Everyone knows that flashcards are one of the best study tools for memorising lots of content. But not everyone know the best and most effective way to make your own to get the most out of your study time!
Some commonly made mistakes that you need to avoid when working with flashcards are:
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Don’t make your flashcards so that they only rely on your memorisation skills
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Don’t overuse flashcards as your main study tool for certain subjects
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Don’t stick to the same formatting when you create flashcards for different subjects
The question now is, how do you actually avoid making these mistakes? Look no further, because hopefully you will find the answer to that question by the end of this article.
Let’s address these main issues one by one.
Problem #1
I am not really learning my content or gaining any long-term knowledge with flashcards, I am merely memorising them for when I need them.
Solutions:
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Make your own flashcards, as this the best way to retrieve knowledge.
- Use pre-made flashcards to first learn your content and then try to replicate those readymade flashcards in your own creative way.
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Read the answers aloud and study the flashcards in both directions.
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For example, say you are trying to memorise chemical symbols. You’ve got flashcards with the symbol and the element name on either side. You have spent time asking yourself the question “what does Ca stand for?” The answer is calcium. Now imagine you’re asked in an exam, “what is the chemical symbol for calcium?” and you get completely bowled over. This is a simple example but it can happen for complicated topics. Flashcards should be used for learning, permanently storing, and retrieving stored information, not just temporarily storing them. Know your content both ways so you know the answer to any type of problem.
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Only write one question/theme on each flashcard. Write down the question, the theme, or the syllabus dot point on one side. Write the explanation or the answer on the back. Don’t just scribble blocks of information on both sides. Categorise your information using main themes or question types. Try to memorise it this way too. This may take up more paper but it’s better to use more paper and bring fruit to it than waste it completely. See the example below. It compares two different flashcards outlining the same information – the application of different theories in the UAE (HSC Society and Culture).
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Make your flashcards smaller in size, so if you struggle to summarise information you physically have less space to write stuff down.
This links to our next problem which is concerned with the physical layout of your flashcards. How do we know we are not spending too much time on aesthetics?
Problem #2
I am spending too much time on making my flashcards look pretty.
Solutions:
Making aesthetic study tools isn’t much of a problem actually! Us humans enjoy looking at good-looking things don’t we? In fact, for many (like myself), this actually helps us delve deeper into the nitty-gritty of the content and learn better. However, if you are spending too much time on this, it’s time to reconsider your priorities. There are certain formatting things you may want to keep in mind though.
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Use a combination of words, images, and colours. Try choosing a specific colour theme for each topic so when you see that colour around you, your mind is drawn to thinking about that topic and its related ideas. Adding images can help you memorise better, especially if you are a visual learner. Don’t replace words with their corresponding meanings in image form, just use a combination of both. A 1985 study done in Toronto found that: “A post-picture sentence improves attention to and perhaps rehearsal of the representation of the picture following its display.”
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Create flashcards with other study devices, such as mnemonics, to aid in memorisation.
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Write only question per card.
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Decompose complex ideas and syllabus dot points in multiple flashcards, don’t force yourself to fit everything into one. Use as many as needed.
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For example, instead of trying to list all the elements of the Periodic Table, split them up into different groups such as noble gases, alkali metals, halogens, etc.
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Use dot points or shortened sentences instead of paragraphs.
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Make sure your ideas flow in a clear manner. If your information is all over the place and there’s no order between the ideas, you will get confused on how to answer questions during exams. Your answers will have no structure or flow and this can cost you many marks. Again, compare the two flashcards shown in the previous example!
Problem #3
I am not finding flashcards helpful for every course.
Solutions:
"Flashcards are not useful for math-like subjects." This is a myth!
Flashcards are powerful for any subject. You just need to know how to exploit their features for your benefit. It is obvious that if you make flashcards for definitions of mathematical terms, such as ‘inverse functions’, that is going to be in vain, since maths is all about applying concepts. However, there are ways you can use flashcards, even for Maths!
Below we've created a list of examples for each subject of how you can best use flashcards to achieve hgreat results!
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English: create flashcards based on themes and have quotes on the other side.
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Social sciences/history courses (geography, ancient or modern history, legal studies, business studies, society and culture, SOR, etc): create flashcards based on syllabus dot points. Have the dot point on one side and main points/evidence on the other. Create some flashcards for important terminology (word on one side and definition on the other).
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History or legal studies: write the issue on one side and major events, evidence, and dates on the other.
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Maths: write down challenging questions for each chapter on one side and step-by-step solutions on the other.
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Sciences: write certain topics/syllabus dot points on one side and main ideas/short explanation on the other.
So the sample flashcards I’ve included above are not perfect, nor do they set a standard for how much info you should or should not have in each card. That depends on the content you are studying and how many steps you personally need to really understand something.
One thing is for sure though, they are definitely lacking colour and creativity, and that is something you can use to really enhance your flashcards experience! If you are keen and think you are ready to start making your own flashcards, check out the ATARNotes store which has blank flashcards so you can make your own or pre-made ones to help you in your studies!
