How to Study for Exams with Flashcards (Anki Masterclass)

Introduction to Anki

• Anki is a flashcard app that is free, open-source, and highly effective for memorization, making it a valuable tool for students of various subjects, including medicine, law, computer science, and arts (15s).
• Anki is based on two key concepts: active recall and spaced repetition, which are essential for effective studying and learning (31s).
• Hundreds of thousands of students worldwide use Anki for various subjects, and it has been a game-changer for many, including the creator of the video, Ali, who used it during his six years in medical school at Cambridge University (46s).
• Despite its power, Anki has a learning curve, which is why a comprehensive online course was created to teach its usage, and is now available for free on YouTube (59s).
• The course is massive, with timestamps in the video description, and while the first part is sufficient for beginners, bonus content includes interviews with experienced Anki users sharing their tips (1m15s).
• The course structure includes an introduction to the basics of Anki, the power of flashcards, and the concepts of spaced repetition and active recall, followed by walkthroughs and more advanced topics (1m43s).
• The course is designed to be flexible, allowing viewers to pick and choose the content that suits their level of experience with flashcards, Anki, and studying in general (2m0s).
• The first chapter of the course is aimed at complete beginners, covering topics such as installing Anki, synchronizing it with AnkiWeb, and creating basic flashcards (2m9s).
• The second chapter of the course is walkthrough-based, assuming viewers have a foundational understanding of how Anki works, and covers more advanced topics and card types (2m37s).
• The process of creating effective flashcards from lectures, classes, and textbooks will be explained, providing the necessary information to get started with Anki (2m45s).
• Frequently asked questions about Anki, such as motivation, consistency, discipline, and specifics about flashcards, will be answered in Chapter 3 (3m0s).
• The most common questions were about how to bring oneself to do flashcards every day, how long an Anki flashcard should be, and how much information should be on it (3m11s).
• Comparisons between Anki and other study tools like Notion, Quizlet, and Google Sheets will be discussed, along with the philosophy of using Anki to study for various subjects (3m34s).
• Chapter 4 will cover advanced topics, including tags, recommended add-ons, and the power of pre-made decks, as well as potential pitfalls to avoid (3m43s).
• Pre-made decks can be overwhelming if not used properly, but they have the potential to change the game when it comes to flashcards (3m52s).
• A flashcard is a simple tool with something on the front and back, used to test oneself and strengthen connections in the brain between learned information (4m20s).
• Flashcards encourage active recall, the single most powerful and effective study technique, which strengthens connections in the brain through self-testing (5m19s).
• Active recall is a study technique that involves testing oneself to strengthen connections in the brain between learned information (5m30s).
• Active recall is a powerful study technique that involves testing oneself, which strengthens memory connections. Flashcards are an effective tool for active recall because they require self-testing. (5m45s)
• Flashcards also support spaced repetition, another effective study technique that helps combat the forgetting curve. (6m4s)
• The forgetting curve, discovered by Hermann Ebbinghaus in 1885, shows that people forget most of what they learn within the first 24 hours unless they practice recall. (6m32s)
• Spaced repetition involves revisiting information at increasing intervals, which helps reset the memory strength to 100% and reduces the steepness of the forgetting curve over time. (7m19s)
• Each time information is recalled, the decay of memory becomes less steep, making it take longer to forget the same amount of information. This is why frequently encountered facts, like the capital of France being Paris, are memorized permanently. (7m51s)
• Optimizing memory retention involves gradually lengthening the intervals between repetitions, which strengthens memory connections and prolongs retention. (8m45s)
• The brain works like a muscle, growing when it's working hard, but not when it's working too easily, which is why allowing the memory to forget and then recalling information is an effective way to remember things forever (9m9s).
• Flashcards are amazing because of active recall, and with physical flashcards, a space repetition system can be created around them, where cards are reviewed at increasingly longer intervals as they are memorized (9m37s).
• In the past, people used a box system to implement space repetition with flashcards, where cards were moved to different boxes based on how well they were known, and reviewed at intervals such as every 3 days, 7 days, or 3 months (9m45s).
• Anki is a flashcard app that incorporates active recall and space repetition, making it easier to use than traditional methods, and is considered the single best flashcard app on the planet (10m24s).
• Anki can be used to memorize and learn anything, and has been used by the speaker to achieve high grades in medical school, with the years of using Anki being the highest performing years exam-wise (10m38s).
