Flashcards are retrieval practice in a stack. But the way you use them matters.
- Say the answer before you flip. Flipping first turns the card into rereading.
- One fact per card. Small cards are easier to recall and to check.
- Both directions where it helps: word to meaning, and meaning to word.
- Sort as you go: missed cards come back sooner; solid ones move back to longer gaps.
- Keep them in. A card you knew once still needs spaced reviews.
Key idea
A flashcard works only when you answer it from memory first.
Worked example: Worked example
Ivy flips each card right away and says, "Oh yes, I knew that." What should she change?
- She is recognizing, not recalling.
- She should say or write the answer first, then flip to check.
Answer: Answer first, then flip.
The site's Vocabulary flashcards and language flashcards sort cards for you with spaced review.
Common mistake
Making cards so big they hold a whole paragraph. Split them up.