OneNote Tools for College Success

Here is a quick video showcasing these features found in OneNote. If you want to learn more about these features, follow the steps below after watching this video:

 

Tips for Organizing your Classes in OneNote

Create a section for each class

Think of Sections as the dividers in a binder. Build your digital class binder before you start filling it.

Best practice: Keep the course name or number in the section title so you can recognize it immediately.

EXAMPLE:

ENG C1000
MATH 12
HIST 17A
PSYC 100

 

Create a "Class" page

At the top of each course section, I recommend creating your own quick-reference page. There's usually little value in recreating information that's already in Canvas. Instead, make OneNote the place where you process the class: taking notes, asking questions, identifying what you don't understand, preparing for exams, collecting useful resources, and deciding what to work on next.

EXAMPLE:

MATH 12 | Class Home

Add things that will help you without recreating what you already have in Canvas, if the class is in Canvas, that is.

My Next Steps

Finish Chapter 6 reading

Complete practice problems

Start research for my essay

Review today's notes

Study for Friday's quiz

Topics I Need to Review

Factoring: need more practice

Linear equations: feeling good

Quadratic equations: need help

Questions I Have

Type/write down questions as soon as you think of them:

Why does the sign change in this equation?

Is Chapter 6 on the exam?

What did I get wrong on the last assignment?

Can I use this source for my paper?

Things I Keep Forgetting / I Need Help With

Completing the square

Problem #17 from 4.2 homework

 

Our best advice on OneNote organization!

Use the same system for every class. Don't organize English one way, Math another way, and Psychology a third way.

A repeatable structure of: Semester → Class → Topic/Date → Supporting Pages means you spend less effort deciding where something belongs and more effort actually taking useful notes.

 

Tips for Using the Math Assistant

OneNote's Math Assistant can recognize handwritten or typed math, solve supported problems, show available solution steps, and provide graphing and practice options

 

Write or Type Your Math Problem

Add the problem directly to your OneNote page.

You can:

  • Handwrite it using the Draw tools and a mouse, touchscreen, stylus, or digital pen.
  • Type it as an equation.

Best Practice: Give each problem some space on the page. Keep your original problem, your work, and Math Assistant's results together so your OneNote page becomes something you can actually study from later.

 

Select the Problem

  1. Go to Draw.

  2. Choose Lasso Select.

  3. Draw around the entire equation.

  4. Select Math.

The Math Assistant pane will open and recognize the selected equation.

If your handwriting is not recognized correctly, check the equation OneNote recognized before continuing. You can use the conversion tools to turn handwritten math into a formatted equation.

 

Choose What You Want Math Assistant to Do

Look for Select an action in the Math pane.

The choices change depending on the type of problem you've entered. Microsoft documents options for supported problems that can include:

  • Solve for a variable
  • Evaluate
  • Verify
  • Factor
  • Expand
  • Differentiate
  • Integrate
  • Graph in 2D

Don't just get the answer: If solution steps are available, use them to understand how the problem is solved, not simply to copy the final result. Microsoft specifically describes the step-by-step instructions as a way to learn how to reach the solution yourself.

 

Work the Problem Yourself

Here's a better study strategy:

Try → Check → Understand → Try Again

  1. Try the problem yourself.
  2. Use Math Assistant to check your work.
  3. Review the available steps to understand where your approach differed.
  4. Work another similar problem without the assistance.

Think of Math Assistant as a built-in study partner, not an answer key.

 

Insert Useful Results into Your Notes

After solving a problem, you can select Insert math on page to put the result onto the OneNote page you're working on. Write down why you got something wrong or what you learned, not simply the correct answer.

 

Graph It to See What's Happening

For supported equations, Math Assistant can generate a 2D graph. Depending on the graph and OneNote version, you may also be able to explore features such as:

  • x-y values

  • Zeros

  • Intercepts

  • Minimums and maximums

  • Changing equation parameters

  • Zooming and repositioning the graph

When you're finished, Insert on Page can place the graph on your current OneNote page.

 

Turn One Problem into Practice

Math Assistant can also generate a practice quiz based on an equation you've solved. Microsoft says the feature uses Microsoft Forms to create similar problems and embed the quiz on your OneNote page.

The basic workflow is:

  1. Solve an equation with Math Assistant.
  2. Select Generate a practice quiz.
  3. Choose the number of questions.
  4. Select Generate quiz.
  5. Complete the quiz in OneNote.
  6. Submit it and review your results

Tips for Using Dictation and Record Audio & Transcribe

OneNote can use your microphone to help capture information from a lecture. Before recording any class, always follow your instructor's recording policy and obtain permission when required.

First, decide whether to choose Dictate or Transcribe:

If you want to...

Try

Speak your own notes instead of typing

Dictate

See words appear on the page as they are spoken

Dictate

Record lecture audio for later review

Transcribe / Record Audio

Create a transcript from recorded speech

Transcribe

Type your own notes while capturing lecture audio

Transcribe / Record Audio

Make Dictation Easier to Read with Punctuation

You can say punctuation and editing commands out loud while dictating. Commands include:

  • Punctuation: period, comma, question mark, exclamation mark, colon, semicolon, new line, open/close quotes, open/close parentheses, hyphen, and ellipsis
  • Editing commands: undo, delete, delete that, insert space, backspace, pause dictation, and exit dictation

 

Get your OneNote page ready

  • Open the notebook and page where you want the recording.

  • Click the spot on the page where you want OneNote to place it.

  • Make sure your microphone is working for audio.

Start recording

In the current Windows desktop version of OneNote:

  • Select Home.

  • Select Record Audio.

  • In some versions, you may need to select Transcribe first to see the recording controls.

Take notes while recording

Don't just hit Record and stop taking notes. Record the lecture AND type short notes as you listen.

Continue typing notes on the OneNote page while the recording is running. OneNote links the notes you take to the audio or video recording. Later, this can help you return to the portion of the recording associated with those notes.

Play it back

Click the media/recording icon on the page and select Play. OneNote can associate playback with notes you took during the recording. Microsoft's example explains that if you wrote something two minutes into an interview, OneNote can connect that note with that point in the recording.

Audio vs. Transcribe

Record Audio and Transcribe are related but different features. Recording lets you capture audio as part of your notebook, while Microsoft's OneNote transcription workflow can convert spoken content into text.

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