Memorising content can be dreaded and even feared by students, but it doesn’t actually have to be a mountain. By utilising free online resources, remembering content for any exam, test or assignment can be simple (and sometimes even fun)!
Quizlet
Quizlet is and will forever be my absolute favourite tool for memorisation. I’ve used it for every subject since I was in middle school, and have achieved some pretty amazing results. According to Quizlet, about 90% of students report having achieved higher grades with it! It is available through any web browser on a computer, or via the Quizlet app on mobile. It’s also free to use, and you can find many common topics there that already have content made – for example, sciences, maths, geography, and common standardised assessment forms (eg. IB content, NCEA content, SAT content, etc). already have hundreds of flashcard sets available. If you’re in a pinch or new to the whole memorisation thing, Quizlet is absolutely the go-to tool for you.
You can also create or import your own study sets – it’s incredibly user-friendly and quick to use. You can then view your content as flashcards, automatically re-do or stop doing certain terms (based on whether you know the definition yet) under ‘Learn,’ practice spelling by listening to the terms under ‘Spell,’ and take a test on selected terms to see how you’re going under ‘Test.’
- Free version available
- Pro version $44.99 NZD / year
- Web version available
- Mobile app available
Anki
Anki is one of the most popular tools among students for memorisation, and one of the cool things about it is that you can download it onto your desktop (so you don’t need Wifi or mobile data to use it). The best part though? It uses spaced repetition technology to help you memorise extremely thoroughly over a longer period of time. While it doesn’t have the flashy features that are available on Quizlet and isn’t the prettiest to look at (unless you’re into the whole old-school flashcard app vibe), it will absolutely get the job done if your end goal is memorisation and you’re well-versed on how to use flashcards. If you’re not cramming last-minute and have pretty good self-discipline, Anki is exactly what you need to get the job done.
Spaced repetition basically means that terms you know appear less frequently, and terms you don’t know appear more frequently (until you learn them). If you need to remember information forever, you can do this daily, then weekly, then monthly, then every 6 months, and finally, yearly – trust me, you’ll literally never forget this content.
- Free version available
- Mobile app available ($42.99 NZD one-off fee for IOS, Andr
- Web version available
- Desktop download available
Memrise
If you’re studying a language, this is going to be a fantastic asset for you, guaranteed. The main difference between Anki and Memrise is that while Anki focuses on the ability to create your own cards, the purpose of Memrise is to learn vocab and languages from content based on existing resources. They’ve got some pretty cool features, like interactive chatbots, games, and videos where you can watch native speakers use the vocab or terms you’re working on. Some students learn extremely well through direct exposure to the language (if that’s you – congratulations, I am officially jealous!), making Memrise an invaluable tool. As of 2022, Memrise has 23 languages available to study for free and is used by over 60 million people.
Memrise says that their site uses ‘proven memory techniques rooted in science’ to help you remember the content 2x as fast as learning in class. If you’re working towards an exam and realise that you’ve gotten irreparably behind, using a tool like Memrise is probably your best bet (after discussing options with your teacher, if possible). There is also an app, so you can memorise anywhere.
- Free version available
- Pro version $12.98 / month
- Mobile app available
- Web version available
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