define think aloud speech

• Try for free

Think-Alouds

Effective teachers think out loud on a regular basis

Download for free, what are think-alouds.

Think-alouds are a strategy in which students verbalize their thoughts while reading or answering questions. By saying what they're thinking, students can externalize and process their thoughts.

Effective teachers think out loud regularly to model this process for students. In this way, they demonstrate practical ways of approaching difficult problems while bringing to the surface the complex thinking processes that underlie reading comprehension, problem solving, and other cognitively demanding tasks.

Why Use Think-Alouds?

Key takeaways:

• The think-aloud strategy is used to model comprehension processes such as making predictions, creating images, and linking information to prior knowledge.
• Teachers model expert problem-solving by verbalizing their thought processes, aiding students in developing their own problem-solving skills, and fostering independent learning.
• Teachers can assess students' strengths and weaknesses by listening to their verbalized thoughts.
• Getting students into the habit of thinking out loud enriches classroom discourse and gives teachers an important assessment and diagnostic tool.
• Research has demonstrated that the think-aloud strategy is effective for fostering comprehension skills from an early age.

Summary of the research

Think-alouds, where teachers vocalize their problem-solving process, serve as a model for students to develop their inner dialogue, a critical tool in problem-solving (Tinzmann et al. 1990). This interactive approach fosters reflective, metacognitive, independent learning. It helps students understand that learning requires effort and often involves difficulty, assuring them they are not alone in navigating problem-solving processes (Tinzmann et al. 1990).

Think-alouds are used to model comprehension processes such as making predictions, creating images, linking information in text with  prior knowledge , monitoring comprehension, and overcoming problems with word recognition or comprehension (Gunning 1996).

By listening in as students think aloud, teachers can diagnose students' strengths and weaknesses. "When teachers use assessment techniques such as observations, conversations and interviews with students, or interactive journals, students are likely to learn through the process of articulating their ideas and answering the teacher's questions" (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics 2000).

Research into the impact of using the think-aloud strategy to enhance reading comprehension of science concepts found that implementing think-alouds as a during-reading activity significantly improved the comprehension of science concepts in Kindergarten students (Ortleib & Norris, 2012). This finding underscores the effectiveness of the think-aloud strategy in fostering comprehension skills from an early age.

How To Use Think-Alouds

Think-alouds are versatile teaching tools that can be applied in various ways. For instance, in math, teachers can model the strategy by vocalizing their problem-solving process as they work through a problem. In reading, the think-aloud strategy enhances comprehension by allowing students to actively engage with the text, verbalizing their thought processes, questions, and connections.

Another approach is the use of reciprocal think-alouds, which fosters collaboration and helps students understand different ways of thinking. Think-alouds can also be used as an assessment tool to pinpoint individual student needs, shaping instruction to better suit each learner.

Think-alouds can be used in a number of ways across different subject areas, including:

• Reading/English: The think-aloud process can be used during all stages of reading, from accessing prior knowledge and making predictions to understanding text structure and supporting opinions.
• Writing: Think-alouds can be used to model the writing process, including pre-writing strategies, drafting, revision, and editing.
• Math: Use think-alouds to model the use of new math processes or strategies, and assess student understanding.
• Social Studies: During discussions on complex topics, have students use think-alouds to explain their reasoning and opinions.
• Science: Think-alouds can be used to model the scientific inquiry process, and students can reflect on this process in their journals or learning logs.

Modeling Thinking-Alouds

Modeling think-alouds is a method where a teacher vocalizes their problem-solving process, serving as a guide for students. This strategy allows learners to see the internal mechanisms of problem-solving, demonstrating that learning is an active process. It helps students develop their metacognitive skills, promoting independent learning.

What does this look like in the classroom?

Before proceeding with the actual think-aloud, first, explain the concept and its significance. For instance, "Today, we're going to use the think-aloud strategy as we work through this problem. The think-aloud strategy helps us to vocalize our inner thoughts and reasoning as we solve a problem. It's a useful tool because it allows us to better understand our own thought processes and identify areas where we might be struggling."

Modeling the Think-Aloud Strategy for Math

The think-aloud strategy is instrumental in developing problem-solving skills as it promotes metacognition, enabling students to understand and evaluate their thought processes while tackling a problem.

For example, suppose during math class you'd like students to estimate the number of pencils in a school. Introduce the strategy by saying, "The strategy I am going to use today is estimation. We use it to . . . It is useful because . . . When we estimate, we . . ."

Next say, "I am going to think aloud as I estimate the number of pencils in our school. I want you to listen and jot down my ideas and actions." Then, think aloud as you perform the task.

Your think-aloud might go something like this:

"Hmmmmmm. So, let me start by estimating the number of students in the building. Let's see. There are 5 grades; first grade, second grade, third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade, plus kindergarten. So, that makes 6 grades because 5 plus 1 equals 6. And there are 2 classes at each grade level, right? So, that makes 12 classes in all because 6 times 2 is 12. Okay, now I have to figure out how many students in all. Well, how many in this class? [Counts.] Fifteen, right? Okay, I'm going to assume that 15 is average. So, if there are 12 classes with 15 students in each class, that makes, let's see, if it were 10 classes it would be 150 because 10 times 15 is 150. Then 2 more classes would be 2 times 15, and 2 times 15 is 30, so I add 30 to 150 and get 180. So, there are about 180 students in the school. I also have to add 12 to 180 because the school has 12 teachers, and teachers use pencils, too. So that is 192 people with pencils."

Continue in this way.

Modeling the Think-Aloud Strategy for Reading

The think-aloud strategy enhances reading comprehension by promoting metacognitive understanding of the reading process. It allows students to actively engage with the text, verbalizing their thought processes, questions, and connections, which leads to deeper understanding and retention of material.

When reading aloud, you can stop from time to time and orally complete sentences like these:

• So far, I've learned...
• This made me think of...
• That didn't make sense.
• I think ___ will happen next.
• I reread that part because...
• I was confused by...
• I think the most important part was...
• That is interesting because...
• I wonder why...
• I just thought of...

More Ways to Model Think-Alouds

Another option is to video the part of a lesson that models thinking aloud. Students can watch the video and figure out what the teacher did and why. Stop the video periodically to discuss what they notice, what strategies were tried, and why, and whether they worked. As students discuss the process, jot down any important observations.

Once students are familiar with the strategy, include them in a think-aloud process. For example:

Teacher: "For science class, we need to figure out how much snow is going to fall this year. How can we do that?"

Student: "We could estimate."

Teacher: "That sounds like it might work. How do we start? What do we do next? How do we know if our estimate is close? How do we check it?"

In schools where teachers work collaboratively in grade-level teams or learning communities, teachers can plan and rehearse using the think-aloud strategy with a partner before introducing it to students. It is often more effective when the whole school focuses on the same strategy and approaches to integrate it into learning.

Reciprocal Think-Alouds

In reciprocal think-alouds, students are paired with a partner. Students take turns thinking aloud as they read a difficult text, form a  hypothesis in science , or compare opposing points of view in  social studies . While the first student thinks aloud, the second student listens and records what the first student says. Then students change roles so each partner can think aloud and observe the process. Next, students reflect on the process together, sharing what they tried and discussing what worked well for them and what didn't. As they write about their findings, they can start a mutual learning log that they refer back to.

Think-Alouds as an Assessment Tool

After students are comfortable with the think-aloud process you can use it as an assessment tool. As students think out loud through a problem-solving process, such as reflecting on the steps used to solve a problem in math, write what they say. This allows you to observe the strategies students use. Analyzing the results will allow to pinpoint the individual student's needs and provide appropriate instruction.

Assign a task, such as solving a specific problem or reading a passage of text. Introduce the task to students by saying, "I want you to think aloud as you complete the task: say everything that is going on in your mind." As students complete the task, listen carefully and write down what students say. It may be helpful to use a tape recorder. If students forget to think aloud, ask open-ended questions: "What are you thinking now?" and "Why do you think that?"

After the think-alouds, informally interview students to clarify any confusion that might have arisen during the think-aloud. For example, "When you were thinking aloud, you said . . . Can you explain what you meant?"

Lastly, use a  rubric  as an aid to analyze each student's think-aloud, and use the results to shape instruction.

For state-mandated tests, determine if students need to think aloud during the actual testing situation. When people are asked to solve difficult problems or to perform difficult tasks, inner speech goes external (Tinzmann et al. 1990). When faced with a problem-solving situation, some students need to think aloud. For these students, if the state testing protocol permits it, arrange for testing situations that allow students to use think-alouds. This will give a more complete picture of what these students can do as independent learners.

See the research that supports this strategy

Tinzmann, M B. et. al. (1996) What Is the Collaborative Classroom? Journal: NCREL. Oak Brook.

Gunning, Thomas G. (1996). Creating Reading Instruction for All Children. Chapter 6, 192-236.

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. (2000). Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. Reston, VA: The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Inc .

