This document provides a step-by-step guide to creating effective revision tools using concept diagrams and flash cards. It outlines 10 steps for creating concept diagrams that involve starting with pre-existing knowledge, adding new information in stages, and repeatedly recalling the diagram from memory to reinforce learning. Flash cards should be simple, organized, concise and memorable by focusing on one topic per card and using colors, short phrases and tick boxes to track practice. Examples demonstrate effective use of both concept diagrams and flash cards to optimize memorization of medical information.

1. Lewis R McNicol
Peninsula College of Medicine
and Dentistry
A STEP BY STEP
GUIDE TO
CREATING MORE
EFFECTIVE
REVISION TOOLS
Doctors as Teachers SSU 2010
Lewis

3. Contents
What’s it all about???.................................................................................1
CONCEPT DIAGRAMS..................................................................................2
STEP 1: Set the scene ..............................................................................2
STEP 2: Choose a topic that youwant to learn..........................................3
STEP 3: Decide on a level of knowledge....................................................3
STEP 4: The diagram! ..............................................................................4
DIAGRAM1:........................................................................................4
STEP 5: Begin with what you know...........................................................4
DIAGRAM2:........................................................................................5
STEP 6:...................................................................................................6
DIAGRAM3:........................................................................................6
STEP 7:...................................................................................................7
DIAGRAM4:........................................................................................7
STEP 8:...................................................................................................7
STEP 9:...................................................................................................8
STEP 10: .................................................................................................8
DIAGRAM5:........................................................................................8
DIAGRAM6:......................................................................................10
FLASH CARDS...........................................................................................11
FLASH CARDS SHOULD BE:.....................................................................11
EXAMPLES OF MEMORABLE FLASH CARDS:............................................13
MORE EXAMPLES OF MEMORABLE FLASH CARDS:..................................14
EXAMPLES OF NON- MEMORABLE FLASH CARDS:...................................15

4. 1
What’s it all about???
Many will agree that while the subject of medicine is often not
conceptually difficult it does require the efficient memorising,
retention and recall of information and facts in order to effectively
diagnose and treat patients. Students find their own ways to
revise and memorise information. Few however think about why
they use such techniques or if they work in an effective and
efficient manner.
Two popular and effective strategies of memorising and revising
are concept diagrams and flash cards. While most people have a
rough idea of how to make each of these, they may not be using
them in a way which maximises their learning.
This booklet provides a step by step guide to creating concept
maps and flash cards with worked examples. It is intended as a
guide only. There are no hard and fast rules and most
importantly, efficient learning should not only be enjoyable and
interesting but also about what works for you as an individual.

5. 2
CONCEPT DIAGRAMS
These are a useful revision tool if utilised appropriately. They are
a method of active learning which; appeals to visual learners,
involves repetition, recall and reorganisation of information. They
also reinforce understanding of information and the links between
facts which helps you to retain what you learn in your long-term
memory.
STEP 1: Set the scene
As with all revision, a good learning environment is a must.
 Choose a quiet, well lit area that your brain can associate with
learning (not your bed!!!- the brain associates the bed with
sleeping!)
 Take regular breaks
 Stay well hydrated (not alcohol!)
 Tell your flatmates not to disturb you when working!
 Don’t work for more than a couple hours maximum at a time
and don’t work late into the night if you have to be up early!
(within these blocks take a 5 minute break every 20minutes or
so as this is the attention span of most students)
 Keep a revision diary to plan study time and also to keep
track of how much you have accomplished and still need to
do.
 Remember to keep to a healthy diet and get regular exercise!

6. 3
STEP 2: Choose a topic that you want to learn.
Obviously some topics are more interesting, easier and enjoyable
than others. However, learning that is driven by interest,
relevance or simply an inquisitive mind is more likely to be
effective than forced learning. Where possible choose a topic that
interests you or base your learning around questions you set for
yourself.
STEP 3: Decide on a level of knowledge
For example, you may want to start with a general topic- “Today I
want to find out more about asthma.” Using headings such as
those in a disease framework may be helpful e.g. management,
epidemiology, investigations etc.
Remember not to get too carried away and to stay SMART with
your objectives:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time

