case: that they were merely following legal advice. 

No trial date yet: A trial date has not been set, but the Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis still hopes to go to trial before the November election. Willis previously asked for the trial to start in August, and said she may re-up that request. Earlier this week, a judge ruled Trump's criminal hush money trial will start in April 15.

With reporting from CNN’s Hannah Rabinowitz and Holmes Lybrand.

It's been a wild week of legal developments for Trump

From CNN's Jeremy Herb, Lauren del Valle and Kara Scannell

The Fulton County hearing today in the Georgia election subversion case is only one of the many legal developments former President Donald Trump has faced this week.

On Monday, Trump received both a lifeline from the courts and a trial date for the first criminal trial of a former president in US history.

The twin rulings, which came roughly within an hour of each other, hit the intersection of challenges to Trump’s image and his famed business empire as he seeks a second term in the White House.

Trump’s historic criminal trial in the New York hush money case against him will begin with jury selection on April 15, Judge Juan Merchan said Monday, after a dispute over the late production of documents caused the judge initially to  push back the start date . Trump attended the hearing.

For Trump, however, the more significant ruling Monday may have been a New York appeals court allowing him to post a  reduced $175 million bond  as he appeals the $464 million New York civil fraud judgment against him, his adult sons and his company. Trump told reporters he will cover the bond using cash as a collateral.

Read more about those rulings .

CNN legal analyst: Judge McAfee will likely reject Trump's First Amendment argument

From CNN's Dan Berman

CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig said he believes that Donald Trump's attempt to have the Georgia election subversion indictment dismissed on First Amendment grounds will fail given how another judge in Washington, DC, ruled regarding a similar argument.

"Trump’s legal team argues that his charged conduct here is political speech, protected by the First Amendment (even if the speech was false or unpopular). But prosecutors allege that Trump’s speech was part of a larger criminal plan to steal the election and hence not covered by the First Amendment," he said.

"Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is presiding on the other, federal election subversion case, had already rejected a similar defense argument. Judge McAfee is not bound by that decision, but he likely will reach a similar conclusion," Honig added.

McAfee did not rule from the bench during Thursday's hearing, nor did he say when he would rule.

Georgia prosecutor says Trump is not being prosecuted for lying — but for lying to the government

From CNN's Hannah Rabinowitz

Fulton County prosecutor Donald Wakeford pushed back on Donald Trump’s argument that his false claims were protected under the First Amendment, saying that his lies furthered a criminal conspiracy.

“He’s never been prosecuted for lying,” Wakeford said. “He’s been prosecuted for lying to the government.”

Trump’s attorneys are arguing that his false speech is protected by the First Amendment, Wakeford said.

“That’s not what the indictment says,” Wakeford argued. “It’s not just that he lied over and over and over again, as counsel for the defendant points out by listing all of the instances in the indictment.”

Instead, the Indictment alleges that “each of those was employed as part of criminal activity with criminal intentions.”

“In the end, no matter how much we hear about the noble protections afforded by the First Amendment, all of this is an effort to get your honor not to look at the basic fact that this speech, this expression, all this activity, is employed as part of a pattern of criminal conduct,” Wakeford said.

Defense lawyer calls the term fake electors "really nasty" in attempt to strike it from case

From CNN's Hannah Rabinowitz and Holmes Lybrand

Fulton County prosecutors and a defense attorney for Donald Trump co-defendant David Shafer bickered Thursday over whether it was appropriate to refer to “fake electors” as part of the 2020 election interference case.

Craig Gillen, an attorney for Shafer, asked the judge to strike the term “fake elector” from the case, saying that the term was “pejorative,” a “legal conclusion” and “really nasty.”

Shafer served as one of the so-called “alternate electors” for Trump in Georgia.

“They want to have [the term] ingrained in the minds of the community and of jurors — a concept that if you are not a Democratic elector … then you are a ‘fake’ elector.”

Prosecutor Will Wooten shot back, saying that “nowhere in the indictment is the term ‘fake elector.’ It does not exist.”

Trump co-defendant tries range of arguments against Georgia election subversion case

From CNN's Holmes Lybrand

An attorney for one of the alleged fake electors in Georgia made several arguments in an effort to get charges in the election subversion case dismissed, including over who was a "duly" appointed elector for Georgia after the 2020 election.

Craig Gillen, an attorney for David Shafer, the former chair of the Georgia Republican Party who allegedly acted as a 2020 fake elector in the state, disputed the allegation in the indictment that Shafer was not a “duly” appointed elector.

