Knowing how to approach your revision can be a daunting process, but it doesn’t have to be! For most people, there are often three to four revision techniques they rely on to ace their exam preparation. One of the most popular and time-efficient techniques available are using flash cards.
Whether you're memorizing vocabulary, dates, formulas, or concepts, flash cards can help you actively engage with the material and retain information more effectively. However, just creating flash cards isn’t enough—how you use them can make all the difference. Here are three tips to maximize your flash card study sessions:
1. Colour code your flash cards 💡
Colour coding your revision is one of the best ways to learn your material. When you colour code, your brain starts associating each colour with a specific type of information, helping you recall facts more easily during tests or exams.
By using colour, you can choose your own way to organise your revision cards, making them completely adaptable to you. Some people find the easiest way is to assign a colour to a particular subject. If you know all your red flash cards are for your history class, then it becomes easier for you to get organised. You could also use different coloured cards per unit or section of your course.
Others decide to colour code their cards depending on the information. Blue cards could be for definitions of words, yellow for equations, and green for historical dates.
You can even try using our assorted packs of bright and pastel Pelikan Highlighters and vibrant Pelikan Fineliners to write on your flashcards for extra flair.
Remember: consistency is important when it comes to colour coding, so make sure you stick to the colours you choose to maximise your knowledge retention.
2. The Leitner Method 💡
The Leitner method is an effective way of spacing out the repetition of your flash cards. When it comes to revision, repetition is key not only for learning your content, but also increasing the chances it stays in your long-term memory.
Our new Oxford Flashbox (coming to our site soon!) is designed with the Leitner Method in mind, making it easier for you to focus on the content you struggle with the most. Here’s how to use it:
· Step 1: Start with all your flash cards in the first section of the Oxford Flashbox.
· Step 2: Start reviewing your cards. If you answer a card correctly, move it to the next section of the box. If you get it wrong, it remains in the first section.
· Step 3: Keep testing yourself until all your flash cards are in the last section of the box, meaning you’ve reviewed them all several times.
· Step 4: Repeat the process again and ace your material.
The great thing about this revision method is that you can repeat it as many times as you want, all on your own timeline. Keep an eye on our website to get your Oxford Flashbox 👀
3. Scribzee – your study companion wherever you go! 💡
Did you know that Oxford notebooks and flash cards can be scanned into our free app Scribzee? If you’re on the move a lot and can’t carry all our flash cards with you, Scribzee is the perfect companion to help you keep up with your revision.
Equipped with Quiz Mode, Scribzee utilises active recall techniques all from your phone. First, select which flash card deck you’d like to revise. Then, select Quiz Mode to begin testing your knowledge. For each question, swipe right if you correctly answer, or left if you get it wrong. This is a fun, interactive, and efficient way of preparing for your exam whilst on the go.
Scribzee tracks all your progress and generates reports so you can see which topics you’re nailing, and which may need a little more work. The app automatically adds your flash cards into coloured folders and allows you to organise these however works best for you.
What’s even better is that you can share your flash cards with friends! Add them as a contact within the app to easily share notes, flash cards, and posters to revise together.
And there are your three tips for using flash cards! Remember: revision is different for everyone! What works for you may not work for someone else, so make sure you try different techniques to find what’s best for you. Good luck!