Amino acid flashcards to elevate your studying
Quizlet is proud to partner with real students to showcase authentic voices on our blog. This guest post is by Trevor Mahoney, a Finance and Management Information Systems major at Santa Clara University.
There are a number of different study strategies that have proved beneficial to students, but flashcards are one of the oldest and most reliable methods. This article will cover the ins and outs of flashcards, including why they work so well for studying and how to use them.
And if you’re working on memorizing the amino acids, you’ll want to check out the 12 helpful Quizlet amino acid study sets we have included below! Let’s dive right in:
The benefits of flashcards
Flashcards are one of the most well-known study tools due to how easy they are to create, and how they help increase memory retention and focus. However, few people are actually aware of their myriad benefits.
One of the most unknown, yet beneficial, aspects of flashcards is that they help free up space in your brain. Creating a stack of flashcards—physical or digital—relieves you of the effort of trying to remember these things before you master them.
In fact, the simple process of creating flashcards is one of the most potent benefits in and of itself. By putting terms and their corresponding definitions down onto a card, you are working the information into your brain with little effort.
And having a stack of flashcards makes time management far easier. Have a 10-minute gap between classes? Put that time to use by going through your flashcards.
Flashcards can also be used as a linchpin study technique in the Five-Step Study Cycle
In the fourth step of this cycle, the “Study” stage, the creators recommend engaging in “distributed practice.” In distributed practice, you space out your study sessions, rather than trying to cram a lot of information in an evening. Flashcards are the perfect tool for distributed practice, as they are made for short 20-30 minute study sessions.
Focusing on memorizing just five to 10 flashcards a day is much more doable than trying to learn all the material for a test at 5 p.m. the evening before. That said, there are a few different ways to study with flashcards.
What’s the best way to study with flashcards?
The truth is there’s no single way to study with flashcards. But we do have a few tips to make your study experience more efficient.
Flashcards work so well because they engage active recall. This is a memorization process centered on actively stimulating a person’s memory by creating a lasting relationship with the material.
However, this connection, which is imperative to the benefits of flashcards, can be difficult to create. The best way to establish it is to practice helpful flashcard habits, such as incorporating images onto your cards and studying the front, as well as back, of every card.
There are a few main tips to keep in mind that will make studying with flashcards more beneficial:
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Avoid simply memorizing: Memorization will come naturally, but you need to focus on learning the material on your flashcards, as opposed to simply regurgitating information.
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Use your senses: Avoid reading the information on your flashcards in your head. Read them out loud to yourself or get a friend to quiz you and make you explain every answer.
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Add a flair to your cards: Let’s be honest. There’s nothing exciting about plain white index cards with writing on them. Incorporate pictures, bold colors, or anything else that might capture your interest.
You can also find ready-made study sets for any topic right here on Quizlet. For the best chance at success with digital flashcards like those on Quizlet or physical flashcards, choose the types of sets that resonate with you. While some people prefer flair to keep their interest, others may enjoy simple cards.
That’s why we’ve included 12 different amino acid flashcard sets below ranging from writing only to pictures only, and everything in between.
12 best amino acid Quizlet study sets
No matter where you are located, you can make and store your own custom study sets on Quizlet.
Students everywhere use Quizlet in different ways to achieve success in their study endeavors. Here are 12 unique study sets centered around amino acids that are free to use:
Sets with pictures
Set 1
This first set is 60 terms strong and has received a five-star rating. Notably, the front of each flash card features the amino acid name, prompting a viewer to remember the structure. On the back side of the card is a digital depiction of the structure itself.
Set 2
The second set on this list is slightly shorter at 40 terms, but puts more information on the front side of the cards. Rather than simply listing an amino acid, it provides the three letter and single letter abbreviations of each. This may come in handy when studying the set using the pictures alone.
Set 3
Perhaps the most difficult set within the pictures category is a 20-term strong speed set. Unlike the previous two sets, this provides only the single letter abbreviation for an amino acid, leaving the student remembering what it stands for and what the structure looks like.
Words-only flashcards
Set 4
For those that enjoy words only, this set contains 102 terms, covering everything from the definition of amino acids, amino acid identification, multiple choice questions, and amino acid types. This set is best for those seeking a comprehensive overview of the topic.
Set 5
This fifth set is quite the opposite of the fourth. With only 20 terms, it is meant to be a speed set that tests how quickly you can match the abbreviation and state of polarity to an amino acid.
Set 6
This slightly longer 40-term set focuses on simply matching an amino acid (along with the number of letters in its abbreviation), to the correct abbreviation. Due to the little information, this set should also be treated as a speed set.
Set 7
Finally, this 40-term seventh set covers the same abbreviations as the previous set with one key difference: Only the 20 natural amino acids are covered and some single letter codes are tested.
Sets that include words and pictures
Set 8
This monster 173-term set covers the conversion of amino acids to special proteins. Terms tested are the structures of basic amino acids, as well as the types of side chains and major sites where conversion occurs. Pictures and words are intermixed, making this set quite comprehensive.
Set 9
This slightly shorter 98-term set uses pictures to match a structure with an amino acid, but resorts to words when testing the categorization of amino acids to certain types or polarities.
Set 10
An MCAT biochemistry set, this 108-card set is perhaps the most difficult of all provided sets. Covering complex terms, groupings, and basic amino acids using both pictures and words, this study set is a comprehensive tool.
Set 11
Slowing things down a bit, this 20-term speed set requires you to match an amino acid and its abbreviations to a picture of its structure along with its polarity and grouping.
Set 12
Finally, the twelfth set on this list is another MCAT study set, making it quite comprehensive. In this 64-term set, you are responsible for matching the pictured structure to an amino acid, with a twist: You must know the charge at pH. There are also terms that simply test matching an amino acid to its abbreviation.
Regardless of what you choose, any of the above study sets will help you memorize your amino acids. If none of the above caught your eye, consider making your own set to test your knowledge!
Use flashcards to improve Your studying today
Flashcards are a very powerful study tool. Using flashcards can improve your memory and make study sessions more effective. Whether you use physical or computer flashcards, the benefits eclipse those of other study strategies.
The 12 amino acid sets use pictures, words, or a combination of both to help students memorize these terms. Regardless of the topic you are studying, flashcards or online study sets can help you learn your material today.
Trevor Mahoney is wrapping up his last year at Santa Clara University where he studies Finance and Management Information Systems. He has been an avid reader his whole life, which evolved into a passion for writing while he studied abroad in New Zealand last year. He is currently searching for a post-college job and hopes to work at the intersection of business and technology.