Notetaking Options
There are a variety of forms of notetaking assistance. See below for popular options notetaking apps, smartpens, etc. including options provided by Student Disability Services. If you are interested in any of these options and would like more information, please reach out to the Notetaking Access Coordinator at notetake@uchicago.edu.
Notetaking Apps
There are numerous notetaking apps for smartphones, tablets, and computers that make notetaking effective for all learning styles. See below for those provided by the University as well as others available for purchase.
Apps available to UChicago students (free)
OneNote
- Included with UChicago account
- Supports typed notes
- Best for short notes
- Syncs well with Google Calendar for reminders
- Does not support handwritten notes
GoogleKeep
- Included with UChicago account
- Supports typed notes
- Best for short notes
- Syncs well with Google Calendar for reminders
- Does not support handwritten notes
Glean
- Supports typed notes
- Syncs across devices
- Transcribe audio recording
- Sync notes to audio recording
- Search for keywords within notes
- Import slides, images, etc. into notes
- Integrates with Wikipedia to quickly add definitions
- $12.00/mo, contact your SDS director to inquire about a school-provided account
Other apps available for purchase
Noteshelf
- Supports handwriting on tablet
- Can sync with various cloud services (including Evernote)
- Note organization templates provided
- Edit two different notebooks side-by-side
- Import images
- Annotate PDFs
- Record audio within app
- One-time purchase ($9.99 iOS, $7.99 macOS, $4.99 Windows and Android)
- Does not support typing
AudioNote
- Supports typed and handwriting on tablet
- Sync notes to audio recording
- Import pdfs
- Free and paid versions ($9.99/yr)
- Mac, iOS, and Windows, no Android app
Notability
- Supports handwriting on tablet, limited typing support
- Variety of “paper” types (lined, blank, grid, colors, etc.)
- Sync notes to audio recording
- Ability to back-up notes in cloud apps (Box etc.)
- Import pdfs
- Note organization templates provided
- “Tape” feature (cover text in notes for self-quiz during studying)
- Free and paid versions ($14.99/yr)
Evernote
- Sync with Google Calendar and Outlook
- Supports typed and handwriting on tablet
- Scan handwritten notes
- Sync across devices
- Search for keywords within notes (including handwritten)
- Note organization templates provided
- Import Audio Recordings
- Free and paid versions ($14.99/month)
Otter.ai
- Supports typed notes
- Real-time captions/transcriptions
- AI generated summary of transcript
- Search for keywords within notes
- Import slides into notes
- Free and paid versions ($16.99/mo)
LiveScribe Smartpen
The LiveScribe pen is intuitive and easy to use, especially if you are already used to hand-writing your own notes as it uses ink and paper. There is a camera and audio recorder embedded into the pen, so your notes are synched with the recording of the lecture. Connect the pen to your laptop or mobile device via USB or Bluetooth to see a digitized version of your notes without the need to scan. Notes are connected to a timestamp in the recording, so you can review without having to listen to the whole lecture over again. $149.95, contact you SDS director to inquire about an equipment loan.
Peer Note-Taker
Another student in class takes notes and uploads them to AIM for you to download. This is a low-tech option for those that have difficulty keeping up with handwriting and typing. The notes represent the peer notetaker’s view of the relevant content in the course and are not a transcript. Peer Notetakers should be treated as a supplement to your own notes, not a replacement. There could be a delay in receiving notes—sometimes hiring a notetaker can take time and uploads may not be consistent.