In December, when Shafer and others allegedly submitted a false document claiming to be Georgia electors, declaring Trump had won Georgia, “there were no duly elected and qualified presidential electors from the state of Georgia,” Gillen argued Thursday.

Gillen also put forth an argument that other co-conspirators have also raised in the case: that they were merely following legal advice. In his court filing on the matter, Gillen wrote that Shafer was “attempting to comply with the advice of legal counsel” and trying to follow the law that governs the electoral count when he submitted the allegedly fake document declaring Trump had won the state.

Gillen also has argued that, under the law, Shafer never acted as a “public officer,” as the indictment alleges and pushed back on the notion that Shafer committed forgery in signing the elector document.

Key things to know about the Supreme Court ruling on military medals that Trump’s lawyer is citing

From CNN's Devan Cole

During today's hearing, Trump attorney Steve Sadow has repeatedly cited a 2012 Supreme Court case dealing with free speech to bolster his argument that the charges against the former president should be dismissed.

The court, in US v. Alvarez, struck down a law that had made it a crime to falsely claim that military medals were earned. Writing for a majority, then-Justice Anthony Kennedy said that the law violated free speech protections. 

“The nation well knows that one of the costs of the First Amendment is that it protects the speech we detest as well as the speech we embrace,” he wrote. 

Then-Justice Stephen Breyer wrote in a concurrence that the government could find "less restrictive ways" to "achieve its legitimate objectives."  Conservative Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia dissented, saying that the law did not go too far.

Alito, writing for the three justices, said that the court’s ruling “breaks sharply from a long line of cases recognizing that the right to free speech does not protect false factual statements that inflict real harm and serve no legitimate interest.”

Sadow on Thursday invoked both Alito and Breyer.

“Essentially, the state's position is, ‘because, as alleged what President Trump said, speech-wise, or expressed either through his speech or conduct, which is still freedom of expression, because that's false in the eyes of the state it’s lost all protection of the First Amendment.’ And the concurring opinion and the dissenting opinion in Alvarez suggests just the opposite. If anything, under the circumstances, it needs more protection, not less protection,” he said.

Previous First Amendment challenges by former Trump co-defendants have been unsuccessful

From CNN's Nick Valencia and Jason Morris

In a hearing this morning, Donald Trump’s lead attorney in Georgia is arguing that the indictment should be dismissed because the former president’s political speech is protected by the First Amendment. 

Previous First Amendment challenges by former Trump co-defendants Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell were unsuccessful.

Chesebro and Powell were two of the former president’s lawyers who later pleaded guilty in exchange for their testimony and cooperation. They had attempted to have the indictment dismissed under the US Constitution’s supremacy clause but failed.

In his denial at the time, Judge Scott McAfee ruled that various case law pointed to facts and evidence needing to be established in a courtroom before a First Amendment challenge can even be considered.

Federal judge in Washington, DC, case already said Trump's speech isn't protected, prosecutor notes

Responding to Donald Trump’s argument that the indictment against him in Georgia should be dismissed because his actions were protected by the First Amendment, a prosecutor for Fulton County’s District Attorney pointed to a federal judge’s decision on the same issue in Trump’s parallel election subversion case in Washington, DC.

“To address the first elephant in this courtroom,” prosecutor Donald Wakeford said during Thursday’s hearing, Judge Tanya Chutkan “has evaluated all these questions” under Supreme Court precedent.

Chutkan is overseeing the election subversion case against Trump brought by special counsel Jack Smith in DC. The case has been on pause for several months as the Supreme Court is set to take up Trump’s arguments of immunity in the case.

In denying Trump’s effort to dismiss the election subversion charges against him in Washington, DC – arguing he had absolute immunity as president – Chutkan wrote in December that the First Amendment “does not protect speech that is used as an instrument of a crime.”

Wakeford argued that Trump’s lies were in furtherance of criminal activity, seeking to overturn election results in the state.

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To fix the last 2 problems, you should click on the small camera icon in the browser’s address bar (will appear after you click the mic) and there set the permission to Allow speechnotes and pick the correct microphone from the drop-down list.

Who can benefit from Speechnotes? #

Anyone who is tired of ordinary key-typing might find Speechnotes useful. It might also be helpful specifically for people with difficulties in typing. Such difficulties could be of a result of physical condition, or simply not mastering the keyboard typing technique in an early enough age. In addition, people who type a lot as their profession or hobby might find Speechnotes very useful as long keyboard typing might be very tyring, and even have medical implications as side effects. Needless to say, transcribers (from students to professionals) will find Speechnotes super helpful, as they can listen to a recording and repeat the speech into the mic, to get Speechnotes to transcribe it for them.