• Anki is a powerful and intelligent flashcard software that makes remembering things easier, and is available as an app and on the web at apps.ankiweb.net (11m32s).
• Anki is free and has a load of features, including beginner features that will be broken down in the class, and more advanced features that will be explored in a future class (12m2s).
• Anki is a flashcard software that is free to use on most platforms, including the web, Windows, Mac, and Android, with a paid iOS app available. It is considered highly beneficial for students worldwide. (12m4s)
• Anki is designed to make remembering information more efficient than traditional study methods, allowing users to either reduce study time or increase learning. It can be used for various purposes, such as learning languages, studying for exams, memorizing names and faces, and more. (12m24s)
• The software features synchronization through AnkiWeb, enabling users to access their flashcards across multiple devices, such as phones, tablets, and computers. (12m46s)
• Anki incorporates a spaced repetition algorithm, which helps users retain information by determining optimal intervals for reviewing flashcards based on user feedback (easy, medium, or hard). This method is modeled after the SuperMemo service. (13m1s)
• The algorithm schedules reviews based on the user's difficulty rating, asking easier items less frequently and harder items more frequently, to optimize memory retention. (13m30s)
• Consistent use of Anki is likened to having a "second brain," as it helps upload facts and concepts to the user's memory, reducing the stress of deciding what to study. (13m57s)
• Anki is particularly effective for memorizing specific facts and examinable details but is not as suitable for understanding broader concepts. (14m30s)
• Anki is considered the best flashcard software due to its free and open-source nature, allowing hundreds of people worldwide to contribute add-ons and customizations, and improve its space repetition algorithm (14m56s).
• Quizlet is an alternative, but it has limitations, including a lack of customization options, difficulty in making cards offline, and synchronization issues with different devices (15m18s).
• Quizlet is suitable for those who are not tech-savvy, such as grandparents, but for those who are proficient in using computers, Anki is the better choice (16m2s).
• Google Sheets can be used as a flashcard alternative, but it is designed for cramming and not for long-term studying, whereas Anki is designed for space repetition and active recall (16m16s).
• The Google Sheets method is useful when the exam is only a few weeks away, and there is not enough time to use the flashcard method properly (16m30s).
• Notion can be used for active recall and testing oneself, but it is not designed for space repetition, and its main use is for applying active recall to various subjects (17m2s).
• Anki is the preferred choice for long-term studying, as it allows for customization, offline card creation, and synchronization across devices (16m57s).

Anki Basics

• Anki is a superior tool for memorizing facts compared to other alternatives like Notion or paper flashcards, and it is recommended to use Anki in combination with Notion for a comprehensive understanding of a subject (18m1s).
• Notion is better suited for providing a big picture understanding of a subject, but it is not ideal for memorizing facts, which is where Anki excels (17m58s).
• In a field like medicine, there is a limit to how much can be understood through a big picture approach, and eventually, memorization of facts becomes necessary, making Anki the best tool for the job (18m23s).
• Paper flashcards are considered a waste of time and are suboptimal compared to using Anki, which is a more efficient and effective tool for memorization (18m34s).
• Anki can be used to memorize specific factoids, chunks of paragraphs, and paper references, making it a versatile tool for various subjects, including science and art subjects (19m11s).
• Anki has been used extensively in different contexts, including medicine, psychology, and music theory, and has been found to be effective in memorizing large chunks of information (19m49s).
• Pre-made decks can be used in Anki to learn new subjects, such as music theory, and can be a helpful resource for those looking to get started with the tool (19m56s).
• Consistency is key when using Anki, as regular use can lead to effective memorization and retention of information (20m6s).
• Anki was discovered through a YouTube video on evidence-based revision, and it was used for BMAT revision and A-levels, allowing for more effective studying with less time spent, resulting in better results and reduced stress levels (20m25s).
• Consistently using Anki can lead to spending less time working and having reduced stress levels overall (20m56s).
• Anki helped someone go through medical school while exercising daily, getting enough sleep, and maintaining a social life, resulting in good outcomes and feeling competent in the hospital (21m11s).
• Anki has changed the lives of many people, as seen in eight interviews with users who have experienced significant positive impacts (21m45s).
• The next section of the course will cover the basic mechanics of Anki, including how to install it, operate it, and create flashcards (21m55s).
