Physics revision: How to guide students to write and use effective flashcards

Cecilia Astolfi , Teacher of Physics, Brentwood School, UK Flashcards are a method of retrieval involving a prompt or question on one side of a card, and a statement or answer on the other side. They can be on paper or digital, using web-based platforms, and all obtaining similarly positive results (Sage et al., 2016). They provide a way for students to learn and self-assess independently, making them particularly helpful for revision – the study of work in preparation for exams. Since retrieval practice is an effective study technique (Roediger and Karpicke, 2006), flashcards have the potential to be leveraged for better progress and revision, particularly when compared to the relatively ineffective strategy of re-reading, which many students prefer (Karpicke et al., 2009). This article is intended as a preliminary study into what kind of guidance students need to be given to produce high-quality flashcards and use them effectively, based on qualitative observations during a ser