7. 4
STEP 4: The diagram!
Take a blank sheet of A4 (or a roll of white wall paper is a cheap
alternative for bigger diagrams). Write your key topic word in one
colour in the centre of the paper and draw a ring around it.
(Diagram 1)
DIAGRAM 1:
STEP 5: Begin with what you know.
An important part of preparing your brain/subconscious for
learning is to start by writing down what you already know about
the subject. Even if the subject is new to you or you feel you don’t
know much about it, writing down what you do already know
helps the brain to start processing the topic. You may be

8. 5
surprised just how much you do know! Add this information to
your concept diagram without the use of a book or the internet. It
isn’t a competition to get the most you can on the paper, it’s
about what you know. It can help if you organise this information
into headings as discussed above. This will help you to
remember more by association. It is easier to remember when
information is organised and linked in some sort of order.
Use wavy lines not straight lines to build out branches and colour
code your headings. The brain finds it easier to remember wavy
lines and abstract shapes rather than straight lines. Using colour
aids association in a similar way to how the list “elephant, rose,
pink, bucket, red, blue” is easier to remember if each object is
associated with a colour e.g.: pink elephant, red rose, blue
bucket. Colour will also help visual learners to remember more.
(Diagram 2)
DIAGRAM 2:

9. 6
STEP 6:
Once you have a concept diagram with all your pre-existing
knowledge summarised on it, draw an outline, not necessarily a
circle as you will remember abstract shapes better, around the
information. Use another colour to do this. (Diagram 3)
DIAGRAM 3:

10. 7
STEP 7:
Open a book/ website and add 10-15 things you didn’t know
outside of the ring as in diagram 4. Don’t add too much at once!
DIAGRAM 4:
STEP 8:
Now turn over your diagram and either on the back of it, or on a
new sheet of paper, start again. Try to draw the diagram you just
turned over from memory. This will comprise of both your pre-
existing knowledge and the information that you learned from the
books or website in STEP 7. You should hopefully end up with
something more or less the same as your previous attempt but
this time without the yellow ring.

11. 8
STEP 9:
Draw another ring around this diagram and by referring to your
original diagram add in any details that you may have missed
outside of the ring. Steps 8 and 9 can be repeated until you feel
comfortable that you are retaining most of the important points.
The more you practice recalling the more you will retain.
STEP 10:
Once you are happy that you can reproduce this information
more or less from memory, draw a ring and add some more
detail from a book or the internet. (Diagram 5)
DIAGRAM 5:

12. 9
You can repeat the process of adding detail, drawing a ring and
reproducing the diagram from memory as many times as you like
until you have enough detail on a subject memorised and easily
recalled. These repetitions need not all be done on the same day
and you could have a few different topics running at the same
time throughout the week. However it is important to review the
process after a week or so - you will be surprised just how much
information on a subject you have retained.
Don’t be afraid to play around with these instructions and your
diagrams- there are no hard and fast rules- it is all about what
you find helpful for your individual learning. Feel free to use
symbols or pictures if appropriate or if you find it helps.
Rephrasing information into your own words from one diagram to
the next or from how it is written in textbooks helps.
Repetition! Repetition! Repetition! Keep your final diagram so
that if you decide to draw another one on the same subject
several weeks later you can look back and prove just how much
you have remembered!
Once a diagram becomes too crowded and you run out of paper
or you simply feel that you know enough general information
about a topic, refine your diagram. There are many ways to do
this but one way would be to pick a specific area within that topic
and start a new diagram. For example, sticking with the theme of
asthma, you may want to learn about medical signs in different
severities of asthma and using the principles outlined above,
create a diagram similar to the one in diagram 6.

