A big part of the learning process is being able to recall what you have learned without referencing the source material.
Improving your ability to recall concepts is absolutely crucial in test/exam taking because under exam conditions you do not have your textbook or notebook to help.
That’s why over the years student have worked hard to learn ways to improve their memory. One of the most common and simple ways to improve your recalling ability is by making flashcards.
Making a flashcard is divided into 3 simple stages
- Reading material
- Finding and marking the key definitions and concepts
- Writing out the flashcards
This article aims at taking you through the step by step process of making flashcards effectively
What are Flashcards and why are they useful?
A flashcard is a card used as study or memorisation tool by posessing information on both sides of the the card. The front side of the card contains the question you would like to to test yourself on while the back side of the card contains the answer to the question.
In essence, flash cards are used as aids to test yourself on particular topics you would like to learn about. You ask yourself the question, recite the answer to the best of your capability without looking at the back, then check to see if you were right.
Flashcards are an effective method of studying because they put active recall at the forefront of your study session. Active recall is simply making an effort to remember what you have learned.
Forcing your brain to remember newly absorbed information ensures that you are actually learning it rather than instead of passively reading it.
An added benefit of active recall is that it help you identify topics that you do not understand and that require additional attention. This is invaluable information when you are studying as it allows you to better manage your time.
You spend more time filling the gaps in your knowledge enforcing a more sound understanding of the topic wholistically.
These advantages work together to significantly improve memory retention and in turn boost your academic performance justifying the utility of flashcards in our learning.
The Flashcard Making Process
Step 1: Read and Understand the Subject Material
It all starts with acquiring the new information and understanding it. Reading through a textbook or lecture slides and picking up the key conepts. It is a general rule of thumb to reading through the material twice to really get the most from it.
Your first read is your initial exposure to the concpet and how the authour is presenting the ideas. You may not understand everything yet but you are familiarising yourself with the content and understanding its relevancy to your learning.
It is beneficial that once you have completed your first read to pause and think about the main concepts, keywords and items truly worth remembering.
Your second read is more intense and is aimed at fully comprehending the subject matter. This is where you breaak the content into smaller chunks and try to make sense out of it. You are clearing any doubts you may about the concepts.
It is encouraged to make notes at this stage. ensure you are using your own words to describe and explain these conepts rather than copying the material word for word. Here is an article on great note taking that you may be interested in.
Step 2: Mark the Most Important Information
At this stage you are identifying the most important information. If you already made short notes from the textbook you have a bit of a leg up as you can. Highlight or underline the most important information.
This may include definitions, key phrases and important dates. It is important to being critical at the content in order to seperate the important part from the not so important parts.
By marking out the important information you are building a foundation for the questions you will be placing on your flashcards.
Step 3: Write Out the Flashcards
All you have to do at this stage is transfer the important information that you marked in step 2 onto your flashcards.
This is done by writing the keyword or keyphrase on the front side of the flashcard and the meaning or explanation on the back.
Silvine flashcards have worked best for most students and are really affordable, here is a link to the get them from Amazon
Try to make the answers concise but accurate. You are free to add visual aids like sketches and diagrams to the backside of the flashcards as well.
Congratulations! You Have Successfully Made Flashcards!
You are now geared up for a powerful study session. With your flashcards ready, you may be wondering how to use them effectively. Fortunately, we have another blog post on that ready for you here.
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