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Chrome or Edge browser. No need for installation, disk space or high-end machines. It will run smoothly on your PC, desktop, laptop and Chromebook. You might try it on your tablets and phones, but it might have issues with some devices. We also have an Android app, and a sister iOS app (TextHear.com)

Features Built to Increase Productivity & Efficiency for both Voice Typing & Regular Key Typing #

For many of us, key-typing is slow and thus time-consuming. Speechnotes lets you type at the speed of speech (slow & clear speech).

• Speechnotes lets you move from voice-typing (dictation) to key-typing seamlessly. This way, you can dictate when convenient and type when more appropriate. You can also dictate and edit your text results right away, and continue dictating. No need to go through app modes or even stop dictation.
• Insert punctuation marks by speech (voice commands) or by a single click.
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• No Login, registration, installation, or download needed. Works “right out of the box”. So, where are all the automatically saved notes stored? Speechnotes stores all your data on your own computer, through your browser. The advantage is that you don’t have to sign in. The disadvantage is that you cannot access these documents from other computers. For that - Speechnotes lets you export to Google Drive. Another small disadvantage is that after many many notes, you might run out of storage room, so, it’s a good practice to delete from time-to-time unnecessary older notes.
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We started a new professional transcription service for consumers. This means you can now enjoy that service at VIP conditions & low cost of 0.8$/min. Try our new human-transcription service here.

Speechnotes is a powerful speech-enabled online notepad, designed to empower your ideas by implementing a clean & efficient design, so you can focus on your thoughts. We strive to provide the best online dictation tool by engaging cutting-edge speech-recognition technology for the most accurate results technology can achieve today, together with incorporating built-in tools (automatic or manual) to increase users' efficiency, productivity and comfort.

Works entirely online in your Chrome browser. No download, no install and even no registration needed, so you can start working right away.

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Speechnotes is especially designed to provide you a distraction-free environment. Every note, starts with a new clear white paper, so to stimulate your mind with a clean fresh start. All other elements but the text itself are out of sight by fading out, so you can concentrate on the most important part - your own creativity. In addition to that, speaking instead of typing, enables you to think and speak it out fluently, uninterrupted, which again encourages creative, clear thinking. Fonts and colors all over the app were designed to be sharp and have excellent legibility characteristics.

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We’ve only been on air for a short while and already featured on “ProductHunt” and other international tech magazines. But we are most proud of our users’ feedback. Speechnotes is the highest ranked speech-recognition app on the Chrome-store, rated higher than 4.5 stars! Well above other online alternatives. Here are some of the user reviews we got on the Chrome store :

"I would like to say that I am very pleased with this dictation plug in. It is better and much more accurate than the other two that I have tried. This is definitely my preferred dictation app. In fact, I wrote this review using the app. Thumbs up to the developers!!"

"It does what it says on the tin...& more. Priceless. Tony Hawes. Whose faith has been restored in Apps by this one."

... And there are many more. Read all of them on the Chrome store

Thanks a lot guys! Your feedback gives us great motivation to keep going in developing great solutions

A Free Alternative to Dragon Naturally Speaking

Features built to increase productivity & efficiency for both voice typing & regular key typing.

For many of us, key-typing is slow and thus time-consuming. Speechnotes lets you type at the speed of speech (slow & clear speech). Speechnotes lets you move from voice-typing (dictation) to key-typing seamlessly. This way, you can dictate when convenient and type when more appropriate. You can also dictate and edit your text results right away, and continue dictating. No need to go through app modes or even stop dictation. Insert punctuation marks by speech (voice commands) or by a single click.

Other features built for productivity for both type of typing are: Auto save that saves the document in real time upon any change, so you don't ever have to disturb yourself with it. Export to Google Drive (cloud saving) or download as a document to your computer. One click to email, or print your note. Automatic smart capitalization of letters at the beginning of sentences. No Login, registration, installation, or download needed. Works "right out of the box". So, where are all the automatically saved notes stored? Speechnotes stores all your data on your own computer, through your browser. The advantage is that you don't have to sign in. The disadvantage is that you cannot access these documents from other computers. For that - Speechnotes lets you export to Google Drive. Another small disadvantage is that after many many notes, you might run out of storage room, so, it's a good practice to delete from time-to-time unnecessary older notes. Unlimited usage for free.

