02 / Notice the difference
Compare after the reveal
Preserve your first attempt, check the reference and turn a mismatch into a specific next action without pretending the tool can grade you.
The useful moment in a practice pass is often the space between an attempt and the answer shown afterward. A broad label such as “wrong” can skip over that space. A specific comparison makes the next attempt easier to plan.
This guide uses a fictional museum rule to show the sequence. The comparison labels belong to the person using the deck; the tool never decides whether an answer is correct.
Make an attempt before opening the reference
Try the prompt from memory. You can think or speak an answer, or write it in the optional attempt box. Writing gives you an inspectable record; leaving the box blank does not prevent you from using the tool.
When you choose Reveal, the tool preserves the text that was present at that moment. You can add a comparison note afterward, but it does not rewrite the saved attempt. Keeping those two fields separate prevents a polished correction from being mistaken for the first response.
Check the answer rather than trusting the screen
The invented question asks where a finished paper model should go. Suppose the attempt says “on the shelf” and the reference says “on the drying tray beside the window.” The concrete difference is the destination and its location. A useful note names both.
A real deck needs a checked reference. If the expected answer appears ambiguous or conflicts with a source, stop and inspect the source before repeating it. A reveal button is a display mechanism; it does not authenticate the answer.
CMU recommends feedback that connects performance to a defined criterion and helps the learner decide how to proceed. Here the criterion is the stated museum rule, and the next action could be to revisit that rule before attempting the card again.
Choose a label you can explain
“Remembered” means you judge that the attempt covers the reference. “Partly recalled” means you noticed missing or different points. “Needs another look” means you want to check the source or make another attempt. These are descriptions of your own comparison, not a scale calibrated against ability.
An empty written attempt stays visibly empty in the record. If you answered aloud, you can mention that in your comparison note. If you did not attempt the question at all, a favorable label would not turn that pass into evidence of successful recall.
| Attempt before reveal | Self-assessment example | A specific note |
|---|---|---|
| On the drying tray beside the window | Remembered | Both destination and location are present. |
| On the drying tray | Partly recalled | The location beside the window was missing. |
| On the shelf | Needs another look | Check the destination rule before another attempt. |
Leave yourself one useful next action
Write “recheck the destination rule” instead of “study harder.” For a missing detail, identify the detail. For an unclear question, rewrite the prompt. For a questionable reference, verify the source. Each action addresses a different problem.
Retrieval practice research includes different materials and task designs. Karpicke and Blunt studied recall and comprehension of science texts; that evidence does not establish a guaranteed benefit for this browser tool or for every kind of practice. Use the tool to organize a careful attempt, not to certify a learning outcome.
Export the comparison before moving on
Export session notes to save prompts, original written attempts, reference answers, your labels and comparison notes. A partial pass is labeled incomplete, with only recorded cards included. Cards you have not assessed are not silently counted as failures.
The JSON deck export contains questions and answers only. Keep a deck copy if you want to repeat or revise it; keep the Markdown record if you want to inspect the pass. Both files are created on request in your browser. Read Read a practice record before interpreting a later change in the counts.