Using “dictation” on your iPad (having the iPad type what you speak) can be a great tool for transcribing your thoughts onto paper. 

You can pair this function with the Notability app to organize and get complicated thoughts out onto paper. This can be a great start for outlining a paper or charting a long, multi-step process. 

This feature can be enabled through Settings>General>Keyboard>Enable Dictation. Then, activate the feature by pulling up your onscreen keyboard and tapping the little microphone icon next to the space bar. 

Check out Apple’s support article (https://apple.co/2SASiyO) to learn more about dictation.