How do I study effectively with flashcards?

Do you stare at your notes, hoping the information will just sink in?

❗ Stop...

There's a better way.

Use flashcards to learn more in shorter chunks so you have more time to spend on things you enjoy!

Flashcards are small two-sided note cards.

Each side of the card has a purpose:

Front

❓ A prompt or question

e.g. Capital of Brazil

Back

⭐ The explanation or answer

e.g. Brasília

Flashcards should be used regularly.

It's proven that studying for shorter chunks but at regular intervals actually improves your brain's ability to remember information.

This learning technique is called spaced repetition.

Step 1

Decide how often you're going to look at your cards.

👉 e.g., daily for 20 minutes over the course of two weeks

Step 2

After answering a flashcard put it in a Yes or No pile.

✅ Yes = correct

❌ No = incorrect

Step 3

Next time you use your flashcards, start with the No pile.

If you get it right, add it to the Yes pile.

Step 4

Repeat!

You might be thinking paper flashcards sound like a bit of a pain, and there must be an app for that!

Explore the pros and cons of both, to work out what sort of flashcards will work for you.

Paper flashcards

✅ Pros

• Unique and personalized to you

• Gives you a break from screens

• You control when you see a card again

❌ Cons

• Easy to lose or damage

• Hard to manage and keep track of the cards you struggle with

Digital flashcards

✅ Pros

• You can use pre-made cards if you're short on time

• Easily accessed on the go with your phone

• Uses spaced repetition software to track which cards you struggled with

❌ Cons

• Adds to your daily screen time

• You can't control the cards you see each time

Start acing your learning game with flashcards!