• To install Anki, go to AnkiWeb.net, type "Anki" on Google, or find the first result, and click the download button (22m20s).
• The installation process varies depending on the operating system, with different versions available for Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, and Android (22m28s).
• For Mac users, the standard version can be downloaded, while Windows users need to choose between the 64-bit or 32-bit version depending on their Windows version (22m41s).
• Once downloaded, the file needs to be verified, saved to the desktop, and then dragged to the applications folder or desktop to complete the installation (22m56s).
• To install Anki on a Mac, you click and drag the application into the Applications folder, and it will be installed once the copying process is complete (23m7s).
• After installation, Anki can be opened by searching for it in the Mac menu bar and clicking on it, which will display the Anki home screen (23m20s).
• The Anki home screen is the deck screen, which displays all the different decks of flashcards, and it will likely be blank initially with only a default deck (23m50s).
• To create a new deck, you can click the "Create Deck" button and enter the name of the deck, such as "Capital Cities" (24m30s).
• Once a deck is created, you can add flashcards to it by clicking the "Add" button, which will open a window where you can enter the front and back of the flashcard (25m28s).
• In the "Add" window, you can select the type of flashcard, with "Basic" being the main type, and choose which deck to add the flashcard to (25m51s).
• It is recommended to have fewer decks rather than too many, and to group related subjects together, such as all medicine-related flashcards in one deck (25m4s).
• You can create decks for any subject you want, such as music notation, Nobel Prize winners, or French vocabulary (24m52s).
• The shortcut key "A" can be used to add a new flashcard, and it is helpful to get familiar with the shortcuts in Anki (25m19s).
• The process of creating flashcards in Anki involves adding information to a deck, such as the "Capital City's" deck, and entering details like "Capital of France: Paris." (26m11s)
• Users can customize the appearance of the cards by adjusting the text size and style, but it is recommended to keep it simple for beginners. (26m23s)
• Advanced features like fields, cards, and tags are available but are not necessary for beginners to use. Tags can help organize and search through decks, but they can be ignored initially to avoid confusion. (27m25s)
• Once a card is created, it is added to the deck, and users can see the number of new cards in the deck. Cards are categorized as new, learning, or due for review. (27m51s)
• During study sessions, users can reveal answers by pressing the space bar and choose when to review the card again based on their confidence level, using spaced repetition intervals. Options include seeing the card again in 3 minutes, 15 minutes, or 4 days. (28m30s)
• The spaced repetition system helps reinforce learning by scheduling reviews based on how well the user knows the material. (28m37s)
• The browse screen in Anki allows users to look at their entire collection of flashcards or specific cards in specific decks, showing the front and back of each card (29m5s).
• The browse screen can be used to browse decks, view stats on how many flashcards have been studied, and sync with AnkiWeb (29m38s).
• The sync button synchronizes decks with AnkiWeb, requiring a username and password, which can be created on AnkiWeb (29m55s).
• The get shared button opens AnkiWeb, allowing users to download someone else's deck, while the import file button imports a file, such as an Anki deck package (.apkg file extension) (30m11s).
• The menus in Anki are not necessary to worry about for now, and the focus should be on creating flashcards (30m31s).
• Creating basic flashcards is the foundation of using Anki, and mastering this process will improve efficiency (31m17s).
• Keyboard shortcuts can be used to optimize the process of creating flashcards, and these will be shared throughout the tutorial (31m29s).
• The goal is to create a few more basic flashcards to get started with using Anki efficiently (31m16s).
• To add flashcards in Anki, hover over the "Add" button to see the shortcut key, which is "A", and press it to create flashcards (31m53s).
• When creating flashcards, it's not necessary to type the entire question, just the essential information, such as the country name, and the answer, which is the capital city (32m4s).
• To add a flashcard, type the front and back of the card, and press "Command + Enter" (or "Control + Enter" on Windows) to add the card (32m30s).
• To switch between the front and back of the card, use the "Tab" key, or "Shift + Tab" to go back (33m3s).
• When studying, use the keyboard shortcuts to answer the flashcards, such as pressing "1" to mark the card as "Again" and have it come up again in 3 minutes (33m48s).
• It's recommended to use only the "Again" and "Good" options, and avoid using the "Easy" option unless you're absolutely sure you'll never forget the information (34m20s).
