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Studying & Test Taking

Flashcards

Flashcards are a great study tool if you need to memorize definitions, facts, or short pieces of information for a test—using cards like these is an active learning technique that promotes your recall ability (i.e. the process you use to retrieve memories and information).

Flashcards are portable, so you can take them anywhere you'd like to study, and they're easy to make. You could use cue cards, pieces of paper, apps, PowerPoint slides, and more to create as many cards as you need to study for an upcoming test.

How to Use Flash Cards to Study

Flashcards are a handy technique that you can use to remember information. Watch this video to learn how to create and use your own flashcards.

How to Study Effectively with Flash Cards - College Info Geek by Thomas Frank

Tips for Studying with Flashcards

  • Write them yourself!: While pre-made flashcards do exist, writing your own will help with recall and ensure that you understand what you are trying to study in your course.
  • Create a colour-coding system with coloured cards or different ink to help you group ideas, terms related to the same concepts, etc.
  • Use images to boost recall, especially if you might need to identify components of a larger diagram for a test.
  • Shuffle your cards so you're not looking at them in the same order when you study.
  • Use a game to test yourself!: Create three card piles—one "Know" pile, one "Kind of Know" pile, and one "Don't Know" pile. Focus on the "Know of Know" and "Don't Know" pile during your study sessions. Your goal is to get to a point where you'll know all the content, and all of your cards will be in the "Know" pile!

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