[j45]

Memorizing becomes easier after understanding. My guess is understanding things, not just what they mean, but how they work, or interact with other concepts, speeds up repetition quicker because that is what's firing when renewing it.

[wisemanwillhear]

I think that's a good observation (your mileage may vary), but the time that flashcards are the must needful is when your first learning. Yet my first Chemistry university professors pointed out that, although most people imagined it was easiest to get started in a new field and harder to learn when you made it to me advanced classes, in fact, it's hardest to get started when the concepts are new and foreign and easier later when your just adding a deep understanding to what you have already fought to learn.

[shevy-java]

> it's hardest to get started when the concepts are new and foreign and easier later when your just adding a deep understanding to what you have already fought to learn.

This is quite true; I feel this is the case with maths. Simple math, logic math is all fine, but higher maths and theorems I find very, very difficult to understand. Here this is one of the few areas where my memorizing techniques did not work well. Sure I can remember many things, but applying that knowledge is very different to just memorizing stuff.

[j45]

You have a good point, the flashcard contents can make a big difference too.

Whether they're just for learning first principles first, and then a different set that are higher order connections between them.