Leading Technology

Speechnotes is based on Google's high-end speech-recognition engines. In fact, all your speech is sent to Google, there it gets interpreted using powerful parallel servers and algorithms, and gets sent back to Speechnotes as a stream of possible transcription results. With the right handling of these results and set of commands to the Speech-To-Text engines we are able to achieve results that do not fall in accuracy even when compared to the most professional and expensive software available on the market. Add to that punctuation insertion upon click and voice commands and smart capitalization, and you get one of the most advanced apps out there. Quantitatively, accuracy levels higher than 90% should be expected.

Health Advantages to Voice Typing

Sitting in front of a computer in general may result in different types of Computer Related Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI). To avoid them the best way is not to sit in front of the computer for long periods of time. But, if you have to, you have to take extra care on your posture. You can read more about it here (http://rsi.unl.edu/) . Voice typing is one of the main recommended ways to minimize these risks, as it enables you to sit back comfortably, freeing your arms, hands, shoulders and back altogether. You can get back to typing once finished dictating for corrections & editing.

Instructions & Tips

Pre-operation: Connect a high-quality microphone to your PC (if you have a built-in microphone it might be good enough). Operation: 1) Click the mic 2) For the first time only: Your browser will popup a request for you to allow the site to listen to your mic. Click "Allow". 3) Start dictating. Speak slowly and clearly. Space your words and emphasize correct diction for better results. 4) Intermediate results will show in the buffer. There are 3 ways to finalize and shift transcription results from the buffer to the text editor itself:    (a) Press "Enter" key on the keyboard    (b) Say or click on a punctuation mark    (c) Wait Troubleshooting: Most common causes for failures are: 1) Hardware problem with the microphone 2) Browser not Chrome 3) Permission to listen not granted 4) Chrome listens to the wrong microphone To fix the last 2 problems, you should click on the small camera icon in the browser's address bar (will appear after you click the mic) and there set the permission to Allow speechnotes and pick the correct microphone from the drop-down list.

Who can benefit from Speechnotes?

Anyone who is tired of ordinary key-typing might find Speechnotes useful. It might also be helpful specifically for people with difficulties in typing. Such difficulties could be of a result of physical condition, or simply not mastering the keyboard typing technique in an early enough age. In addition, people who type a lot as their profession or hobby might find Speechnotes very useful as long keyboard typing might be very tyring, and even have medical implications as side effects. Needless to say, transcribers (from students to professionals) will find Speechnotes super helpful, as they can listen to a recording and repeat the speech into the mic, to get Speechnotes to transcribe it for them.

Compatibility & System Requirements

Speechnotes is really a broad-platform app. As long as you run it through a Chrome browser it will work. No need for installation, disk space or high-end machines. It will run smoothly on your PC, desktop, laptop and Chromebook. You might try it on your tablets and phones, but it might have issues with some devices.

We at Speechnotes value your privacy, and that's why we do not store anything you say or type or in fact any other data about you. Your speech is sent to Google's speech-to-text engines for transcription.

Although we try, speech results might not be accurate. Also, Speechnotes is a service provided AS-IS and we cannot guarantee that it will continue in the future. For that reason, and for the small chance that software failures might happen, we suggest you export your important texts either to Google Drive or to your computer, so to be protected against unexpected data loss. We will not be responsible for data loss or inaccuracies.

We appreciate your Feedback & Support

Speechnotes was developed in 2015 by the Speechlogger & TTSReader teams in order to help people all over the world to type their thoughts, stories and notes in an easier and more comfortable fashion. That's why Speechnotes is free and available online for everybody's access. The need for such a software tool came to our attention from feedback emails we got from our users. If you have feedback, ideas or requests, please contact us , we will be more than happy to hear from you. If you like Speechnotes, please show support by rating us on the Chrome store, sharing with friends, or mentioning us on your posts and blogs. Your friends and followers will appreciate it too. You may also contribute by a small donation ("buy me a coffee" style).

Speechnotes - Dictation Notepad

Professional speech recognition text editor. Accurate, free, easy to use & unlimited.

All rights reserved worldwide to owner. No permission to copy or use code, style, names, and any content without explicit written permission from owner ([email protected]). You may demonstrate usage of Speechnotes, reviews, etc. Thank you.