• When answering flashcards, if you have even a slight hesitation, press "Again" to have the card come up again (34m10s).
• Pressing "Good" indicates that you know the information, but it's not necessarily easy, and you might need to see it again (34m14s).
• When reviewing flashcards, if a card is marked as "good," the space repetition algorithm will slightly elongate the interval before the card is shown again, and if marked as "easy," the interval will be massively elongated (35m39s).
• The algorithm works by adjusting the interval based on the user's performance, with the goal of optimizing retention and minimizing unnecessary reviews (36m28s).
• In a beginner class, the focus is on marking cards as "again" or "good," with the option to mark as "easy" if desired, without delving too deeply into the intricacies of the algorithm (36m50s).
• Basic flashcards can be created by adding a question and answer, and the cards can be reviewed to test knowledge and adjust the interval for future reviews (36m54s).
• The current method of using basic flashcards is limited to memorizing words, but it would be more useful to associate the information with images or maps to improve understanding and retention (37m27s).
• Reverse flashcards are a type of flashcard that can be used, but some people may not use them at all, while others may use them extensively (37m41s).
• Reverse flashcards can be created by changing the type to "basic and reversed card," which will create two new cards in the deck: one with the question and answer, and another with the answer and question (38m6s).
• Creating a reverse flashcard will result in two new cards being added to the deck, allowing for both the question and answer to be tested (38m20s).
• Creating a basic flashcard often results in a one-way connection in the brain, where the association is strengthened in one direction but not the other (38m45s).
• A reversed card allows for the creation of a two-way association, enabling the testing of both directions of the connection, which can be important depending on the subject being studied (39m30s).
• Reversed cards can be particularly useful in certain contexts, such as medicine, where being able to reverse connections can be crucial (39m45s).
• An example of the importance of reversed cards is the association between the symptom "rice water stools" and the disease "Cola", where having a reversed card can help immediately associate the symptom with the disease (39m55s).
• Closed deletions are a powerful feature of Anki that allows for the creation of fill-in-the-gap flashcards, enabling the memorization of sentences and encouraging the recall of specific parts of the sentence (40m23s).
• Closed deletions function by replacing bits of a sentence with a blank, which can be filled in by the user, and can be used to memorize phrases such as "the capital of Austria is Vienna" (41m1s).
• To create a closed deletion, the user can select the text to be replaced, press the closed deletion button (or use the hotkey command shift C), and Anki will replace the selected text with a blank (41m11s).
• When creating flashcards, a code-like format with double curly brackets can be used to create a "cloze deletion" type of flashcard, where a word or phrase is deleted and the user must fill in the gap (41m21s).
• The "C1" in the code format stands for "Cloze deletion 1", indicating that it is the first item being deleted from the text (41m30s).
• When a cloze deletion is created, the flashcard will display the text with the deleted word or phrase missing, and the user must fill in the correct answer (41m42s).
• Cloze deletions can be used to create multiple flashcards from a single text, by selecting different words or phrases to delete (42m30s).
• To create a cloze deletion, select the text to be deleted, and use the keyboard shortcut "Command + Shift + C" to create the deletion (42m33s).
• Multiple cloze deletions can be created from a single text, allowing for multiple flashcards to be generated from a single creation (42m47s).
• Cloze deletions can be used to create flashcards for a variety of subjects, including medicine, by selecting key facts or figures to delete and fill in (43m40s).
• When creating a cloze deletion, the user can select specific words or phrases to delete, such as numbers or percentages, to focus on key information (44m25s).
