flashcard-creator

What this skill does

# Flashcard Creator

Generate effective flashcards optimized for spaced repetition learning systems like Anki.

## Workflow

```mermaid
flowchart LR
    A[Source Material] --> B[Identify Key Facts]
    B --> C[Choose Card Type]
    C --> D[Create Cards]
    D --> E[Add Mnemonics]
    E --> F[Format for Export]
```

---

## Step 1: Card Design Principles

### The 20 Rules of Formulating Knowledge (Summary)

1. **Understand before memorizing** - Never create cards for things you don't understand
2. **Minimum information** - Keep each card focused on ONE fact
3. **Use cloze deletion** - More effective than Q&A for many concepts
4. **Avoid sets/lists** - Break lists into individual cards or use mnemonics
5. **Use imagery** - Visual memory is powerful
6. **Use mnemonic techniques** - Acronyms, stories, memory palaces

---

## Step 2: Card Types

### Basic Card (Front → Back)

```
Front: What is the powerhouse of the cell?
Back: Mitochondria
```

**Anki Format:**
```
What is the powerhouse of the cell?	Mitochondria
```

### Reversed Card (Both Directions)

```
Front: Mitochondria
Back: The powerhouse of the cell - produces ATP through cellular respiration
```

**Anki Format (with tag):**
```
Mitochondria	The powerhouse of the cell - produces ATP	reversed
```

### Cloze Deletion

```
Text: The {{c1::mitochondria}} is the powerhouse of the cell, producing {{c2::ATP}}.
```

**Anki Format:**
```
The {{c1::mitochondria}} is the powerhouse of the cell, producing {{c2::ATP}}.
```

---

## Step 3: Card Templates by Subject

### Vocabulary/Terminology

```
Front: [Term]
Back: 
- Definition: [Clear definition]
- Example: [Usage in context]
- Related: [Connected terms]
```

### Formulas

```
Front: Formula for [concept]?
Back: 
[Formula]
Where:
- [Variable] = [meaning]
```

### Processes/Sequences

```
Front: What are the steps of [process]?
Back:
1. [Step 1]
2. [Step 2]
3. [Step 3]
Mnemonic: [Memory aid]
```

### Dates/Events

```
Front: [Year]: What happened?
Back: [Event and significance]
```

OR

```
Front: When did [event] occur?
Back: [Year] - [Brief context]
```

---

## Step 4: Mnemonic Techniques

### Acronyms

```
Front: Order of operations in math?
Back: PEMDAS - Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction
```

### Visual Association

```
Front: What is the symbol for Iron on the periodic table?
Back: Fe (think: "Fe"rris wheel made of iron)
```

### Story Method

```
Front: Stages of mitosis in order?
Back: PMAT - "Please Make Another Taco"
Prophase → Metaphase → Anaphase → Telophase
```

---

## Step 5: Anki Export Format

### Tab-Separated Format (.txt)

```
Front Text<TAB>Back Text
Question 1	Answer 1
Question 2	Answer 2
```

### With Tags

```
Front Text	Back Text	tag1 tag2
What is DNA?	Deoxyribonucleic acid - carries genetic information	biology genetics
```

### Cloze Format

```
{{c1::Answer hidden}}
The {{c1::mitochondria}} produces ATP.
```

---

## Step 6: Batch Generation Template

When creating multiple cards from a topic:

```markdown
# [Topic] Flashcards

**Total Cards:** [Number]
**Deck Name:** [Subject]::[Topic]
**Tags:** [tag1] [tag2]

---

## Cards

### Card 1
**Front:** [Question/Prompt]
**Back:** [Answer/Information]

### Card 2
**Front:** [Question/Prompt]  
**Back:** [Answer/Information]

[Continue...]

---

## Anki Import Ready

[Tab-separated plain text version]
```

---

## Quality Checklist

- [ ] Each card tests ONE piece of information
- [ ] Cards can be answered in <10 seconds
- [ ] No ambiguous questions with multiple valid answers
- [ ] Mnemonics added for difficult items
- [ ] Cards are context-independent (understandable alone)
- [ ] Cloze deletions used where appropriate