Wilhelm, J. D. (2001). Improving Comprehension with Think-Aloud Strategies. New York: Scholastic Inc.

Ortlieb, E., & Norris, M. (2012). Using the Think-Aloud Strategy to Bolster Reading Comprehension of Science Concepts. Current Issues in Education , 15 (1)

Featured High School Resources

Related Resources

About the author

TeacherVision Editorial Staff

The TeacherVision editorial team is comprised of teachers, experts, and content professionals dedicated to bringing you the most accurate and relevant information in the teaching space.

Skip navigation

World Leaders in Research-Based User Experience

Thinking aloud: the #1 usability tool.

January 15, 2012 2012-01-15

• Email article
• Share on LinkedIn
• Share on Twitter

"Thinking aloud may be the single most valuable usability engineering method."

I wrote this in my 1993 book, Usability Engineering , and I stand by this assessment today. The fact that the same method has remained #1 for 19 years is a good indication of the longevity of usability methods .

Usability guidelines live for a long time ; usability methods live even longer. Human behavior changes much more slowly than the technology we all find so fascinating, and the best approaches to studying this behavior hardly change at all.

In This Article:

Defining thinking aloud testing, benefits of think-aloud, downsides of think-aloud.

To define thinking aloud , I'll paraphrase what I said 19 years ago:

Definition: In a thinking aloud test, you ask test participants to use the system while continuously thinking out loud — that is, simply verbalizing their thoughts as they move through the user interface.

("Simply" ought to be in quotes, because it's not that simple for most people to keep up a running monologue. The test facilitator typically has to prompt users to keep them talking.)

To run a basic thinking aloud usability study, you need to do only 3 things:

• Recruit representative users .
• Give them representative tasks to perform.
• Shut up and let the users do the talking.

The method has a host of advantages. Most important, it serves as a window on the soul , letting you discover what users really think about your design. In particular, you hear their misconceptions, which usually turn into actionable redesign recommendations: when users misinterpret design elements, you need to change them. Even better, you usually learn why users guess wrong about some parts of the UI and why they find others easy to use.

The thinking aloud method also offers the benefits of being:

• Cheap. No special equipment is needed; you simply sit next to a user and take notes as he or she talks. It takes about a day to collect data from a handful of users , which is all that's needed for the most important insights.
• Robust. Most people are poor facilitators and don't run the study exactly according to the proper methodology. But, unless you blatantly bias users by putting words into their mouths, you'll still get reasonably good findings, even from a poorly run study. In contrast, quantitative (statistical) usability studies are ripe with methodology problems  and the smallest mistake can doom a study and make the findings directly misleading. Quant studies are also much more expensive .
• Flexible. You can use the method at any stage in the development lifecycle, from early paper prototypes  to fully implemented, running systems. Thinking aloud is particularly suited for Agile projects . You can use this method to evaluate any type of user interface with any form of technology (although it's a bit tricky to use thinking aloud with speech interfaces — see report on How to Conduct Usability Evaluations for Accessibility  for advice on testing with blind or low-vision users who rely on screen readers such as JAWS). Websites, software applications, intranets, consumer products, enterprise software, mobile design: doesn't matter — thinking aloud addresses them all, because we rely on the users doing the thinking.
• Convincing. The most hard-boiled developers, arrogant designers, and tight-fisted executives usually soften up when they get direct exposure to how customers think about their work. Getting the rest of your team (and management) to sit in on a few thinking-aloud sessions doesn't take a lot of their time and is the best way to motivate them to pay attention to usability. (For more on how to motivate teams to deliver superior user experiences, see the UX Basic Training  course.)
• Easy to learn. We teach the basics in a day  and provide thorough team training in a 2-day "Learning-by-Doing" course . Of course, this doesn't cover all the twists and advanced modifications needed to hang out your shingle as a usability consultant, but the point is that you don't need these extras to run basic tests for your own design team .

Being cheap and robust are huge upsides of qualitative methods such as thinking aloud. But the flip side is that the method doesn't lend itself to detailed statistics , unless you run a huge, expensive study. You can certainly do this — I simply don't recommend it for the vast majority of projects. Better to conserve your budget and invest in more design iterations .

Other problems:

• Unnatural situation. Unless they're a bit weird, most people don't sit and talk to themselves all day. This makes it hard for test participants to keep up the required monologue. Luckily, users are typically quite willing to try their best, and they quickly become so engaged in the test tasks  that they all but forget that they're in a study. You can show users a short video demo of a think-aloud session to quickly and vividly explain what's expected of them.
• Filtered statements (vs. brain dump). Users are supposed to say things as soon as they come to mind rather than reflect on their experience and provide an edited commentary after the fact. However, most people want to appear smart, and thus there's a risk that they won't speak until they've thought through the situation in detail. Don't fall for this trap: it's essential to get the user's raw stream of thought. Typically, you have to prompt users to keep them talking.
• Biasing user behavior. Prompts and clarifying questions are usually necessary, but from an untrained facilitator, such interruptions can very easily change user behavior. In such cases, the resulting behavior doesn't represent real use, so you can't base design decisions on the outcome. At the very least, try to identify those cases where you've biased the user so you can discard that small part of the study. (It's worse when you don't know that you've done wrong — then you risk giving the design team bad advice.)
• No panacea. That this one method isn't the only usability tool you'll ever need is not a true downside, as long as you are willing to use other methods from time to time. Thinking aloud serves many purposes, but not all purposes. Once you get a few years' experience with usability, you'll want to use a wider range of user research methods .

Don't let the downsides get you down. If you haven't tried it before, go run a quick thinking aloud study on your current design project right now. Because these simplified studies are so cheap, weekly user testing  is completely feasible — so if you make a few mistakes the first time, you can always correct them next week.

Related Courses

Usability testing.

Learn how to plan, conduct, and analyze your own studies, whether in person or remote

Lean UX and Agile

Applying Lean UX approaches for Agile environments

Remote User Research

Collect insights without leaving your desk

Related Topics

• User Testing User Testing

Learn More:

Please accept marketing cookies to view the embedded video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXJqAYDbRzI

Help Users Think Aloud

Data vs. Findings vs. Insights

Sara Ramaswamy · 3 min

Usability Test Facilitation: 6 Mistakes to Avoid

Kate Moran and Maria Rosala · 6 min

Introducing a Participant to a Usability Test: A Demonstration

Maria Rosala and Kate Moran · 4 min

Related Articles:

Qualitative Usability Testing: Study Guide

Kate Moran · 5 min

Group Notetaking for User Research

Susan Farrell · 10 min

Project Management for User Research: The Plan

Susan Farrell · 7 min

Employees as Usability-Test Participants

Angie Li · 5 min

Team Members Behaving Badly During Usability Tests

Hoa Loranger · 7 min

Time Budgets for Usability Sessions

Jakob Nielsen · 4 min

• To save this word, you'll need to log in. Log In

think aloud / out loud

Definition of think aloud / out loud, examples of think aloud / out loud in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'think aloud/out loud.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Dictionary Entries Near think aloud / out loud

think ahead

think aloud/out loud

Cite this Entry

“Think aloud/out loud.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/think%20aloud%2Fout%20loud. Accessed 27 May. 2024.

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the day.

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

More commonly misspelled words, commonly misspelled words, how to use em dashes (—), en dashes (–) , and hyphens (-), absent letters that are heard anyway, how to use accents and diacritical marks, popular in wordplay, the words of the week - may 24, flower etymologies for your spring garden, 9 superb owl words, 'gaslighting,' 'woke,' 'democracy,' and other top lookups, 10 words for lesser-known games and sports, games & quizzes.

U.S. Dictionary.com Newsletter

Fill in the form below and receive news in your email box, thinking aloud: definition, meaning, and origin.

Everyone's had a moment when they start voicing their thoughts without realizing it. We call this phenomenon "thinking aloud," and it's something that might happen when you're pondering over something deeply. It means expressing your thoughts and inner dialogues openly, often without the intention to share them with others.

In short: "Thinking aloud" means to vocalize your thoughts, ideas, or concerns, often unintentionally or unconsciously.

What Does “Thinking Aloud” Mean?

"Thinking aloud" has a few nuanced meanings. It's all about saying what's on your mind, often without a filter.

Here are some important aspects of this idiom's meaning:

• Speaking your thoughts out loud, without necessarily intending for others to hear.
• Vocalizing internal thoughts is a way of processing or understanding them better.
• Sometimes, you use it to purposefully share your inner process with others, particularly in a professional or educational setting.

For example, engineers or designers might use the phrase to verbally describe the process of working through a problem so colleagues can understand their thought process. The practice of "thinking aloud" often links to a deeper understanding of oneself, as it allows people to vocalize thoughts they might not otherwise explore.

Where Does “Thinking Aloud” Come From?

The idiom "thinking aloud" dates back to the 16th century. It's an expression that has evolved over time and has been used in various works of literature.