Enjoy Speechnotes? Please share . Thanks & love, Speechnotes team

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Hungary’s Wariness of Forced Speech Reflects Post-Communist Ideals

John Wesley Reid / @johnwesleyreid / April 04, 2024

Even liberals in Hungary agree the government shouldn’t force anyone to express himself in a way that violates his conscience. It reminds them of communism. Pictured: Lawyer and Hungarian government insider Peter Magyar, center, wades into the crowd during an opposition rally March 15 marking the anniversary of the 1848 revolution in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo: Janos Kummer/Getty Images)

Get your FREE digital copy of The Heritage Foundation’s Founders’ Almanac.

The premium that Hungarians place on free speech reflects an American posture of centuries past.

It was the abolition of censorship that Hungarians demanded first during the famous 1848 revolution against the Habsburgs, and it was free speech that they demanded when the 1956 revolution broke out.

Indeed, America, whose inaugural constitutional amendment enshrines the right to free speech, in large part has adopted a totalitarian mindset against which it once revolted.

Not to generalize, since millions of Americans still value free speech in broad terms. Thankfully, the majority of the U.S. Supreme Court agrees, too, given the justices’ 2023 ruling in 303 Creative v. Elenis .

But although this Supreme Court precedent will exist for decades, its existence is a race against the morally declining court of public opinion—the very citizenry that elects the U.S. president who constructs the Supreme Court.

To summarize, in 303 Creative the high court ruled that forcing artists (including bakers, photographers, and florists) to custom-design expressive products that violate their consciences is a violation of the free speech clause of the First Amendment.

And while the Left decried the ruling as “bigoted,” it ultimately protected liberals and conservatives alike.  

I moved to Hungary’s capital, Budapest, as a senior research fellow shortly after covering the 303 Creative case. I hadn’t been in Hungary for a week before asking an attorney how the nation’s courts likely would have ruled on a similar case where artists were sued for declining services that violated their consciences. His answer was as simple as it was telling.

“I don’t know. We don’t sue for stuff like that here.”

“Good for you, Hungary,” I thought to myself.

To be clear, although Hungary is a largely conservative country, Budapest, like any metropolis, is quite cosmopolitan. Yet even Hungarian liberals I’ve conversed with agree that the government shouldn’t force someone to express himself in a way that violates his conscience. For most people here, that brings back the worst memories of the communist era.

For Hungarians, it is not the government’s role to determine what people should say or not say. It is not the government’s job to force habits or lifestyles onto their citizenry, as was argued by National Assembly member Balazs Orban in his book “The Hungarian Way of Strategy.”

The ongoing dialogue led many a Hungarian colleague of mine to ask: Why wouldn’t the American customers just find a different artist?

And: Why are they specifically targeting artists who they know won’t provide the service?

Their curiosity rightly suggests a harassing agenda by the customers. Case in point: Jack Phillips, the Colorado baker and “cake artist” at the center of the case known as Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado , was sued for refusing to custom-design a cake celebrating a same-sex couple’s marriage in 2012.

In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Phillips’ favor. But since then, he’s been sued twice for the same type of refusal—both times by the same customer.

This is clearly harassment.

When I explained this to my Hungarian friends, some of whom call themselves liberal, they were somewhat surprised that Americans (those from the land of the free) would act this way—and furthermore, that the courts would entertain these elementary affairs so often.

This makes me ask, why? Why are Hungarians—conservatives and liberals alike—such ardent supporters of free speech?

Hungarians’ appreciation for freedom stems from their understanding of oppression. As a reminder, Hungary’s release from Soviet communism is still recent. Indeed, most people reading this article were alive when Hungary’s democracy was commissioned in 1989.

The people of Hungary know communism—not simply from history books, but from life itself. The youngest of Hungarians have first-tier sources of communist history from their parents, and their grandparents can tell them of Hungary’s attempt to overthrow Soviet oppression in 1956.

Hungarians know that communism doesn’t work. Hungarians know that communism doesn’t simply limit a people, but it oppresses them—sometimes violently. During the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, several unarmed Hungarians were shot and killed in Kossuth Square, outside the National Assembly building that houses the nation’s parliament.

Hungarians know too well that freedom, without free speech, is a mask for tyranny. Indeed, without freedom of speech, one cannot live freely—if live at all.

America once had this understanding of liberty, too, which is why the only intended bias of the First Amendment was a partiality toward freedom.

Ideological bias against free speech is not only inconsistent with but contrary to freedom. To quote Kristen Waggoner, the lawyer who defended 303 Creative before the Supreme Court and also is president and CEO of Alliance Defending Freedom: “If we desire freedom for ourselves, we must defend it for others.”

