What is Quizlet?
Quizlet is a website and smartphone application for creating flashcards. Once the flashcards are created, one can also choose different modes (other than flashcards) to drill and digest the information -- some of which require Quizlet Plus (their premium subscription) to use. You can create different "sets" of flashcards for any topic you want to study, For example, I have a set for esperanto vocab, a set for the cubes of numbers 1 through 51, a set for the greek numerals, among others. Each study set is a group of terms and definitions.
Advanced flashcard features
You have the option to shuffle your flashcards each round. Each time you drill any given flashcard, you can sort the flashcard into two groups, either "still learning" or "learned". If you put a flashcard in the "still learning" subset, it shows up during your next round, but if you mark it as "learned" it doesn't show up in your next round. This allows you to only drill the ones you don't know. At any time you can exit out and reset the flashcards back into one set. You can also "star" any term, which adds it to the "starred" subset -- if you choose to study the "starred" subset, it will only show you flashcards that you have starred.
When you first create the set "or reset it", any terms that have not been brought up in a study round are by default marked as "not studied". Once you review a term at least once, it is marked as "still earning". If you have a really big set, this makes it easy to find the ones that you haven't reviewed yet.
Other learning modes
There are learning modes other than flashcards -- "learn", "test", and "match", the former two of which are only available with Quizlet Plus. I will explain all three.
I'm a university student, and "learn" is the one I use when I need to learn a bunch of vocab at the last minute. It consists of multiple rounds reviewing the same in multiple different modes, breaking the set up into study-rounds of ten terms. You will have to answer multiple-choice questions, matching the term to the definition. You will then have to do a "true" or "false" when questioned on the definitions for all of the terms. Once that's done, you will be shown the definition for each term and have to type out the term with your keyboard. Every time you get something wrong, it will display the correct answer and then make you repeat the question again later either at the end of the current round or in the next round.
The mode "test" is one I have not used much yet, so I can't attest its usefulness, but it essentially shuffles the terms and definitions and asks you if the definition is "true" or "false. You can do this over and over to ensure you have the information rock-solid.
The mode "match" is similar, but it's multiple-choice, in which you will have to match the definition to one of multiple terms that display. I also do not really use this one, but I'm sure it's useful. I just do the flashcards and the "learn" mode.
Achievements
Quizlet, just like many video games, has achievements. These are little badges that unlock on your profile when you complete certain requirements. The badge is permanently unlocked forever, it's a small ego thing to motivate the user to use Quizlet more (it game-ifies it). There are achievements for studying a certain number of sets, the highest one being 5,000 sets. There are achievements for studying a certain number of rounds, the highest one being 5,000 rounds (again). There's one for for studying 80 consecutive days, for studying in 204 consecutive weeks. It's really cool. I don't have them all yet becuase they're a new feature and your past progress doesn't retroactively carry over, but I plan on getting them all.
Quizlet Plus
Quizlet Plus is obscenely cheap when you consider its sheer usefulness. It only costs $36 per year. These are the features of Quizlet Plus:
1) The "learn" and "test" modes
2) Explained answers for practice problems available for many textbooks. This helped me with college algebra.
3) Downloading sets for offline review
4) The ability to customize sets with pictures, audio, and rich text
5) Access to their ChatGPT-powered AI (this is a brand-spankin-new feature and I haven't used it yet.)
I use the "learn" mode so so so so so so much, it is extremely helpful for me, an undergraduate with absolutely horrendous memory. I've taken classes in which I've had to memorize hundreds of terms. It's also helped me with study guides, memorizing formulas and constants, practicing vocabulary, and really just any form of information that I'm trying to learn.
Quizlet versus Anki
Anki is another popular flashcard software. I have used Anki and Quizlet both. A lot of people seem to prefer Anki, but I tried Anki for a while. I remember sitting in the DMV waiting and waiting and waiting, just drilling Anki cards. I distinctly recall that I found it clunky, hard to use, and confusing. I'm sure if I stuck with it that I could have figured it out, but I find Quizlet so much easier to use. Quizlet also has more features.
It's a matter of preference. Anki will, however, delete sets you haven't used to a while -- Quizlet does not do that. Anki is installed software on your computer, and it's open-source. Those are two pretty big reasons to prefer it, but with Quizlet Plus I can download sets to my phone, and I don't have to worry about losing my sets. Maybe I should try using Anki heavily for a month or so and then I can node it.