13. 10
DIAGRAM 6:

14. 11
FLASH CARDS
These are a useful learning tool as like concept diagrams they
encourage active learning and allow repetition of recalling key
facts arranged in an organised way.
FLASH CARDS SHOULD BE:
Simple, Organised, Concise, Interesting, Manageable and
Measurable. If they are each of these things then they will also
be MEMORABLE.
1. Keep them simple. Each card should only focus on ONE
topic at a time.
E.g. Symptoms, a drug’s side effects, a drug’s indications,
a drug’s mechanism or the definition of a condition.
2. The front of the card provides the question to be
answered. Abbreviate on the front if possible to keep it
concise e.g. “Aspirin SE” (side effects), “Asthma Ix”
(investigations), “Atenolol CI” (contra-indications).
3. On the reverse of the card are the answers. This should
be a maximum of 5 things as the more clutter the less you
will remember. Where possible the answers should not be
sentences. Just single words or short phrases or shapes
are much more likely to stick in your mind.
4. Colour code as you like, for example, all Symptoms (Sx) in
one colour and all SE another colour. Alternatively colour
code each bit of information on the card so there is a
different colour for each “answer.” Find a method that
works for you.
5. On the front add up to 10 blank tick boxes.

15. 12
6. Read the card out loud if possible as this helps us to retain
information and then put it into your “pack” of cards that
you will be building up.
7. Run through the cards in your pack trying to answer the
“question” on the front. Each time you go through your
pack add a tick in pencil into one of the tick boxes on the
front.
8. Once a card has 10 ticks remove it from your pack into the
start of a second pack which can be used later on or just
to flick through as you get closer to an exam- do not forget
about them completely. By doing this you not only make
your learning measurable, but you also end up prioritising
the cards that you know least well in your main pack as
the ones you repeatedly get correct are thinned out into
the second pack.
9. If going through a second pack you don’t remember
details remove the ticks with an eraser or start a new row
of tick boxes. Alternatively add the card back into your
main pack.
10. Keep adding new cards to your pack so that you keep
learning new material.
Most importantly, enjoy your learning experience and try to be
relaxed about it and remember- IF YOU DON’T USE IT YOU
LOSE IT- REPETITION!

16. 13
EXAMPLES OF MEMORABLE FLASH CARDS:
Front Back
METABOLIC ACIDOSIS
(ABGchanges)
pH PaCO2 HCO3
METABOLIC ALKALOSIS
(ABGchanges)
pH PaCO2 HCO3
RESPACIDOSIS
(ABGchanges)
pH PaCO2 HCO3
pH PaCO2 HCO3
RESPALKALOSIS
(ABGchanges)

17. 14
MORE EXAMPLES OF MEMORABLE FLASH CARDS:
Front Back
COMMON PERONEAL
NERVE PALSY(Sx)
MENINGITIS (SX)
SLOWRISINGPULSE
=
RESPCAUSESCLUBBING
AORTIC STENOSIS
 GRADUAL ONSET
 FEVER
 PHOTOPHOBIA
 STIFF NECK
 +/-RASH
FOOTDROP
WEAKNESSANKLE
EVERSION
 PULMONARY FIBROSIS
 CYSTIC FIBROSIS
 BRONCHIECTASIS
 CARCINOMA
 MESOTHELIOMA

18. 15
NONOBSTRUCTIVE
CAUSESOFVOMITING.
(DRUGS,NEUROGENIC,
GICAUSES)
DRUGS: CYTOTOXICS,
ANALGESICS, ANTIBIOTICS.
NEUROGENIC: INTRA-CRANIAL
TUMOUR,
PAINFUL/UNPLEASANT
STIMULUS, PSYCHOGENIC,
VESTIBULOCOCHLEAR DISEASE.
GI CAUSES: (OBSTRUCTION),
GASTROENTERITIS
TRICYCLIC OVERDOSE
SIGNSANDSYMPTOMS
DROWSINESS, DILATED
PUPILS, DRY MOUTH,
TACHYCARDIA, URINARY
RETENTION, HYPOTHERMIA,
HYPERREFLEXIA,
HALLUCINATIONS- TREAT
THESE WITH DIAZEPAM
EXAMPLES OF NON- MEMORABLE FLASH CARDS:
Front Back
GONORRHOEA
SYMPTOMS,
INCUBATION,
MICROBIOLOGY ETC.
GRAM NEGATIVE, INFECTING
EPITHELIUM.
50% FEMALES 10%MALES ARE
ASYMPTOMATIC INCUBATION
IS 2 – 14DAYS. MOST SYMPTOMS
OCCUR DAY 2 – 5. DYSURIA,
DISCHARGE, PELVIC PAIN,
INTERMENSTRUAL BLEEDING

19. 16