Upgrade Your Flashcards
Flashcards are a study strategy as old as time, but these days you don’t have to rely on pen and paper. Online flashcard services have a lot to offer. In this article we’ll discuss the best parts of switching to digital flashcards.
Paper Isn’t So Bad
Before we dive into the digital, let’s remember that paper flashcards certainly aren’t a thing of the past. Even though the theory of learning styles has been discredited, if tactile resources help you to learn — stick with it! Sometimes using our hands as we study helps us focus, and getting away from screens for a bit can be nice too. Don’t forget about the classic index card when you need an analogue option.
Quizlet
Most often promoted by schools, Quizlet is easy to use and has some fun features. Quizlet works the way a set of paper flash cards work: each card has a front and a back, and you can cycle through them and shuffle the order. In our opinion, the best thing about Quizlet is that there are thousands of premade sets available so you can often avoid making the cards yourself. The vocabulary for each chapter of your language textbook has probably already been uploaded; common ions and their charges — already sorted; and there’s already a set for all our hormones and their functions in the body. Quizlet’s third great feature is the games. You can shake up your practice by playing matching games or typing races, which is a refreshing change of pace and can make long memorising sessions more enticing.
Our favourite Quizlet sets:
Cambridge Latin Course (Book 1): All the core vocab from CLC Book 1.
Common Ions and Their Charges: 47 common ions, both single element and molecular, and their charges.
Nineteen Eighty-Four (George Orwell) Quotes and Meanings: 50 quotes from the Common Module classic with explanations.
Memrise
Memrise is a platform worth using because it has one amazing feature: it understands how your brain stores information! Memrise courses have the same prompt-and-answer format as most other flashcards, but it will ask you to recall the information in scenarios that increase with difficulty as you get better at it. The first time you see a prompt you have to choose the correct answer out of 4 options; the next time there are 6 options; then it shows you the answer and you have to pick the prompt; then you have to type out the answer; and, if during this process you make mistakes or can’t recall it, Memrise will set you back to easier versions of the question and make it appear in your sets more often until you’ve mastered it! This way you can be more efficient and just focus on the things you need to, not the pairs you’ve already learned. Memrise is best for language (and has amazing language courses premade for you) but you can make your own courses for whatever you’re studying.
Our favourite Memrise courses:
SAT Comprehensive: Sophisticated English vocabulary anyone can employ in their essays to elevate their tone and impress markers.
Learn Times Tables: Times tables up to 12x12, sorted by counting pattern and with helpful tips!
HSC Latin Vocab: all the most common words you should know for your unseen translations sorted by categories!
Special mention: Memrise’s 9 comprehensive free language courses
There are thousands more courses out there and you can make your own about anything you like. Get ahead of your memorising and maybe even enjoy it while you’re at it!