• The text discusses the use of Anki flashcards for studying, specifically focusing on the creation of Cloze deletions, which are a type of flashcard that allows for efficient memorization by hiding parts of the information. (44m31s)
• An example is given where 1,200 milliliters of blood per minute flow through the splanknic bed, which constitutes about 20% of cardiac output, and 75% of this blood passes via the intestine to the liver. This information is used to create a Cloze deletion flashcard. (44m36s)
• The process of creating a Cloze deletion involves selecting the text to hide, using a command to create the deletion, and then testing oneself on the specific fact. This method is considered more efficient than creating basic flashcards, which require more effort to input and memorize. (45m40s)
• The text also explains how to edit flashcards in Anki by entering editing mode, which allows for the addition of hints to the Cloze deletions. This feature is useful for creating flashcards that are helpful for future review, as it provides context that might be forgotten over time. (46m35s)
• An example of adding a hint is provided, where a double colon is used to include a question like "how many milliliters of blood," which helps clarify the information being tested. This approach is recommended to ensure the flashcards remain useful for long-term retention. (46m50s)
• Adding hints to flashcards can help users remember specific information, such as the amount of blood flow through the splanchnic bed, by providing context that aids future recall. This prevents confusion about the intended answer when reviewing the flashcard months later. (47m30s)
• It is recommended to design flashcards in a way that minimizes the need for hints, making the information clear and obvious to the user. However, the hint feature is available for additional clarity if needed. (48m21s)
• Cloze deletions are highlighted as the most powerful feature of Anki, and users are encouraged to use them extensively. However, there are nuances to their use, and it is not advisable to simply copy and paste entire lecture notes into Anki. (48m35s)
• The discussion includes a demonstration by David, a medical student, who scored in the 99.9th percentile on the MCAT. He explains that cloze deletions are essentially fill-in-the-blank exercises that require understanding the most important part of a sentence. (49m14s)
• Pre-made decks for medical school training in the US commonly use cloze deletions, which involve presenting a short piece of information with a blank that the user must fill in, demonstrating their understanding of the content. (49m55s)
• The text discusses a method of using flashcards to study, specifically focusing on the use of "cloze deletion" cards, which present information in a fill-in-the-blank format rather than a traditional question-and-answer format. This method is likened to reading a textbook sentence by sentence to ensure understanding and retention. (50m13s)
• An example is given using the sentence "The capital of France is Paris," where the word "Paris" is highlighted and turned into a cloze deletion card. This allows for rapid review and testing of knowledge. (51m15s)
• The process of creating a cloze deletion card involves typing out a sentence, highlighting the part to be blanked out, and using a keyboard shortcut to create the cloze deletion. The card can then be customized with different colors and fonts. (51m41s)
• Cloze deletions can be applied to multiple parts of a sentence, allowing for the creation of multiple cards from a single sentence. For example, both "Paris" and "France" can be blanked out in separate cards, or both can be blanked out in the same card, depending on how the cloze numbers are assigned. (52m20s)
• Editing flashcards is a powerful feature of Anki that allows users to make their cards more relevant, useful, and comprehensive over time, and it's something that many people don't think about when they first start using the program (53m20s).
• To demonstrate this feature, a series of flashcards with capital cities are created, using the "cloze" feature, which allows users to create fill-in-the-blank style cards (53m46s).
• After creating the flashcards, the user studies them and realizes that one of the cards, "The capital of Azerbaijan is Baku," is not particularly useful without more context (54m35s).
• To add more context, the user searches for a map of Azerbaijan on Google, copies the image, and adds it to the flashcard using the "edit" feature (54m48s).
• The "edit" feature allows users to add extra information to their flashcards, making them more useful and relevant (55m4s).
• By adding the map to the flashcard, the user can now see the location of Azerbaijan in relation to other countries and geographical features, making the information more contextual and useful (55m20s).
• The goal of editing flashcards is to avoid simply memorizing individual factoids and instead to see the bigger picture and understand how different pieces of information fit together (56m1s).
• A common mistake people make when using flashcards is to simply try to memorize as much information as possible without considering the context or relationships between different pieces of information (56m25s).
• Adding context to flashcards by editing them with additional information, such as images, helps in better understanding and memorization. For example, associating the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku, with an image provides more mental hooks for retention. (56m33s)
• Including images and flags in flashcards, such as the Bahamas and its capital Nassau, enhances the learning experience by providing geographical context and visual elements, making the information more memorable. (57m10s)
• Complex flashcards with too much information can be simplified by applying the minimum information principle, which involves breaking down the content into manageable parts and adding relevant images or data for better comprehension. (58m21s)
• Editing flashcards to include hints or additional context, such as specifying the specialty or organization related to a medical condition like Ménière's disease, can clarify the intended learning objective and improve recall. (59m6s)
• A flashcard with too much information can be overwhelming and inefficient to review, especially when trying to recall a specific piece of information that was previously unknown (59m39s).
• Editing flashcards as you go along is crucial for efficient learning, and it's essential to break down complex information into smaller, manageable chunks (1h0m24s).
• If there's a concept that doesn't make sense, adding extra information to the flashcard can be beneficial for future reference, even if it takes only a few seconds (1h0m55s).