Historical Usage

The Tempest by William Shakespeare is a prominent example where the phrase is used. In it, the character Prospero muses:

"Ye elves of hills, brooks, standing lakes and groves... And forthwith call his proper for 'thinking aloud'."

The usage of the phrase in literary works like these helped cement its place in the English language.

10 Examples of "Thinking Aloud” in Sentences

Here are examples of "thinking aloud" used in different contexts and situations:

• Don't get me started on why James was thinking aloud about his plans last night.
• Sarah was thinking aloud about her holidays; her excitement was palpable.
• While working on a complex problem, engineers often find thinking aloud helpful.
• The detective was thinking aloud , linking clues to unravel the mystery.
• During the lecture, the professor was thinking aloud , explaining his thoughts step by step.
• In awe of the painting, Jane started thinking aloud about its beauty.
• The author was thinking aloud about the plot twists, giving a glimpse into his creative process.
• The scientist was thinking aloud about the research, detailing every step.
• Emily might never have solved the equation if it weren't for her habit of thinking aloud .
• The coach was thinking aloud about the game strategy and sharing it with the team.

Examples of “Thinking Aloud” in Pop Culture

"Thinking Aloud" has also found its way into pop culture:

• In the film "A Beautiful Mind," John Nash is often seen thinking aloud.
• The TV series "House M.D." frequently features Dr. House thinking aloud about medical cases.
• The song " Thinking Out Loud " by Ed Sheeran.
• In the book "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," Dumbledore is often caught thinking aloud.
• The documentary "Inside the Mind of a Chef" often features chefs thinking aloud about their culinary creations.

10 Frequently Asked Questions About “Thinking Aloud”:

• What does "thinking aloud" mean?

It refers to the act of speaking your inner thoughts, either unintentionally or to process them.

• Where does the idiom originate from?

It has historical roots dating back to the 16th century, with usages in literature such as Shakespeare's works.

• Is "thinking aloud" common in everyday language?

Yes, it's a common expression used to describe vocalizing thoughts, often unconsciously or during problem-solving.

• Is there a song titled "thinking aloud"?

No, but there's a song titled "thinking out loud" by Ed Sheeran, which is a play on the idiom.

• Can "thinking aloud" be considered a method of problem-solving?

Absolutely! Professionals like engineers and designers often use this method to work through complex problems.

• Is "thinking aloud" always unintentional?

Not always. Sometimes, it's used intentionally to communicate a thought process or for self-reflection.

• Are there variations of "thinking aloud"?

Yes, similar expressions include "thinking out loud" and "speaking one's mind."

• How is "thinking aloud" portrayed in films?

It's often used to give insight into a character's thoughts, as seen in movies like "A Beautiful Mind."

• Is "thinking aloud" different from "thinking out loud"?

They are used interchangeably, though "thinking out loud" is often used more casually.

• Is "thinking aloud" helpful in educational settings?

Yes, educators and students use it as a tool for learning and understanding complex concepts.

Final Thoughts About “Thinking Aloud”

"Thinking Aloud" is an intriguing idiom that captures a universal human experience. More than just talking to oneself, various fields use it as a powerful tool. It touches on various aspects of daily communication, literature, and cognitive psychology.

Here, we'll summarize the key takeaways about this intriguing idiom:

• Meaning and Variations: The idiom "thinking aloud" encompasses the act of verbalizing thoughts, often without realizing it. It can be used in various contexts, expressing different shades of the same idea. In some cases, it represents the unintentional sharing of personal or confidential thoughts.
• Origins: Tracing back through history, "thinking aloud" has a rich heritage. The idiom has evolved through time and has been used by many prominent authors and thinkers. It's a timeless expression that continues to be relevant.
• Examples in Literature and Pop Culture: From classic novels to modern films, "thinking aloud" has been portrayed in a multitude of ways. It resonates with people across generations, cultures, and backgrounds.
• Applications and Significance: Beyond its literary usage, "thinking aloud" has practical applications in fields like psychology. For example, "thinking aloud" protocols are used in cognitive research to understand problem-solving and decision-making processes.
• Everyday Usage: It's a versatile idiom that's widely understood and used by people from all walks of life. From casual conversations to professional settings, "thinking aloud" adds color and nuance to the English language.

Related posts:

• Laugh Riot: Definition, Meaning, and Origin
• Know What You're Talking About: Definition, Meaning, and Origin
• Lunching Out: Definition, Meaning, and Origin
• Cramping My Style: Definition, Meaning, and Origin
• Commit Myself To: Definition, Meaning, and Origin
• Styled Up: Definition, Meaning, and Origin
• Focus on Him: Definition, Meaning, and Origin
• Be That as It May: Definition, Meaning, and Origin
• Burn the Candle at Both Ends: Definition, Meaning and Origin
• Old Wine in a New Bottle: Definition, Meaning and Origin
• Slip Back: Definition, Meaning, and Origin
• A Wee Dram: Definition, Meaning, and Origin
• Bottle Up: Definition, Meaning, and Origin
• Keep in Mind: Definition, Meaning, and Origin
• Snap Off: Definition, Meaning, and Origin

We encourage you to share this article on Twitter and Facebook . Just click those two links - you'll see why.

It's important to share the news to spread the truth. Most people won't.

• Take Precedence Over: Definition, Meaning, and Origin
• Delighted to Make Your Acquaintance: Definition, Meaning, and Origin
• Wet Blanket: Definition, Meaning, and Origin
• How's Everything: Definition, Meaning, and Origin

The Origins and Evolution of Thinking Aloud

Having participants think aloud as they use an interface is a cornerstone technique of usability testing.

It’s been around for much of the history of user research to help uncover problems in an interface.

Despite its popularity, there is surprisingly little consistency on how to properly apply the think aloud technique. Because of that, there is some controversy on how effective or necessary it actually is .

To better understand both the method and its application, it helps to know where it came from and how it’s evolved. And like the field of User Experience in general, the roots of thinking aloud has its genesis in other fields with over a century of history and evolution.

1890s Psychoanalysis and Free Association

Observing a usability test to some may look and sound a lot like a therapy session. That’s not a coincidence. The image of a patient lying on Sigmund Freud’s couch and uncovering repressed feelings is quite familiar to the general public; it’s also where the practice of thinking aloud likely took root.

Freud believed patients could access the unconscious while conscious, and developed the practice of psychoanalysis and talk therapy. The goal was to bring unconscious thoughts to the surface. Prior to Freud, hypnosis was used as a popular treatment technique—something I don’t believe has been attempted yet with usability testing but it could be interesting!

In Freud’s free association , patients allowed their thoughts to flow freely without censorship or conscious intervention. It didn’t matter if the thoughts weren’t coherent; the idea was to share them aloud as they come to mind. Freud’s goal was to gain insight into unconscious processes, something similar to what participants are now asked to do when interacting with interfaces.

Early 1900s Introspection

As psychology continued to evolve as a science so did the theory and practice of thinking aloud. Wilhelm Wundt founded the first psychology lab and used a method called introspection to get at the inner workings of a patient’s mind. He had patients verbalize their sensations and thought processes, report their inner thoughts, and look inward at pieces of information as they passed through consciousness.

Wundt would also have trained participants describe the sensations they experienced when looking at simple physical stimuli, like an object. For example, people could look at a daisy and articulate it as round, with silky petals, 5 leaves on the stem, white petals, and yellow in center. He also asked them to describe the feelings associated with these perceptions, such as it making them feel happy or young at heart. Wundt then analyzed the relationship between sensations and feelings. Wundt’s student, Titchener, brought a form of the idea of introspection to the U.S. and developed it as a more systematic method . This practice is similar to commenting on a user interface in usability testing today.

1920-1950 Behaviorism Backlash

As psychology evolved, so did competing theories. Freud and Wundt relied on people’s ability to articulate their inner thoughts, something that’s hard to verify. The behaviorist movement, best known by its pioneer, B.F. Skinner, argued against introspection as being too subjective .

As the name implied, the behaviorists emphasized the importance of behavior as something that could be measured objectively. Investigations of the mind, and thus thinking aloud, fell out of favor. This tension between what people say and what they do continues to exist decades later as we measure the user experience.

1920s-1930s Private Speech

At around the same time as the behaviorist movement, Lev Vygotsky and Jean Piaget observed “ private speech ” in children. If you have children, you’ve likely seen your kids talking to themselves (that’s a good thing). Children from around ages 2-7 engage in speech, which isn’t directed at anyone but is thought to help with self-regulation, and is related to memory, early literacy development and creativity.

Usually around school age, this “private speech” becomes internal. Many adults report experiencing an “inner voice,” which is also sometimes expressed aloud when alone or thinking through a tough problem.  The strength of one’s inner voice likely has an impact on a participant’s ability to think aloud and will be discussed in a future article. Not all participants have the same ability to articulate their thoughts, which may be related to differences in their inner speech.

1940s-1960s Thinking Aloud to Solve a Problem

Karl Duncker , a Gestalt psychologist also described a “think aloud” methodology. He had participants think aloud as they solved problems. “…allowing [the participant’s] activity to become verbal .”

