Clever Ways to Use Vocabulary Flashcards, Part I:
So Many Cards, So Much Fun Awaits!
Congratulations! You have made an excellent decision by purchasing our 500 Essential Words or 500 Advanced Words sets of flashcards.
These cards were written for ambitious students just like you, and were designed to assist your memory with what it does best – making connections to what you already know. So we’re sure you’ve already noticed that your flashcards contain much, much more than simple definitions – they are rich with synonyms, example sentences, and some truly fascinating word origins.
So, let’s talk about what to actually do with those flashcards.
Here’s what a lot of people actually do with flashcards.
Okay, here’s my enormous stack of flashcards. How many is this? 500? Okay, let’s start. Synoptic. Hmmn, I don’t know. Okay, I guess I’ll just look at the answer, then. Oh, okay. Next. Turpitide. Hmmn, I don’t know. Okay, I guess I’ll just look at the answer, then. Oh, okay. Next. Platitude. Hmmn, I don’t know. Okay, I guess I’ll just look at the answer, then. Oh, okay. Next....
You see how this is getting us nowhere.
One problem with this approach is that your brain has no motivation to actually remember much, because, deep down, your brain knows that the information is already written on the flashcard, and you’ll be seeing that flashcard again next time it comes up in the rotation. (Your brain’s job is actually to forget way more than it is to remember – imagine if you remembered everything you saw, did, ate, etc. in just a single day! Your brain dumps well over 99% of the information it is presented with. You need to give your brain a very good reason to do otherwise!)
The other problem with this approach is that you have no idea when you’re “done,” and it rarely feels like you’re making any progress.
So, here’s what to do instead. We call it winnowing (a great vocabulary word for weeding down a big list or collection to a smaller one).
- 1. Pull out a small stack of cards, perhaps 20. (This number fits nicely on the metal ring included with your flashcards, in case you want to take them somewhere!)
- 2. Go through the stack one at a time, quizzing yourself on each word – but when you get one right, TAKE IT OUT OF THE STACK and lay it aside.
- 3. As you continue, the stack will get smaller and smaller. Once you’re down to five words or so, it should be pretty easy to remember a word you saw just a few cards ago.
- 4. When you get down to just 2-3 words, you may feel that, strangely, there are words that you can’t remember even though you saw them just a few seconds ago! Take those cards over to the Internet. Google those words, and look up their definitions in more than one online dictionary. See how other people are using the word. Write your own sentence using the word. Post a question to the Manhattan Prep Forums if you like. Attack the word from all sides.
Now you’re done! You did a set! Move on to another if you like.
Because this exercise is time-limited (it actually has an end, unlike the way most people use flashcards), you get to feel a sense of accomplishment when you’re finished.
Depending on your timeline and goal score, you might decide to do this once or twice per day. In fact, if you are working a full-time job and have a hard time studying on weeknights, make a vow that you can do this one thing every day, no matter what (if you’re really tired, you can make it a 12-15 card set rather than 20, but you should do at least a little vocab every single day!)
This material was adapted from Manhattan Prep’s Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence Strategy Guide. Go here to learn more about our other prep materials for the Revised GRE.
Next Flashcards article: Games, Activities, and How to Perplex Your Friends and Family