Using ChatGPT to generate flashcards and study aids

Why is ChatGPT used for studying?

ChatGPT is a relatively new AI-powered chatbot. It’s been given a huge amount of text-based information about the world in the form of books, conversations, and web articles and can produce content that mimics normal human speech and writing patterns. It’s become popular with students because of its access to information on academic subjects.

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Of course, there are a few downsides to ChatGPT. There is a lack of content and information that appeared after the year 2021, so students hoping to synthesize a recently published scientific article are out of luck. Additionally, ChatGPT may not always provide accurate information, possibly because it’s drawing from so many sources and trying to assemble a composite. On the other hand, you can correct the AI in real time or ask it to cite its source for a specific piece of information, but that may require some research skills on your part.

With these caveats in mind, it can still be useful as a study tool that assists in exam preparation by creating sample questions and flashcards to test your knowledge.

Using ChatGPT to create study aids

Thanks to this AI’s wealth of academic knowledge and conversational style, it can be useful for creating aids to help you study for a test or learn a new concept.

Multiple-choice questions

One way to ensure that you’ve retained new material is to quiz yourself on the concepts you’ve been studying. Paste or type the information you’ve studied into ChatGPT and ask it to create a practice test with multiple-choice questions for you to answer. You’ll need to be specific with this prompt; tell the AI how many possible choices to generate and whether you’d like to see answers right away. In some instances, you may not need to enter the specific content you’d like to be quizzed on, especially if it’s something common in education like a classic novel. These practice quizzes can be incredibly useful in helping you retain new information.

Flashcards

If you’d rather go a more DIY route, ChatGPT can generate flashcards so you can study on the go. However, the act of creating flashcards can be time consuming, so if you have digital access to the information you need to study, prompt the AI to create flashcards with the information provided by typing “Create flash card for the following content.” You’ll need to make the physical cards yourself, but the information will be organized for you so you can quiz yourself on concepts or vocabulary.

Looking up vocabulary words

If you’re reading a textbook or an article and come across a word or concept you’re unfamiliar with, you can prompt ChatGPT to define it for you. Take notes on what you’ve learned so that the concept won’t escape you in the future.

Summarizing text

If you’re presented with a large amount of confusing text that you’re having trouble getting your head around, you can prompt the AI to create and easy-to-understand summary. This ability to summarize and paraphrase content can help you see the material in a way that’s easier to digest and retain. Prompt the AI with a specific request for what kind of voice you’d like it to use and how long you want the summary to be.

While ChatGPT isn’t foolproof, it can bolster your existing study skills and provide new ways for you to synthesize what you’ve learned.