Duncker came up with the now famous (in psych circles) “ candle problem .” In the problem, participants were given a book of matches, a box of thumbtacks, and a candle and asked to affix and light the candle on a wall so the candle wax wouldn’t drip onto the table below.

This verbalizing of thoughts was different than introspection, because participants weren’t asked to analyze their own thoughts but instead asked to focus on the problem and verbalize their thoughts.

Participants who thought aloud actually had better success at solving this task than others! This suggests the mere act of asking people to think aloud likely changes their behavior, which has clear implications for its application in having users attempt tasks when evaluating interfaces.

With the influence from cognitive psychology, scientists sought to explore the relationships between brain and behavior by studying the “black box” of cognitive processes. Interest grew in methods that could provide data about internal thought processes.

1970s Telling More than We Know

The Think Aloud method again brought criticism. In 1977, Nisbett and Wilson[pdf] published “Telling More Than We Can Know: Verbal Reports on Mental Processes,” and argued against thinking aloud because participants didn’t have conscious access to high-level cognitive processes that regulate how stimuli affect responses.

For example, think of what you had for breakfast this morning. Can you describe how you came up with your answer?  Describing how you came up with how you recalled having breakfast is certainly different (and difficult to ascertain) than simply recalling the pancakes you ate.

1980s-1990s Thinking Aloud Comes to Usability Testing

Ericsson and Simon (1984 and 1993) responded to Nisbett and Wilson’s critique of thinking aloud in their influential book, Protocol Analysis : Verbal Reports as Data.

Ericsson and Simon argued that certain types of verbal expression were accurate—just not the type used by Nisbett and Wilson. They argued that while there are clearly limitations to how far thinking aloud can take us, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a useful tool. They modeled thinking aloud into three levels:

• Level 1: Direct articulation of information stored in a language
• Level 2: Articulation or verbal receding of nonpropositional information without additional processing
• Level 3: Articulation after scanning, filtering, inference, or generative processes have modified the information available

When the information being processed to perform the main task is not verbal or propositional, it will likely slow down and affect performance. But when tasks fall into Level 1 thinking aloud, thinking aloud will not change the “course and structure of cognitive processes.”

In their protocol, the interaction between the researcher and participant is minimal , and participants are not asked to filter, analyze, explain, or interpret their thoughts , even if what they say is difficult for the researcher to understand.

2000- Applications in Usability Testing & Beyond

Thinking aloud is used extensively today by researchers as a key part of usability testing. Having participants think aloud provides a wealth of qualitative data into the thought processes and potential causes of problems.

Dumas and Loring’s Moderating Usability Tests provides detailed guidelines for moderators and “golden rules” on moderation, which includes some discussion on thinking aloud.

Research by Boren & Ramey found inconsistencies in how practitioners apply the Think Aloud method. They also found that in practice it deviates from the theoretical basis provided by Ericsson and Simon. Boren & Ramey argue, rather than basing current practice on Ericsson and Simon, a better theoretical justification is speech communication theory. In their model, the participant (the primary speaker) and the facilitator (the listener and secondary speaker) each has a defined role.

Despite its wide usage and rich history, several questions remain on thinking aloud, including:

• How necessary is it to uncover problems?
• How may it affect user behavior and how much?
• Are metrics distorted during thinking aloud?
• What percent of the population can effectively think aloud?
• How well does think aloud work for remote unmoderated usability studies?
• Does culture affect think aloud outcomes?

These topics are all ongoing research activities and will be addressed in future articles.

Thanks to Chelsea Meenan, PhD and Jim Lewis, PhD for contributing and commenting on earlier versions of this article.

You might also be interested in

Call Us Today! 786.717.5649 | [email protected]

A Way To Improve Your Child’s Reading Comprehension Skills: “Think Aloud” Strategy

Did you know that there are extra measures one can take to improve a child’s literacy skills? A strategy called the “think-aloud” strategy, is said to eventually help children self-monitor their reading comprehension and help them understand how to deal with reading comprehension breakdowns.

So what is the “think aloud” method? In short, it is basically thinking out loud about a story book/reading excerpt– before, during, and afterwards. For example, before reading a picture book story with your child, you may sift through the pictures of a book, point at different details / key words, and make predictions and inferences out loud (e.g., “Ohh, I see in this picture there is a bear… I wonder if this book is going to take place in a zoo…What do you think? ”). During the process of reading, you may perhaps point and pause at a keyword ( “Oh, I see the word, “forest”… do you think the bear is going to live at a zoo or forest?” ). After reading, you may discuss what happened in the story and why he/she thinks certain events took place ( “Oh, it turned out the bear was ___…. Why do you think that happened? Hmmm…” ).

A research study conducted by Baumann, J. F., Seifert-Kessell, N., & Jones, L. A. (1992), reviewed the effects of the “think aloud” instruction on elementary students’ comprehension monitoring abilities. The article first opens up by painting a picture of what they found in their research study that contained two groups of fourth graders: one group who had been taught the think aloud reading comprehension, and the other who had been taught a different reading comprehension strategy. There was a noticeable difference found between both groups. The children who were taught the think-aloud strategy self-questioned, used retelling as a way to construct meaning, and made hypotheses about the story. The children who were not taught the strategy focused more on the literal comprehension, word identification, and accurate oral reading. The article also emphasized how reading comprehension self-monitoring may be what distinguishes successful readers from less successful readers. Research notes that if children can self-question, predict and verify, retell, and reread – they are much more likely to understand and retain information from texts that they read. Think alouds, as the article says, is basically self-monitoring their reading comprehension in an overt way through verbal expression. This study found that it helped the students acquire many different strategies to enhance the quality of their comprehension. Lastly, the researchers ended the article stating that students in the think aloud group participated enthusiastically and were perceived to feel empowered by increasing their cognitive ability in reading.

If your child is not reading yet, below is a walk-through of steps in how to implement the “think aloud”, so that he/she can eventually learn to utilize this method independently. 1) Preview the book before reading with your child, not only to make sure the book is appropriate for their particular child depending on where they are in the learning process, but also for cultural relevance (ie., making sure it is specific to the child’s specific experiences) and specific interests/background knowledge 2) Look at the cover together and point at different pictures and keywords, making predictions and inferences. Think-aloud prompts may include: “I wonder if…”, “I imagine that…”. 3) Look through the pages together and continue making predictions and inferences. You can also comment on what you see and relate it to background knowledge that the child already has. For example, if there is a picture of a princess, and this particular child has a princess costume, you can say, “Wow, I see a princess! It looks just like the princess costume you have right?”

*Tip: Make sure to have high energy and engagement (e.g., “Wow! Look!”) when using the think aloud strategy, because the more interested you are, the more interested the child will also be.

One of the best parts about this strategy is that it is overall simple. Additionally, although simple, it has been proven to be highly effective in improving overall literacy skills.

Happy reading to your little ones!

-Andrea Scola, M.S., CCC-SLP, Exceptional Speech Therapy Blog Writer

Reference: Baumann, J. F., Seifert-Kessell, N., & Jones, L. A. (1992). Effect of Think-Aloud Instruction on Elementary Students’ Comprehension Monitoring Abilities. Journal of Literacy Research, 24(2), 143-172. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20201231?seq=2#page_scan_tab_contents

Exceptional Speech Therapy

10200 NW 25th St, A-108,

Doral, FL 33172

786.717.5649

©2024 Exceptional Speech Therapy

Modelling through think alouds

The think aloud strategy involves the articulation of thinking, and has been identified as an effective instructional tool.

Think aloud protocols involve the teacher vocalising the internal thinking that they employ when engaged in literacy practices or other areas of learning. The intention is that think alouds make transparent or overt the cognitive processes that literate people deploy. The effective use of think alouds can positively influence student achievement (Fisher, Frey and Lapp, 2011; Ness, 2016).

It is common for teachers to use think alouds when modelling writing, reading, working out mathematical calculations and for speaking and listening strategies. For maximum impact, it is recommended that think alouds are considered in the planning phase (Ness, 2016).

Students can also use think alouds to monitor their comprehension, which can act as a form of assessment. Student think alouds can benefit the speaker, as links between oral language, reading and writing are made, while acting as a model for other students.

Read more information on think alouds and see an in practice lesson containing think alouds .

Fisher, D., Frey, N., and Lapp, D. (2011). Coaching middle-level teachers to think aloud improves comprehension instruction and student reading achievement. Teacher Educator, 46(3), 231-243.

Ness, M. (2016). Learning from K – 5 teachers who think aloud. Journal of Research in Childhood Education. 30, (3), 282 – 292.

Our website uses a free tool to translate into other languages. This tool is a guide and may not be accurate. For more, see: Information in your language

Definition of 'think aloud'

• think aloud

Examples of 'think aloud' in a sentence think aloud

Browse alphabetically think aloud.