• Image occlusion is an add-on feature in Anki that allows users to include aspects of an image to learn and retain information more effectively (1h1m15s).
• To install the image occlusion add-on, users need to go to the Tools menu, click on Add-ons, and then browse for the image occlusion enhanced add-on, copying and pasting the code into Anki (1h1m22s).
• Once installed, the image occlusion feature can be accessed through the Tools menu, and it enables users to include specific parts of an image in their flashcards to aid in learning and retention (1h2m14s).
• Image occlusion allows users to learn from images by including specific aspects of the image in their flashcards, making it easier to recall information (1h2m24s).
• Automatically generating flashcards from images is possible with the image occlusion editor, which can be accessed by pressing command shift o or by clicking on the add image occlusion button (1h2m55s).
• The image occlusion editor allows users to select parts of an image to hide and create flashcards, with options to hide all and guess one or hide one and guess one (1h3m45s).
• The editor automatically generates flashcards for the selected parts of the image, which can be used to memorize diagrams, maps, flowcharts, or other visual information (1h3m43s).
• The image occlusion add-on can be used to create flashcards for various subjects, including anatomy, which is commonly used by medical students (1h5m15s).
• The flashcards generated by the image occlusion editor can be reviewed in a deck, with the option to toggle masks and randomize the order of the cards (1h4m48s).
• The image occlusion editor can be used to create flashcards with different levels of difficulty, with the option to hide all or just one part of the image (1h3m50s).
• The editor can also be used to create flashcards with multiple parts of an image hidden, allowing users to test their knowledge of different aspects of the image (1h4m41s).
• The image occlusion add-on can be used in conjunction with other Anki features, such as randomizing the order of cards and resetting the difficulty level of cards over time (1h5m4s).
• Image occlusion is a feature that can be used to study anatomy by blanking out parts of an image and testing oneself to recall the information, with an example given using a diagram of the human body (1h5m25s).
• To create an image occlusion card in Anki, one can start by changing the card type to image occlusion, then upload an image, and use the tool to blank out parts of the image by dragging a box over the desired areas (1h5m52s).
• The image occlusion feature allows users to hide all or some of the blanked-out areas and test their knowledge by trying to recall the information, with the option to show the answer and adjust the timing of when the card will be shown again (1h6m2s).
• Image occlusion can be a useful tool for learning anatomy, as it allows users to visualize the relationships between different structures and practice recalling the information (1h6m17s).
• When creating image occlusion cards, it's a good idea to make the labels the same size to avoid giving away the answer, and to use a consistent color scheme (1h8m13s).
• To make image occlusion cards from a new lecture, one can copy an image from Google, paste it into Anki, and use the image occlusion feature to blank out parts of the image and create a card (1h7m32s).
• The "Teach Me Anatomy" diagrams are a good source of clear and concise images that can be used to create image occlusion cards (1h7m36s).
• When creating image occlusion cards, users can choose to show one or multiple blanked-out areas, depending on their personal preference (1h7m14s).
• The image occlusion enhanced add-on is a useful tool for memorizing image-related information, such as anatomy, and can be used in various subjects like medicine, geography, and more (1h8m28s).
• Installing an add-on on Anki is an advanced feature, but it is relatively easy to do, and image occlusion is a great way to put image-related information into memory (1h8m54s).
• Anki can be installed on different platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, and Android, and it is essential to download the official version from the Anki website to avoid fake versions (1h9m19s).
• For iOS devices, the recommended app is AnkiMobile, which costs around $25 or £23, and is considered a worthwhile investment for students, especially considering the benefits of using Anki for studying (1h9m38s).
• The cost of AnkiMobile is a one-time payment, and it is the only part of Anki that requires payment, with the funds going towards the development of the ecosystem (1h10m28s).
• For Android users, AnkiDroid is available for free on the Google Play Store, and it is recommended to download it from the Anki website to ensure getting the official version (1h10m48s).
• There are fake Anki apps available, such as Anki App on iOS, which should be avoided in favor of the official AnkiMobile or AnkiDroid apps (1h11m2s).
• To use Anki on mobile devices, it's recommended to purchase the official Anki app, specifically AnkiMobile Flashcards, which has the official Anki logo and a $25 price tag (1h11m9s).
