Why FLASHCARDS?

Flashcards are one of the most effective ways to learn new information.

The act of studying flashcards requires active learning versus passive learning like rereading notes or watching a video explanation of a topic.

You are testing your memory this is active recall.  Active recall makes stronger neural connections in the brain.  This means you are improving your memory much faster than you do by reading over notes or watching a video.

Flipping those flashcards forces you to compare that answer to the one you had in your head. This is called metacognition.  It is simply put thinking about your own thinking.  Metacognition is a very effective way of ingraining information because it forces you to reflect on your thought processes and correct them. 

As you work through your flashcards you should place them in stacks according to how well you answered.  Correct answers without hesitation in one pile, a second pile with correct answers but you were unsure and incorrect answers in another pile.  This technique is called confidence-based repetition or spaced repetition (Sarikas, 2019).

The Pictorial Superiority Effect (PSE) explains that our brains find it easier to recognize and recall visual inputs.  This means pictures are easier to remember than words.  Pictures, colors, or diagrams beat simple text when it comes to remembering. Research indicates after three days; someone is likely to remember around 10% of the information they read. If an image is added to text this figure increases and 65% of information is remembered (Burroughs, 2017).

Our flashcards are designed to test your knowledge and help you recall faster and completely with understanding.  You will find color incorporated into the cards to distinguish systems.  Pictures are incorporated, when possible, to that immediate visual recall.    Be on the lookout for free flashcards and expanding sets for minimal costs.  These flashcards can be used during nursing school or for NCLEX prep.

References:

Burroughs, C. (2017, April 27). 5 Tips for Powerful Flashcards and Better Exam Revision. Chloeburroughs.Com. Retrieved March 7, 2022, from https://chloeburroughs.com/flashcards/

Sarikas, C. (2019, August 27). Flashcards: The Ultimate Guide to Making and Using Them. PrepScholar. Retrieved March 7, 2022, from https://blog.prepscholar.com/flashcards