Flashcards

Does anyone use the stem up mark scheme flashcards and know if they’re worth it or not? Or any other spec specific sets.

Reply 1

TSR Jessica

Sorry you've not had any responses about this. :frown:

Are you sure you've posted in the right place? :smile:

Here's a link to our subject forum which should help get you more responses if you post there. :redface:

Reply 2

hotpud

Original post by Jl3000

Does anyone use the stem up mark scheme flashcards and know if they’re worth it or not? Or any other spec specific sets.

Flash cards are not the best way to learn. The problem is in making flashcards you "think" you have done lots of hard work but in reality all you have done is passively copied information from one place to another. Most students then end up with a pile, the top third of which they sort of remember and the rest gets unread.

My top tip

Write questions based on the specification - you are processing what you need to know

Answer those questions - you are processing the answers to what you need to know

Practice past papers - you are applying your new found knowledge to the way you need to answer questions.

Good luck!

Reply 3

DerDracologe

Study Forum Helper

Original post by hotpud

Write questions based on the specification - you are processing what you need to know

Answer those questions - you are processing the answers to what you need to know

Practice past papers - you are applying your new found knowledge to the way you need to answer questions.

Good luck!

Flashcards are not passive. Making them is passive but using them certainly is not! I find making them helpful for reviewing content in that i need to condense info down which means i have to have really understood it.

Reply 4

DerDracologe

Study Forum Helper

Original post by Jl3000

Does anyone use the stem up mark scheme flashcards and know if they’re worth it or not? Or any other spec specific sets.

I haven’t used these Flashcards, apologies for not being more helpful on that. Ive used StudySmarter flashcards and recommend those if you can find a good community made set. You can also use StudySmarter to generate ai flashcards from a spec, some digital notes or a markscheme. Ive also heard good things about anki and quizlet 🙂

Reply 5

hotpud

Original post by DerDracologe

If you say so. However, if you reach for current educational research, things that don't work are:

•

Reading notes / flashcards

•

Using highlighter pens (actually makes you go backwards)

•

Using revision guides as a silver bullet to save the day

Also, things that work but take too long include:

•

Summarising notes

•

Revising with friends

Things that do work include:

•

mixing it up

•

revising different topics multiple times

•

if you are going to use flash cards, rather than holding and reading them, have a pile of questions or key words and then for each flash card, write down the definition or answer.

•

writing questions on the topic (you have to understand the content to be able to do this) and for me this is the gold standard of revision, but students don't like to do it because it is hard. It is hard because it works.

•

practicing answering those questions

•

Making a video on your phone where you speak with authority about a topic without referring to your notes.

They key is you have to frequently actively process the knowledge, that is to take it in one form and actively convert it into another form. Summarising notes doesn't really do that and we do so much of it, it is possible to do it without thinking - honestly - it doesn't work. The problem is you feel a sense of achievement because after summarising notes, you have made a thing. This is not the same as knowing what you have summarised.

Good luck!

Reply 6

DerDracologe

Study Forum Helper

Original post by hotpud

If you say so. However, if you reach for current educational research, things that don't work are:

•

Reading notes / flashcards

•

Using highlighter pens (actually makes you go backwards)

•

Using revision guides as a silver bullet to save the day

Also, things that work but take too long include:

•

Summarising notes

•

Revising with friends

Things that do work include:

•

mixing it up

•

revising different topics multiple times

•

if you are going to use flash cards, rather than holding and reading them, have a pile of questions or key words and then for each flash card, write down the definition or answer.

•

practicing answering those questions

•

Making a video on your phone where you speak with authority about a topic without referring to your notes.

i agree with this! I use flashcards for active recall by having a short question on one side or a key term then the answer/definition on the other. Then i read the question, write the answer on a whiteboard and flip the card. It works for me but its my sole way of revising.

Reply 7

stevemarkovick

For me, the best way has been to create my own cards rather than relying on pre-made ones — it forces me to engage with the material while making them.I also find that using spaced repetition apps like Anki really helps with long-term retention.Mixing written flashcards and digital ones keeps it from getting boring as well.Everyone learns differently though, so I think it’s great that so many people are experimenting to find what works best for them!