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Are flashcards an effective way of studying?

There always seems to be mixed feelings about using flashcards as your revision aid... And I'm not sure if I should use it to cover most of my revision.
I'm currently taking sciences for A Level, and next year (year 13) I want to be on my A-game in terms of studying! I've tried making revision notes and I don't know if I'm doing it wrong but it never seems to work for me. I write my own version from the CGP guides but either I don't finish or I find it hard to memorise from because I probably won't look back at it ever again.

Flashcards in the other hand are concise and I can repeat often. So, if I just use flash cars and do lots of practice exam questions do you think that's enough? Thanks --- any revision advice would be greatly appreciated!

Reply 1

CorpusLuteum

Original post by Yungen007

Flash cards are really effective because if you can just look at one word on the card and know how to explain an entire process, I think that's the top of the game.
However practise is really useful and coming up with your own exam questions is definitely one stage ahead.

Reply 2

xSailorMoonQueen

Personally I found flash cards to be the most helpful in revision especially that I had to travel an hour in total (two buses) to school therefore having flash cards in my blazer on the bus was always the best and quick revision for me.

My second revision source was similar to yours - buying revision guides and rewriting their notes in my own words.

My third revision source which not many people use is finding the specification for all of your subjects and going through all the spec points and writing answers to those spec points, e.g.
10. Candidates should be able to name 4 main gases in the atmosphere.
-Oxygen
-Nitrogen
-Argon
-Carbon Dioxide

This ensures that you cover everything that the specification is asking candidates to know.

Finally I would go through all the past papers and do them myself :smile:

Hope this helps you, good luck!

Reply 3

Yungen007

Original post by xSailorMoonQueen

Hope this helps you, good luck!

Do you think writing your own notes were necessary? I'm hoping to achieve at least AAA next year so I'll be studying everyday from the beginning of school. My plan was to use the already pre made flashcards from year 12 and revise off of that (including past exam papers obviously). I also used the specification to write answers for each point I need to know! :biggrin:

Because of the new A levels I'll have to remember everything from this year T_T
Can I ask what you got?

Reply 4

LDR_96

Original post by Yungen007

I have found flashcards to be really useful for studying. I have finished my first year of uni and got over 70% in all modules (which is a first class).

The flashcards were especially handy the day of the exam as I read over them several times moments before the exams. :smile:

Reply 5

Appazap

They are good for quick revision like the day before, but i wouldnt just use that as my soul source of revision. If i have time i go on quizlet but other than that i think their are better ways to revise (in my opinion)

Reply 6

username2752874

Original post by Yungen007

All I do is just read through the official textbooks about a 100 times throughout the the entire year, while doing past papers. Been doing pretty well using that method.

Reply 7

Yungen007

Original post by Appazap

Can you expand on the better revision ways please? I really want to improve my study habits...

Reply 8

Yungen007

Original post by catholicgirl

Oh wow! Congratulations! What else did you do apart from using flashcards?

Reply 9

Claire461

I use them for revision a lot. I line the older grandchildren up and get them to test me.

Reply 10

Appazap

Original post by Yungen007

Can you expand on the better revision ways please? I really want to improve my study habits...

I wouldn't say i'm great at revising but its definitely about knowing whats right for you. For me, reading the specification, then tackling each section bit by bit really helped. Listening in class makes the whole thing easier and if you go home and reinforce what you did in class that day, you will remember better. I usually read from textbooks and take it in but thats just me. Also youtube is a great source.

In general it depends on the subject. Something like maths, you just have to keep on doing questions and not move on till you fully understand why you got the answer wrong. English, again you have to keep writing. Things like history which require memory work, i would watch a youtube video on the topic, read a textbook, break it down into understandable terms (writing it down or in my head), look at my class work, talk to myself/someone else about it and continue going over it.

Doing a mixture of things is what will make you do well, people think that by revising once everything will just stick in their brains. Revision is a constant thing and if you find out what sticks early, you will do great.

tes.com also has some great worksheets.

Reply 11

LDR_96

Original post by Yungen007

Oh wow! Congratulations! What else did you do apart from using flashcards?

I looked over the lecture slides, did practice questions, timed past papers and I read a lot of relevant newspaper articles ( I study Economics so if I was revising economic growth I would look online for articles on economics growth).

One piece of advise my A level Economics teacher gave me when I was in Sixth Form was to 'Work smart'. This meant revising the difficult topics more than the topics you already understand, instead of revising everything equally.

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I make mine on card and print them, they last longer.

Reply 14

Yungen007

Original post by Seamus123

I make mine on card and print them, they last longer.

Wow! That's actually a great idea! What are you studying? :smile:

Reply 15

Claire461

Original post by Yungen007

Wow! That's actually a great idea! What are you studying? :smile:

Just finished my 1st year in Criminology. I've got a resit on Wednesday as I was ill in the exam, so I've roped in the older grandchildren to test me.