User-generated versus pre-made digital flashcards

Digital flashcard users typically must choose between creating their own flashcard content or using freely-available flashcard sets. The latter is more convenient and saves time, but is it more effective for learning? We conducted six experiments, each involving the use of user-generated or pre-made flashcards to learn material drawn from educational text passages, followed by a 48-hr delayed criterial test. Different approaches to generating content and variations in the quality of pre-made content were also examined. Across experiments, user-generated flashcards improved memory relative to pre-made flashcards (an estimated advantage of d = 0.45, 95% C.I. [0.25, 0.66]), and in most cases, enhanced performance on application questions (an estimated advantage of d = 0.29, 95% C.I. [0.12, 0.45]). These results suggest that generating one’s own flashcards enables productive learning processes that enhance memory and comprehension. Accordingly, digital flashcard users may benefit from eschewing pre-made versions in favor of making their own.