• think (all) the world of
• think again
• think better of
• think creatively
• All ENGLISH words that begin with 'T'

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Score: 0 / 5

Wordle Helper

Scrabble Tools

Definition of Think-Aloud Protocols

Think-Aloud Protocols refer to a qualitative research technique used to gather data on cognitive processes, thoughts, and decision-making strategies of individuals or users. It involves conducting interviews or observations while participants verbalize their thoughts out loud during a task or problem-solving activity.

Benefits of Think-Aloud Protocols

1. Insight into thought processes: Think-aloud protocols provide researchers with valuable insights into the thinking and decision-making processes of participants. This includes their reasoning, problem-solving strategies, and decision criteria.

2. Identification of difficulties: By vocalizing their thoughts, participants often identify and convey the difficulties they encounter while performing a task. This helps in identifying pain points, usability issues, or areas needing improvement.

3. Gathering of authentic data: Think-aloud protocols capture data in real-time, reflecting the participants’ genuine thoughts and reactions. This enables researchers to obtain accurate and context-rich data, as opposed to relying solely on post-task interviews or observations.

Process of Conducting Think-Aloud Protocols

1. Pre-task instructions: Participants are given clear instructions to verbalize their thoughts continuously during the assigned task or activity, articulating every decision, concern, or reaction they have.

2. Task performance: Participants proceed to perform the assigned task while verbalizing their thoughts out loud. This can involve describing their reasoning process, evaluating options, sharing uncertainties, or stating preferences.

3. Probing: Researchers can ask follow-up questions or probe further into specific aspects of the participants’ thought processes. This helps in gaining a deeper understanding of their motivations, preferences, or challenges faced during the task.

4. Data analysis: The think-aloud data collected is transcribed and analyzed to identify patterns, themes, cognitive strategies, and insights. Researchers may use qualitative analysis techniques to make sense of the verbalized thoughts and draw meaningful conclusions.

Considerations for Think-Aloud Protocols

1. Participant comfort: Ensure participants are comfortable and understand the think-aloud process to encourage honest and uninterrupted verbalizations.

2. Task complexity: The level of complexity and familiarity of the assigned tasks should be considered, as it can impact the participants’ ability to think aloud effectively.

3. Training and practice: Participants may benefit from prior training or practice sessions to become more comfortable with thinking aloud and verbalizing their thoughts in a coherent manner.

4. Researcher guidance: Researchers should be skilled in facilitating the think-aloud process, effectively probing participants, and ensuring a supportive and non-judgmental environment.

Soliloquy Definition

What is a soliloquy? Here’s a quick and simple definition:

A soliloquy is a literary device , most often found in dramas, in which a character speaks to him or herself, relating his or her innermost thoughts and feelings as if thinking aloud. In some cases, an actor might direct a soliloquy directly to the audience, such that rather than the audience "overhearing" the character's spoken thoughts, the character is actively sharing his or her thoughts with the audience. Usually, no other characters are present when one character is giving a soliloquy. If other characters are present, the play is typically—though not always—staged to indicate that these characters cannot hear the soliloquy being spoken.

Some additional key details about soliloquies:

• The term soliloquy comes from the Latin, soliloquium , which means "talking to oneself."
• Because soliloquies allow the audience to know what a character is thinking or feeling, a soliloquy often creates dramatic irony , as the audience is made aware of thoughts and events that the other characters in the play are not.
• Soliloquies were once very common in dramas—they appear frequently in Shakespeare. But as plays shifted toward realism in the late 18th century, soliloquies became less frequent.

How to Pronounce Soliloquy

Here's how to pronounce soliloquy: suh- lil -uh-kwee

Soliloquy vs. Monologue vs. Aside

Soliloquies, monologues, and asides are easy to confuse: they all involve a solitary speaker. However, there are fundamental differences between them based on both the length of the speech and who's listening to it.

Soliloquy vs. Monologue

Like a soliloquy, a monologue is a speech delivered by a single speaker. The difference between the two types of speech is its audience :

• In a soliloquy, the speaker is giving a long speech to him or herself (or to the audience).
• In a monologue, the speaker is giving a long speech to other characters.

Putting that in practical terms: If other characters respond (or could respond) to a character's speech, or if a character is clearly addressing a specific person or people, then it cannot be a soliloquy.

Soliloquy vs. Aside

An aside resembles a soliloquy in that only the audience—not the other characters onstage—can hear an aside. For instance, in this scene from Hamlet , Hamlet responds to his step-father Claudius calling him "my son" with an aside saying he's more related to his uncle than he'd like to be:

CLAUDIUS Take thy fair hour, Laertes. Time be thine, And thy best graces spend it at thy will.— But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son— HAMLET (aside) A little more than kin and less than kind.

Here Hamlet is speaking his own secret thoughts to himself in a way that other characters can't hear. However, asides are different from soliloquies because of their length. While there is no clear "word count" at which you can distinguish between an aside and a soliloquy, an aside is usually just a few words or lines, while a soliloquy is a longer speech. Here's Ferris Bueller delivering an aside.

Soliloquy vs. Interior Monologue

An interior monologue is a record of a character's inner thoughts. Interior monologues can resemble soliloquies in that they depict a character's innermost thoughts and feelings, but unlike a soliloquy, the interior monologue is not meant to be performed. Put more bluntly: even though a soliloquy reveals a character's thoughts, it is a speech-act. A soliloquy must be spoken in order to be a soliloquy, while an inner monologue by definition will never be spoken: it's a record of a character's thoughts.

Because they are records of a character thinking and not speaking, inner monologues are rare in dramas (as staging them would have to include some way to reveal a character's thoughts without that character speaking them, for instance through something like a voiceover delivered over a speaker).

Soliloquies and Breaking the Fourth Wall

"The fourth wall" refers to the idea that there is an invisible wall between the stage and the audience in addition to the other three walls that surround a stage. Of course, the actors can see the audience out there watching them, but the actors typically act as though they can't see the audience: as if they actually can't see through the fourth wall at all.

The idea also applies to television (despite the fact that television "stages" often don't have four walls at all), with the screen itself operating as the fourth wall. When an actor is said to "break" the fourth wall, he or she has in some way acknowledged that the wall exists and, therefore, that the play and its characters are fictions being observed by an audience. While there are a variety of ways to break the fourth wall, one of the most powerful is for the actor to address the audience directly.

A soliloquy does not always break the fourth wall, but it can if the character speaking is not just thinking to him or herself but is instead addressing the audience. For instance:

• Hamlet's soliloquies in Hamlet do not break the fourth wall. Hamlet is thinking feverishly to himself, and the audience is just overhearing his thoughts.
• Iago's soliloquies in Othello do break the fourth wall. In fact, many critics describe Iago as a kind of "director" of the events of Othello who regularly (and gleefully) explains to the audience how he is going to manipulate and destroy Othello.

Soliloquy Examples

Soliloquies almost exclusively appear in drama, whether drama for the stage or for movies and television.

Soliloquy in Shakespeare

Shakespeare's soliloquies are often praised as the most powerful parts of his plays. Through soliloquy, he is able to show complicated characters who experience inner turmoil and conflicting thoughts. The soliloquies are also often the most dramatic and revealing moments in the plays, because through them characters reveal what is actually happening, or what they are actually feeling, which can sometimes conflict with the way people are behaving—and this makes for dramatic tension.

Soliloquy in A Midsummer Night's Dream

In Act 2, Scene 1 of A Midsummer Night's Dream , Puck delivers a soliloquy on his role with his master, the lord of the fairies, Oberon:

"I am that merry wandered of the night. I jest to Oberon and make him smile When I a far and bean-fed horse beguile, Neighing in likeness of a filly foal: And sometimes lurk I in a gossip's bowl, In very likeness of a roasted crab, And when she drinks, against her lips I bob And on her wither'd dewlap pour the ale [...]"

Puck's character tends to push the narrative forward in this play, and this introductory soliloquy does just that. Instead of having to wait and see who Puck becomes, through interactions with other characters, the audience knows immediately who Puck is and we can begin to guess what Puck might do in the action to come.

Soliloquy in King Lear

Only because King Lear speaks through soliloquy (as he does here in Act 2, Scene 4) does the audience understand just how much his daughters' betrayal has devastated him.

"[...]Stain my cheeks! No, you unnatural hags, I will have such revenges on you both, That all the world shall—I will do such things,— What they are, yet I know not: but they shall be The terror of the earth. You think I'll weep No, I'll not weep [...]"

His thoughts at the beginning of his soliloquy are sharp and lucid, but begin to quickly unravel. By the time he gets to the end, he doesn't even quite know what he will do, he just knows his actions will be "the terror of the earth." Through soliloquy, Shakespeare can communicate both Lear's thoughts and his very being , the fact that in addition to losing his power, and losing the love and esteem of his daughters, he is also losing his faculties.