America, despite being a global superpower, is still in its historic infancy.

Not 250 years old, and yet how quickly a country birthed in blood-bought freedom went from “there can be no such thing as public liberty, without freedom of speech” (Benjamin Franklin) to “you must express yourself in a way that violates your conscience or else lose your livelihood” (the modern American Left).

Arguably, America’s Founders revolted against lesser tyranny. 

The courts of Hungary have yet to decide whether artists may be forced to go against their consciences. Perhaps such a case will never reach Hungary’s high courts.

That’s not apathy on the part of Hungary’s courts, but rather integrity on the part of its people. 

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Kate Middleton's Cancer Announcement Video Receives Editor's Note on Getty — Here's Why

A Getty Images spokesperson tells PEOPLE why the detail is standard

Janine Henni is a Royals Staff Writer for PEOPLE Digital, covering modern monarchies and the world's most famous families. Like Queen Elizabeth, she loves horses and a great tiara moment.

Chris Jackson/Getty

There's a simple reason Kate Middleton 's cancer announcement video was flagged with an editor’s note on Getty Images.

The Princess of Wales, 42, announced that she is undergoing treatment for cancer in an emotional video message recorded by BBC Studios on March 20 and released by Kensington Palace on March 22. Some noticed the caption of the clip on Getty Images includes an editor's note that states, "This Handout clip was provided by a third-party organization and may not adhere to Getty Images' editorial policy."

A Getty Images spokesperson told PEOPLE on Tuesday, "Getty Images includes a standard editors note to handout content provided by third party organizations."

The footage is credited to "BBC Studios/Kensington Palace" via Getty Images. Home to over 130 million images, Getty is the largest privately‑owned photographic archive in the world. 

Princess Kate sat alone on a bench in the garden of Windsor Castle to film the announcement about her health. The royal explained that she is receiving "preventative chemotherapy" after tests following her abdominal surgery in January "found cancer had been present." The Princess of Wales said that her condition was thought to be non-cancerous when she had surgery, described the diagnosis as a "huge shock" and asked for privacy for her young family as she completes treatment.

Princess Kate shares Prince George , 10, Princess Charlotte , 8, and Prince Louis , 5, with Prince William , and the royal mom strategically shared the news when her children were out of school for Easter break. 

Some wondered why Princess Kate delivered the news without her husband, whom she referenced multiple times in the self-written speech .

"It is a message from the princess about her health, and she wanted to personally deliver the message on her own," a palace source tells PEOPLE about the background. The insider says Princess Kate made clear that Prince William has been "supporting her throughout."

Samir Hussein/WireImage

"William is extremely proud of his wife for the courage and strength she has shown not just this week but since her surgery in January," the source says. "Now more than ever, he’s focused on ensuring his wife has the privacy she needs to fully recover and that his children are shielded from the understandable interest in the news that has been shared."

The Princess of Wales mentioned in the address that she and her husband took time to "explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be okay." The palace source adds that Kate felt it was key she share the news with the world when the time was right.

"She and the prince needed time to process the news, she needed time to recover from surgery and she needed time to tell the children. That was the driving force," they say.

The video announcement on the Prince and Princess of Wales’ X account has been viewed over 105 million times since it was shared by the palace on March 22.

Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty

The editor’s note on Getty is not the first flag from the global photo agency regarding content from the royal family in recent weeks. 

Princess Kate apologized for "any confusion" around the picture with her kids released for U.K. Mother's Day , which multiple global photo agencies, including Getty , pulled from their libraries due to suspicion of manipulation. Shortly after, the Princess of Wales was scrutinized again for allegedly altering a family photo previously released by the palace. 

The snap in the spotlight was a portrait of the late Queen Elizabeth and some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren taken by Kate and released by Buckingham Palace on what would have been the monarch's 97th birthday in April 2023. Although the photo taken at Balmoral in the summer of 2022 had been public for nearly a year, Getty Images announced the picture had been manipulated.

"Getty Images has reviewed the image in question and placed an editor’s note on it, stating that the image has been digitally enhanced at source," a Getty spokesperson told The Telegraph in a post published on March 18. 

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The outlet identified at least six discrepancies, from a hiccup with the tartan pattern on the late Queen’s skirt and a digital repetition of Mia Tindall ’s hair. Prince William and Princess Kate shared the shot on their official social media accounts last April, with the image credited to "The Princess," who is known for her photography hobby. 

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