• If the app is unaffordable, users can access Anki Web, a free companion to the computer version of Anki, by going to ankiweb.net on their mobile device's web browser (1h11m21s).
• Anki Web allows users to review flashcards online when they don't have access to their computer, and it can be used to study flashcards on the go (1h11m29s).
• To access Anki Web, users need to log in with their account details, and they can review their flashcards, including decks and revisions (1h11m33s).
• Anki Web is a useful tool for reviewing flashcards across different platforms, and it's free to use (1h12m14s).
• The official Anki downloads are available on the official Anki website, and users should be cautious of fake Anki apps (1h12m41s).
• Anki has a free synchronization platform that allows users to keep their decks, flashcards, revisions, and spaced repetition schedule synchronized across different devices (1h12m55s).
• To sync Anki, users need to create an account, and they can do this by signing up on the Anki website or through the Anki app (1h13m22s).
• Once an account is created, users can sync their flashcards by hitting the sync button or using the shortcut key Y (1h13m17s).
• After syncing, users will receive an email confirmation, and they need to verify their email address to complete the synchronization process (1h13m47s).
• The process of synchronizing Anki decks between a local computer and AnkiWeb involves initially uploading all local decks to AnkiWeb, especially if the local computer has multiple decks and AnkiWeb only has a default deck. (1h14m8s)
• Once the decks are uploaded to AnkiWeb, synchronization can be done by clicking the synchronization button or automatically when closing Anki, ensuring all changes are updated on AnkiWeb. (1h14m53s)
• To access the synchronized decks on a mobile device, log into the Anki account on the app, and download the decks from AnkiWeb, which acts as the primary source of truth for the data. (1h15m36s)
• The download process may take longer if the decks contain a large amount of media, such as images, but once completed, all decks are available offline on the mobile device. (1h16m1s)
• Having the decks offline allows for studying without internet access, providing flexibility to review flashcards anywhere, such as on an airplane or in remote locations. (1h16m35s)

Creating Effective Flashcards

• A USM deck is used to study for exams, and it contains flashcards with questions and answers, such as the disruption of the mucosal barrier in acute gastritis and the most common cause of chronic gastritis, which is Helicobacter pylori (1h17m3s).
• Brain injury can cause acute gastritis through increased vagal stimulation, leading to increased acid production and the formation of a Cushing ulcer (1h17m14s).
• Anki allows users to synchronize their decks across devices, and this process is quicker when only changes are uploaded, updating the algorithm accordingly (1h17m30s).
• The first time synchronizing with AnkiWeb requires uploading, and subsequent synchronizations will figure out the changes and update the deck (1h17m51s).
• AnkiWeb also allows users to share their decks publicly, and others can download and use them (1h18m4s).
• The video will cover real-world examples of creating Anki cards based on material and reviewing them, as well as improving the cards over time (1h18m33s).
• The goal is to explain the philosophy behind creating good flashcards, and the video will cover how to make Anki flashcards from a lecture (1h18m52s).
• The process of making Anki flashcards involves understanding the content, and the video will use a lecture on renal physiology as an example (1h19m10s).
• The importance of understanding the content before creating flashcards is emphasized, and the video will cover how to create flashcards from lecture notes (1h19m26s).
• A new deck is created in Anki for the subject of homeostasis in first-year physiology, with the goal of converting lecture notes into flashcards that focus on examinable facts that require memorization rather than just understanding (1h19m42s).
• The philosophy behind creating these flashcards is to identify information that cannot be easily recalled from understanding alone, such as specific numbers or details, and to prioritize memorization of these facts (1h19m57s).
• An example of information that does not require memorization is the location of the kidneys or the blood supply to the kidneys, as this information is already well understood (1h20m7s).
• A graph showing the distribution of water in the body is identified as important information to remember, with 42 L of water in the body, 25 L in intracellular fluid, 13 L in interstitial fluid, and 3 L in plasma (1h20m39s).
• A Cloze deletion flashcard is created to help remember these numbers, with the goal of being able to recall all of the numbers as a single unit of information (1h21m0s).
• The decision is made to create a single flashcard with all of the numbers, rather than separate cards for each number, as it is important to be able to generate this information without knowing the other numbers (1h21m53s).
• The goal of creating this flashcard is to be able to recall the information from memory, even if it is not immediately apparent, and to be able to "reel these numbers off of the top of my head" (1h22m31s).