Soliloquy in Macbeth

Macbeth's soliloquy from Act 2, Scene 1 shows him grappling with a guilty conscience over his plan to kill the king and take power for himself. By revealing his inner thoughts as he tries to figure out if the dagger is or is not real, the soliloquy reveals not just his thoughts but the state of his mind:

"Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible To feeling as to sight? or art though but A dagger of the mind, a false creation, Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain? [...]"

Later, he recovers himself and declares that this vision of a dagger is unreal. This progression—hallucination to recovery—tells the audience a good deal about Macbeth. He is nearly driven mad by the deed he is about to perpetrate: killing Duncan. But his ambition to be king wins out, even over the doubts that spring up within his mind.

Examples of Modern Soliloquies

While Shakespeare may have been the most famous user of soliloquies, other playwrights have also incorporated the device. Around the late 18th century, soliloquies fell out of favor. People wanted more realistic plays, and writers thought soliloquies sounded artificial. Although today they are rare, the soliloquy does persist and continues to be used by writers—of both plays for the stage and, sometimes, television and movies—intent on revealing the inner lives of their characters. Still, in modern dramas, soliloquies tend to not be as lengthy as Shakespeare's because even modern writers who use soliloquies continue to sense that audiences will reject lengthy soliloquies as too artificial.

Soliloquy in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams

The character Tom from The Glass Menagerie ends the play with this soliloquy, which summarizes some of the final events that have taken place off-stage, in addition to his thoughts:

"I didn't go to the moon that night. I went much further—for time is the longest distance between two points. Not long after that I was fired for writing a poem on the lid of a shoe-box. I left Saint Louis. [...]"

Tom speaks only to himself, reinforcing the notion that everything has fallen apart, and that, in a sense, the entire play has existed in his memory of a place and a family that he abandoned. To complete this idea for the audience, Williams had to reveal Tom's thoughts.

Soliloquy in Eugene O'Neill's Strange Interlude

O'Neill's play begins with a long soliloquy by spoken by a character who is a writer named Charles Marsden:

"...I must start work tomorrow...I'd like to use the Professor in a novel sometime...and his wife...seems impossible she's been dead six years...so aggressively his wife!...poor Professor! now it's Nina who bosses him..."

Through this soliloquy, Marsden eventually reveals his ambiguous passion for Nina, and his conflicted feelings about sex in general. This happens gradually, as the soliloquy slowly takes us through Marsden's mind. This approach makes the reader feel as if they are in on a secret about Marsden. In a way, the soliloquy brings the reader into cahoots with Marsden, where they must then remain through the events of the play.

Soliloquy in House of Cards

In the television show, Frank Underwood occasionally directly addresses soliloquies to the camera after other characters have gone off screen. In these soliloquies, Frank reveals his thoughts on life and power, and his plans for gaining power for himself. Frank's soliloquies are reminiscent of Iago's in Othello , in that both characters relish their ability to manipulate and understand situations better than others, and they share that enthusiasm directly with the audience. Their soliloquies therefore create dramatic irony , as the audience knows what Frank and Iago are thinking and planning while the other characters don't. But the soliloquies also serve to make the audience complicit with Frank and Iago; even as the audience might judge Frank's power-hungry schemes, it relishes those schemes right along with him.

Finally, House of Cards is certainly aware of the similarity between Frank's soliloquies and Iago's, and the show's use of soliloquy is a purposeful effort to include Frank among the tradition of great schemers of which Iago is such a huge part.

You can watch a classic Frank Underwood soliloquy here .

Why Do Writers Use Soliloquies?

Soliloquies offer a variety of different possible effects, regardless of whether they are being used in a Shakespearean play or a more modern drama.

• Exposition: Characters can reveal action that has taken place off-stage or off-screen but is critical to understanding the current story.
• Revealing inner thoughts: A soliloquy gives an audience direct access to a character's thoughts and feelings, with the result that the audience knows that character and the character's inner struggles in a unique way.
• Revealing more than inner thoughts: While a character may explore their thoughts in a soliloquy, the way that they explore those thoughts can be even more revealing to the audience. King Lear, for instance, seems unaware that his soliloquies are more than angry diatribes: they reveal to the audience his descent into madness.
• Creating dramatic irony: A writer can ramp up the dramatic tension in a play by using a soliloquy to reveal to an audience a character's thoughts or plans that the other characters don't know.
• Making the audience complicit with a character: There is a certain joy in rooting for the villain, especially if you, as the audience, are aware of the villain's plans and relish them just as the villian does. Writers know this, and from Shakespeare with Iago to the writers of House of Cards with Frank Underwood, they use soliloquies to place the audience's allegiance with the villain.
• Accessing a tradition: Because soliloquies are such a defining feature of Shakespeare's and other classic Renaissance plays, writers might include a soliloquy as a way to connect their work to that tradition.

Other Helpful Soliloquy Resources

• The Wikipedia Page on Soliloquy : A general explanation of soliloquies, along with a more in-depth analysis of Shakespeare's use of soliloquies
• The Dictionary Definition of Soliloquy : a basic definition, including a brief etymology.
• Beau Willimon, the creator of the TV show House of Cards , explains why he decided to use soliloquies in the hit TV show.
• David Tennant delivers Hamlet's famous "To be or not to be..." soliloquy in a film of the Royal Shakespeare Comapny's production of Shakespeare's Hamlet.

• PDFs for all 136 Lit Terms we cover
• Downloads of 1929 LitCharts Lit Guides
• Teacher Editions for every Lit Guide
• Explanations and citation info for 40,694 quotes across 1929 books
• Downloadable (PDF) line-by-line translations of every Shakespeare play
• Dramatic Irony
• End-Stopped Line
• Connotation
• Polysyndeton
• Red Herring
• Flat Character
• Deus Ex Machina
• Antimetabole
• Anthropomorphism
• Rhetorical Question

• Dictionaries home
• American English
• Collocations
• German-English
• Grammar home
• Practical English Usage
• Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)
• Word Lists home
• My Word Lists
• Recent additions
• Resources home
• Text Checker

Definition of aloud adverb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• The teacher listened to the children reading aloud .
• He read the letter aloud to us.
• ‘What am I going to do?’ she wondered aloud.
• The audience laughed loudly at the joke.
• Don’t play your music too loud.
• I shouted as loud as I could.
• Can you speak louder?
• Can you read the letter out loud?
• He laughed out loud at his own joke.

Take your English to the next level

The Oxford Learner’s Thesaurus explains the difference between groups of similar words. Try it for free as part of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of aloud in English

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

• It would be a useful exercise for you to say the speech aloud several times .
• Children love to have stories read aloud to them.
• "What did you say?" "Oh, nothing, I was just thinking aloud."
• The judge asked her to read the jury's verdict aloud.
• Everybody in the class had to read aloud an extract from the book .
• be dripping with something idiom
• multi-voiced
• soft-spoken

aloud | Intermediate English

Examples of aloud, translations of aloud.

Get a quick, free translation!

Word of the Day

mountain climber

a person who climbs mountains as a sport

Apples and oranges (Talking about differences, Part 2)

Learn more with +Plus

• Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
• Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
• Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
• Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
• English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
• English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
• English–Dutch Dutch–English
• English–French French–English
• English–German German–English
• English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
• English–Italian Italian–English
• English–Japanese Japanese–English
• English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
• English–Polish Polish–English
• English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
• English–Spanish Spanish–English
• English–Swedish Swedish–English
• Dictionary +Plus Word Lists
• English    Adverb
• Intermediate    Adverb
• Translations
• All translations

To add aloud to a word list please sign up or log in.

Add aloud to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

{{message}}

Something went wrong.

There was a problem sending your report.

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts
• 13 May 2024

Brain-reading device is best yet at decoding ‘internal speech’

• Miryam Naddaf

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Scientists have developed brain implants that can decode internal speech — identifying words that two people spoke in their minds without moving their lips or making a sound.

Access options

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

24,99 € / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

185,98 € per year

only 3,65 € per issue

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01424-7

Wandelt, S. K. et al. Nature Hum. Behav . https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-01867-y (2024).

Article   Google Scholar  

Download references

Reprints and permissions

Related Articles

• Medical research
• Neuroscience

Ozempic keeps wowing: trial data show benefits for kidney disease

News 24 MAY 24

Trials that infected people with common colds can inform today’s COVID-19 challenge trials

Correspondence 21 MAY 24

First ‘bilingual’ brain-reading device decodes Spanish and English words

News 21 MAY 24

These crows have counting skills previously only seen in people

News 23 MAY 24

Seed-stashing chickadees overturn ideas about location memory

News & Views 23 MAY 24

Mapping model units to visual neurons reveals population code for social behaviour

Article 22 MAY 24

Neural pathways for reward and relief promote fentanyl addiction

News & Views 22 MAY 24

AI networks reveal how flies find a mate

Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Warmly Welcomes Talents Abroad

“Qiushi” Distinguished Scholar, Zhejiang University, including Professor and Physician

No. 3, Qingchun East Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang (CN)

Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital Affiliated with Zhejiang University School of Medicine

Associate Editor, Nature Briefing

Associate Editor, Nature Briefing Permanent, full time Location: London, UK Closing date: 10th June 2024   Nature, the world’s most authoritative s...

