Index cards, how do you make them work for you

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Another thread got me to thinking about using index cards for notes or to drill before a test. That thread mentioned studyshack.com where there are stacks made by users for different subjects. For some reason, I've never gotten the hang of using them.

Do you make your own as you are reading the text? I'm used to note taking in lecture, but I have a class where the lecture isn't really conducive to that. I feel like I don't really know what to study in regards to the information in the chapter.

I just wonder, if you are an index card user, what your system is for making and or using them? Is there an advantage compared to just going over the notes? TIA

Best, L.

Wow, those are all great ideas. I like the systematic way about the pile you know cold vs. the one where you need to go over the concept again. I tried to make handwritten cards back in A&P as I was reading the book, but by the time I wrote the card out, I wasn't retaining the last paragraph I read. Then I tried reading straight through a chapter, highlighting as I went, then making flash cards from my highlighted terms. That seemed so time consuming, and in the end, this professors tests were based about 90 percent on his lecture, so I never used the cards.

This time I want to do it for chemistry. Maybe now I will have a system I can use. I am trying to make cards based on the lecture, but using the corresponding section in the book. Another reason I think I should make the extra effort is the school has required all professors to give a cumulative final, whether they want to or not.

Thanks for all the tips, I am in awe of my fellow students who are so organized. I'm good with studying, but the organization part I am still struggling with.:)

Best, L.

I am not in nursing school yet, just brushing up on my Algebra and trying to get ahead on A&P before I go back to school. This is what I am doing right now, I bought an A&P book at my local bookstore and so far have read through the 1st chapter. As I was reading I highlighted key concepts and such, after I finished reading the chapter I then went back to the beginning and began making my flashcards. It made me go through the chapter again and helped me get a better grasp on concepts I did not understand. Also writing out the flashcards for me helped a lot! Hope this helps you :)

Justbee, flash cards work better for things like chemistry than for Anatomy or physiology. Chemistry has more "this = that", for example "Ag = Sliver" or "hydroxide = OH". Anatomy and physiology are more like the important part is how something fits into the whole picture, I found it hard to put into a word or short phrase suitable for a flash card, or even a short paragraph suitable for note cards (as opposed to flash cards).

Justbee, flash cards work better for things like chemistry than for Anatomy or physiology. Chemistry has more "this = that", for example "Ag = Sliver" or "hydroxide = OH". Anatomy and physiology are more like the important part is how something fits into the whole picture, I found it hard to put into a word or short phrase suitable for a flash card, or even a short paragraph suitable for note cards (as opposed to flash cards).

How funny....I found the opposite to be true. I was the flash card queen for A&P. It was hard to digest the material enough to write questions that could be answered with a short phrase....but covered the concept. But, I think that was because I couldn't do that until I really knew the concept.

Chemistry I found to be more about problem solving. It was like math class....flash cards didn't help me, I would just have to sit for hours doing problems, until I was getting each kind of problem right consistently.

I found some terms/concepts in A&P were hard to put on flashcards however, most of the time it has worked out okay for me. I guess learning styles differ for everyone and what works for one may not work for another. Quizzing myself with flashcards seems to work better for me than reading over notes I took in a class or skimming through a text book.

I am frequently amazed at how different are the ways that work best for different people, or sometimes the same people for different subjects or teachers or situations.

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