Author: Mike and Matty
It’s easy to make flashcards, but it’s also easy to make low-quality flashcards. Here are 10 tips to help you improve the quality of your flashcards:
1. Put only one piece of information per flashcard.
If you put two or more pieces of info on the same card, you may have no problem recalling the easier info, but you’ll keep repeating the card to practice the more difficult info. The solution is to just break the card down into multiple cards so that you don’t waste time with information you already know well. Don’t be afraid to make too many flashcards. If you are studying with a spaced repetition system, then over time, the easy cards will naturally take less time.
2. Be as concise as possible.
Use specific wording or ask a specific question with your flashcards. Don’t leave yourself wondering what the flashcard is asking for. For example, making a card called “Mitosis” is too vague. Are you asking for the definition? The process? The individual phases? A card called “Phases of mitosis in order” is a more concise flashcard.
3. Give your flashcards context.
Learning isn’t just about memorizing facts. You should be able to understand the information’s context and also how to apply it. When you study a flashcard, you should be able to mentally slot each individual flashcard into the bigger picture to see how it relates to the other flashcards. You can achieve this by adding diagrams, site sources, or use the “extra card details” in apps like RemNote.
4. Take advantage of images.
Our brains remember information better in the form of visuals than text. A quick and easy way to make flashcards is to screenshot an important table, figure, or diagram and create an “image occlusion flashcard.” This video is an example of how we use visualization to memorize information.
5. Make fewer decks.
Instead of making a separate deck for every lecture or chapter in the book, make one deck for the exam that includes all the necessary lectures. Instead of making a separate deck for every topic, you need to know, make one deck for the entire standardized test you are studying for.
6. Use tags instead of subdecks.
A lot of information will overlap. Instead of spending time making and organizing many subdecks, use tags to categorize individual flashcards by topic. This will help make focused studying easier.
7. Use Mnemonics.
To help you remember series of information, take advantage of mnemonics. This involves using patterns of letters or ideas to associate with your knowledge for better memory.
8. Use the Method Of Loci.
To help you remember the most difficult cards, take advantage of the method of loci. This involves attaching pieces of knowledge with imagery in your head. This video is an example of how we apply this method to flashcards.
9. Use Enumeration to make flashcards containing lists.
Attempting to recall entire lists without an order is difficult. By giving a specific order to the listed items, you’ll be prompted to remember the information in the same order every time and reinforce the same neural pathway within your memory. This strategy is effective for remembering processes when studying mathematics. This strategy is also effective when combining enumeration with mnemonics.
10. Practice forwards and backward.
You might write a question on the front of your flashcards and the answers on the back. But your exam might give you the answer and ask for the question. Or vice versa! Learn to be versatile with your knowledge pathways. When you make one flashcard, ask yourself if this flashcard can actually become two.
Making your own flashcards is always a work in progress. As you study them, be sure to edit confusing flashcards or delete obsolete flashcards. Use RemNote’s “Edit Later Feature” to mark which flashcards you want to edit for later, allowing you to continue reviewing flashcards without breaking your flow or concentration.
