Flashcards: An Effective Active-Recall Study Tool: 26 flashcards
All 26 flashcards from this kit, free and with no sign-up.
1. What is a flashcard?
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A small card with a cue on one side and the answer on the other.
2. What is the cue on a flashcard?
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The question, term, or prompt shown on one side that triggers recall.
3. What is the answer side of a flashcard for?
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It holds the fact, definition, or explanation you want to recall.
4. What mental process makes flashcards effective?
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Active recall — retrieving information from memory before checking.
5. Why does active recall beat rereading?
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Retrieving information creates a stronger memory trace than passively recognising it.
6. What is the spacing effect?
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Memory is strongest when reviews are spread out over days and weeks rather than crammed.
7. List the five steps of a flashcard session.
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1. See the cue. 2. Attempt recall. 3. Flip and check. 4. Sort into known/needs-work. 5. Repeat, revisiting weak cards sooner.
8. What does 'atomic' mean for a flashcard?
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One cue, one answer — a single focused fact per card.
9. Give an example of a good atomic cue.
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"Which organelle produces ATP?" — answer: Mitochondria.
10. Why is "Explain photosynthesis and its stages" a poor flashcard?
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It is too broad — flashcards suit atomic facts, not multi-step explanations.
11. What are three qualities of a strong cue?
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Specific, unambiguous, and answerable in one or two sentences.
12. What is the mistake of flipping too soon?
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It turns recall into recognition — you check before genuinely retrieving.
13. What is the mistake of making cues too easy?
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The cue lets you guess from its wording instead of retrieving the concept.
14. What is retrieval fluency?
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The ability to access knowledge quickly and accurately — a skill flashcards build.
15. How do flashcards build metacognition?
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Self-testing shows you what you actually know versus what you merely recognise.
16. What is the main advantage of digital flashcard apps?
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Spaced repetition algorithms automatically schedule when you see each card again.
17. What is the main advantage of paper flashcards?
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They are tactile and easy to shuffle, and writing by hand can aid memory.
18. What kinds of content suit flashcards?
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Vocabulary, definitions, formulas, constants, dates, language pairs, and key contrasts.
19. What kinds of content do NOT suit flashcards?
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Long explanations, essays, and anything needing multi-step reasoning.
20. Why does a small deck beat a large deck?
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A small deck reviewed consistently builds durable memory; a huge deck reviewed once does not.
21. What is the real goal of using flashcards?
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To retrieve information reliably over time — not to finish the deck.
22. Why does a failed recall attempt still help?
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The effort primes you to remember the correct answer when you see it.
23. How would you turn "The mitochondria produces ATP through cellular respiration" into cards?
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Card 1: Which organelle produces ATP? → Mitochondria. Card 2: What process produces ATP in mitochondria? → Cellular respiration.
24. What does the spaced repetition algorithm decide?
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When you see each card again, based on how well you recalled it.
25. Why is highlighting a weak study method compared to flashcards?
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Highlighting is passive — it marks text without forcing retrieval.
26. How does summarising compare to flashcards?
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Summarising is generative and moderately effective; flashcards are stronger because they add active recall.
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