London (Central), London (Greater) (GB)

Springer Nature Ltd

Professor, Division Director, Translational and Clinical Pharmacology

Cincinnati Children’s seeks a director of the Division of Translational and Clinical Pharmacology.

Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati Children's Hospital & Medical Center

Data Analyst for Gene Regulation as an Academic Functional Specialist

The Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn is an international research university with a broad spectrum of subjects. With 200 years of his...

53113, Bonn (DE)

Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität

Recruitment of Global Talent at the Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOZ, CAS)

The Institute of Zoology (IOZ), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), is seeking global talents around the world.

Beijing, China

Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IOZ, CAS)

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

Chiefs Kicker Spreads Antisemitic Lies in Benedictine College Graduation Speech

Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker kicked the hornet’s nest last weekend when he encouraged the women of Benedictine College’s 2024 graduate class to embrace their roles as wives and homemakers rather than putting their degrees to use. While the speech drew widespread criticism for his characterization of women and LGBTQ+ people, Butker also promoted an insidious piece of antisemitic misinformation pertaining to legislation in Congress. 

“I want to speak directly to you briefly because I think it is you, the women, who have had the most diabolical lies told to you,” Butker said in his commencement speech. “Some of you may go on to lead successful careers in the world, but I would venture to guess that the majority of you are most excited about your marriage and the children you will bring into this world.”

Of course, Butker earns millions of dollars per year as an NFL player — so a second income isn’t exactly necessary. Ironically enough, during his commencement speech, Butker quoted Taylor Swift, a woman who has built a wildly successful career and billion-dollar fortune without a husband, who is now dating Butker’s teammate, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. 

Butker, a devout Catholic, also claimed that “Congress just passed a bill where stating something as basic as the Biblical teaching of who killed Jesus could land you in jail.”

Editor’s picks

Every awful thing trump has promised to do in a second term, the 250 greatest guitarists of all time, the 500 greatest albums of all time, the 50 worst decisions in movie history.

Some conservative lawmakers opposed the bill on this basis, arguing it would effectively outlaw the classic antisemitic belief that Jews killed Jesus. To be clear, though, the bill threatens university funding, not jail time for bigots. It has not been voted on in the Senate. 

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said she opposed the legislation because it “could convict Christians of antisemitism for believing the Gospel that says Jesus was handed over to Herod to be crucified by the Jews.” Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) argued “the Gospel itself would meet the definition of antisemitism under the terms of the bill.”

These statements are a misinterpretation of Catholic doctrine. While the Biblical gospels do say that Jesus was presented before Jewish leadership of Judea for judgment, he was ultimately condemned to death by the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate. Historically, claims that Jews were ultimately responsible for the death of Jesus have been wielded as an antisemitic trope against Jewish populations. 

In 2011, Pope Benedict XVI, then-head of the Catholic Church, declared that there was no basis in scripture that would hold Jews in collective guilt for the death of Jesus, and pointed out that — after all — the early followers of the Catholic faith were themselves Jewish. 

Travis Kelce 'Can't Agree With Majority' of Harrison Butker's Sexist Grad Speech

Travis kelce, lil wayne, 2 chainz perform 'duffle bag,' throw massive outdoor party at kelce jam, even eddie vedder is dunking on harrison butker and his sexist graduation speech.

The speech wasn’t the NFL player’s first foray into the abortion debate. In 2022, Butker starred in a misleading TV ad campaign promoting a failed Kansas ballot measure that would have ended constitutional protections for abortion in the state, so that lawmakers could ban the procedure.

The Boos Have It. Trump Ruled Ineligible for Libertarian Nomination

See bradley cooper join pearl jam to sing 'maybe it's time' at bottlerock, the black keys cancel upcoming north american leg of international players tour, 'liar' 'panderer' libertarians relentlessly boo and heckle trump.

The ad campaign was funded by the dark-money group CatholicVote Civic Action, which in turn was bankrolled by the dark-money network led by Leonard Leo — who is best known as the architect of the conservative Supreme Court supermajority that overturned Roe v. Wade and allowed states to ban abortion.

In an odd coincidence, Leo gave Benedictine College’s commencement speech last year, giving a similarly right-wing speech warning of “modern-day barbarians, secularists, and bigots” who are “determined to threaten and delegitimize individuals and institutions who refuse to pledge fealty to the woke idols of our age.” 

• By Peter Wade

State Election Officials Speak About Rising Threats: 'This Is Domestic Terrorism'

• election denial consequences

Tim Scott Insists Trump Is Gaining Popularity After Libertarians Viciously Boo Him

Abortion bounties, penalties on women: florida kingmaker’s candidate questionnaire.

• By Tessa Stuart

'Liar!' 'Panderer!' Libertarians Relentlessly Boo and Heckle Trump

• tough crowd

Most Popular

Morgan spurlock, 'super size me' director, dies at 53, matthew perry death sparks dea, lapd joint criminal investigation, prince william & kate middleton are 'deeply upset' about the timing of the sussexes' brand relaunch, diddy yelled "like a lunatic" at chaka khan and had her son beat up, alleges her daughter, you might also like, ‘being maria’ review: a poignant dive into the turbulent life of actor maria schneider, exclusive: cartier unveils new high jewelry collection with deepika padukone as its face, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors, every indiewire review published during the 2024 cannes film festival, newgarden repeats as indy 500 winner; castroneves finishes 20th.

Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.

Verify it's you

Please log in.

The Wrong Way to Fight Anti-Semitism on Campus

A well-intentioned bill making its way through Congress could chill speech at colleges across the country.

T he House of Representatives passed the Antisemitism Awareness Act last week in a bipartisan vote of 320 to 91. “Antisemitism is on the rise,” it declares, and is “impacting Jewish students.”

Bigotry against Jews is vile and warrants the nation’s attention. As President Joe Biden said Tuesday at the Holocaust Memorial Museum, “This hatred continues to lie deep in the hearts of too many people in the world and requires our continued vigilance.” But the Antisemitism Awareness Act is the wrong way to fight those ills. If passed by the Senate and signed into law, it would codify a controversial definition of anti-Semitism (among its 11 specific examples of anti-Semitic rhetoric: “The existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor”). And it would direct the Department of Education to consider that definition when judging complaints against colleges under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which says that no person, on the grounds of race, color, or national origin, can be “excluded from participation” in a program, denied its benefits, or “be subjected to discrimination.”

Interpreting Title VI has always been difficult and contested, particularly when speech that is protected by the First Amendment is alleged to be discriminatory as well. The act should be rejected by the Senate. Its definition of anti-Semitism is too expansive to serve as a unifying standard in academia, and it doubles down on an approach to antidiscrimination that chills free speech while failing to reduce hate.

Conor Friedersdorf: How October 7 changed America’s free-speech culture

T itle VI wasn’t originally intended to apply to Jewish students. Passed during the civil-rights movement to address resistance to basic equality for Black Americans, the law does not prohibit discrimination on the basis of religion, and Jews were not considered a race. Jewish students nonetheless confronted anti-Semitism on campus, and concerned observers began to argue that, when Jewish students were targeted as members of an ethnic group rather than as a religious group, Title VI should protect them.

Kenneth L. Marcus helped make that happen. In 2004, while heading the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, he issued policy guidance to colleges clarifying that Jews would be subject to Title VI protections insofar as they were mistreated on the basis of ethnicity rather than religion. Shortly thereafter, in a law-review article fleshing out what would and wouldn’t violate the Title VI rights of Jewish students, he set forth standards that did not seem to threaten free speech, noting that things that students and teachers do or say on campus, “although arguably anti-Semitic, do not rise to the level of harassment.” These included “anti-Israel or anti-Zionist academic literature, Holocaust denial, anti-Zionist bias in programs of Middle East studies,” and “anti-Israel boycotts.” Student-on-student harassment “may be actionable,” he added, if it is “severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive,” and negatively affects the “ability to receive an education.”

Extending Title VI protections to Jews proved a positive and enduring civil-rights achievement. The Obama administration later endorsed it, as did President Donald Trump and President Biden. But over the years, general changes in how the Civil Rights Act is interpreted by bureaucrats have lowered the threshold for violations. “The Obama Administration pushed schools to address harassment before it ‘becomes severe or pervasive’ to prevent the creation of ‘a hostile environment,’” the Brookings Institution wrote in a 2020 analysis of Title IX, another section of the Civil Rights Act giving rise to jurisprudence that informed Title VI enforcement.

Meanwhile, people intent on protecting Jewish students evolved in their thinking about anti-Semitism. They perceived a rise in attacks on Jews that were disguised as attacks on Israel. In 2016, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) adopted a working definition of anti-Semitism that offered 11 illustrations of it. It contained consensus examples, such as “calling for, aiding, or justifying the killing or harming of Jews,” as well as more controversial examples that pertained to Israel, including:

Accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel, or to the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.

Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination, e.g., by claiming that the existence of a State of Israel is a racist endeavor.

Applying double standards by requiring of it a behavior not expected or demanded of any other democratic nation.

Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis.

During the Trump administration, the Department of Education started using this new definition in Title VI complaints. That didn’t make it unlawful to say anything on campus defined as anti-Semitic. Rather, when studying whether a Jewish student had been mistreated because of their ethnicity, or for some reason not covered by Title VI, bureaucrats considered whether speech deemed relevant to the case met the definition of anti-Semitism.

Still, free-speech advocates had good reason to worry. Suddenly, college administrators intent on minimizing exposure to Title VI investigations had a new incentive to crack down on even protected speech that the state defined as anti-Semitic. The IHRA definition was further entrenched in 2019, when Trump issued an “executive order on combating anti-Semitism” that told the government to adopt it. Biden did not rescind the order.

If the Antisemitism Awareness Act passes, that approach, including the reliance on the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, will not only continue but will also be codified in law rather than subject to revision by future appointees at the Department of Education.

Earlier this week, the Department of Education published a “Dear Colleague” letter suggesting that protected speech alone can give rise to a hostile campus environment that requires administrators to respond in some way, even if they cannot punish the speech in question. It states that “a university can, among other steps, communicate its opposition to stereotypical, derogatory opinions; provide counseling and support for students affected by harassment; or take steps to establish a welcoming and respectful school campus.” This seems to create an incentive for preemptive crackdowns on protected speech by administrators who want to avoid federal investigations. The guidance could lead to the hiring of still more administrators assigned to police speech, manage student concerns about it, and lead DEI-style initiatives aimed at anti-Semitism as distinct from anti-racism.

That’s my prediction regardless of whether the Antisemitism Awareness Act becomes law. When the House voted to pass it, proponents sought to alleviate concerns by noting that its definition of anti-Semitism has been used by bureaucrats for years. Although true, that raises a tough question for the bill’s supporters: If the Department of Education has deployed that definition for six years, even as anti-Semitism exploded on campuses, why is putting that definition into law a promising way forward? It has clearly failed to prevent Jewish students from experiencing a hostile climate.

So why entrench it, given the free-speech concerns? The law professor David Bernstein, a defender of the act, believes it would help address a double standard. Currently, he observes , Title VI is used as “an excuse to try to censor speech that offends woke sensibilities,” whereas “antisemitic speech that might contribute to a hostile environment is treated with much more equanimity.” That double standard is “illegal discrimination against Jewish students,” he writes. “Things won’t get any better,” he thinks , “unless the left is forced to apply the standards it pushes in favorable contexts to contexts it doesn’t like.”

But this logic will only lead to escalation. The First Amendment expert Eugene Volokh offers a hypothetical example in a post explaining why he opposes the Antisemitism Awareness Act. Imagine that Kamala Harris is president, he writes, and enacts a statute that codifies examples of anti-Palestinian discrimination––such as denying Palestinians their right to self-determination, and comparing Palestinian attitudes toward Jews to those of the Nazis. Many people would be concerned that these examples “were likely to (and probably intended to) deter people from expressing their political views about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” Volokh points out.

The Antisemitism Awareness Act is similarly objectionable. And if it passes constitutional muster, an analogous law to define anti-Palestinian bigotry is not only presumably lawful––it is, I think, likely to be proposed and passed into law one day. Both sides in the American debate over Israel and Palestine will have an ongoing incentive to lobby for new antidiscrimination standards, both to satisfy their understandable desire for equal treatment and to chill the speech of their rivals.

“Antisemitism should be treated like other forms of bigotry,” Cathy Young argues in an essay for The Bulwark . “But the remedy for double standards is to move away from policies that police and penalize controversial or even offensive but non-harassing campus speech, not to extend those policies to more varieties of speech and more identities.”

University administrators are constantly regulating speech that is protected by the First Amendment. In the name of antidiscrimination, deans at Ivy League universities have tried to police matters as trifling as edgy Halloween costumes and slang on law-school party flyers. I favor opposing discrimination. I favor protecting speech. Colleges are too inept at both projects to excel at either when vague, constantly reinterpreted regulations prompt continuous monitoring of speech.

W hat if, instead of defining and suppressing mere speech about Israel and Palestine that crosses some threshold of bigotry, Americans recognized that colleges in a pluralistic, multiethnic society include lots of students who hold all sorts of discriminatory beliefs? And that part of being an educated person is learning how to respond to people with wrongheaded viewpoints, and even to persuade those people to abandon them?

Conor Friedersdorf: Free speech is not just for conservatives

After all, the problem is that people hold bigoted views, not that they say them aloud. Whatever happens with Title VI, and the Antisemitism Awareness Act’s attempts to entrench a particular approach to enforcing it, lots of people aligned with Palestine will continue to hold positions that many Jews understandably interpret as hostile. Lots of people aligned with Israel will continue to hold positions that many Palestinians understandably interpret as hostile. How could it be otherwise? If hostile-feeling positions become unsayable on campus even as they are widespread in society, academia will become irrelevant in a vital debate, denying all students the benefits of an uncensored education.

That isn’t to denigrate all Title VI protections. Institutions of higher education that receive federal funds should treat all students, including Jews, equally, regardless of race, color, or national origin––and, for that matter, regardless of characteristics that Title VI does not address, such as religion, height, weight, attractiveness, partisan affiliation, dominant hand, and more. No student should be harassed each day, or blocked from walking across a quad, or shouted down when trying to participate in class discussions, for any reason.

But when exposure to highly offensive speech or ideas is conflated with "severe” or “pervasive” harassment that prevents equal access to education, that false equivalence threatens the university itself. It destroys an institution’s ability to address the matters that most divide us .

Morning Rundown: Storms leave several dead, soap actor killed while interrupting a crime, and Elon Musk's $56 billion popularity contest

Trump shares video suggesting his victory will bring 'unified Reich'

Former President Donald Trump 's Truth Social account shared a video Monday that referred to a "unified Reich" as being among possible developments if he were to win re-election in November , drawing criticism from President Joe Biden and his campaign.

Trump's account posted a 30-second video to his Truth Social platform Monday afternoon that asked "what happens after Donald Trump wins?" and "what's next for America?" The video was also posted to his Instagram account.

The background is made up of hypothetical newspaper front pages with headlines including "BORDER IS CLOSED — 15 MILLION ILLEGAL ALIENS DEPORTED" and "ECONOMY BOOMS." Twice in the clip, slightly blurred text appears beneath the headlines that reads: "Industrial strength significantly increased ... driven by the creation of a unified Reich."

The post was deleted from Truth Social on Tuesday morning. It was also removed from Trump's Instagram account.

"Reich," meaning "realm," "kingdom" or "empire," is often considered to be a reference to Hitler's Third Reich regime, which emerged in 1930s Nazi Germany — and its inclusion in the video was condemned by Biden.

"Is this on his official account? Wow!" Biden said Tuesday in a video of his own . "A 'unified Reich?' That's Hitler's language, that's not America's. He cares about holding on to power. I care about you."

Biden made similar remarks Tuesday at a campaign event in Boston.

James Singer, a spokesman for Biden’s re-election campaign, said in a statement that Trump’s post “is part of a pattern of his praise for dictators and echoing antisemitic tropes. He’s a threat to our democracy and Americans must reject him and stand up for our democracy this November.”

Trump’s campaign dismissed the allegation and said Trump — who is on trial in New York — was not aware the word appeared in the video.

“This was not a campaign video, it was created by a random account online and reposted by a staffer who clearly did not see the word, while the President was in court," Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign's spokeswoman, said in a statement.

"The real extremist is Joe Biden who has turned his back on Israel and the Jewish people by bowing down to radical anti-semites and terrorist sympathizers in his party like Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez," she added.

At a separate campaign event Tuesday, Biden dismissed the Trump campaign's explanation.

"We got some lame excuse that a staffer did it. And we already know Trump personally controls his social media account, because he brags so much about control," Biden said.

While Hitler did discuss creating an enlarged German empire in his autobiographical manifesto, "Mein Kampf," the text from the video shared on Truth Social appears to have been taken from the Wikipedia page for World War I .

The site reads: “German industrial strength and production had significantly increased after 1871, driven by the creation of a unified Reich.”

The unification of Germany in 1871 brought together an assortment of German-speaking kingdoms and duchies that had been left independent the Holy Roman Empire collapsed in 1806.

Another sentence in the video reads: "First World War (often abbreviated as WW1 or WWI) Causes of World War I."

Trump has used 20th century German historical comparisons to attack his opponents: He compared the Biden administration this month to the Gestapo, Nazi Germany's secret police force.

Late last year, he said immigrants were " poisoning the blood " of America, echoing parts of "Mein Kampf," but he said he was unaware that Hitler had used similar language and denied the comments were racist.

Patrick Smith is a London-based editor and reporter for NBC News Digital.