Anki flashcard design

Designing Anki flashcards, I’ve kept to some simple principles:

• Every card has sound. This is to ensure that written and spoken forms of words are learnt at the same time. It also provides good examples of natural intonation and linking together words when speaking in sentences. In my opinion, this is much better than using transcriptions, as it’s more accurate and easier to remember.
• All words are presented in the context of a sentence. I’ve tried, as much as possible, to choose examples that: sound natural; show the meaning of the target word or phrase; give a good example of its use; display to some extent the register of the word or phrase; and can be easily remembered.
• Most cards have pictures. For many words this is important to show their meaning, but for others it is an aid to memorisation, creating a natural and logical association. The pictures provide a visual stimulus and, I hope, are often entertaining.
• Explanations in English, not translations. For many words and phrases where the context of the sentence and a picture aren’t sufficient to show its meaning, I’ve included synonyms or explanations, similar to what you’d find in a learner’s dictionary. For the lower level cards (Elementary and Pre-Intermediate), I’ve included Russian translations of the target words and phases in a separate field below. See my post about ‘Using translation with Anki’ for more detail and explanation.
• Parts of words are shown. The idea is that there should be only one possible answer for each card (where there are two, I’ve given them both). Usually the first letter or letters of words are given in order to narrow the possible answer.
• Many cards have additional explanations. I strongly believe in the principle of ‘example first, then explanation’. When I’ve included grammar rules and explanations, I’ve written them in a smaller font at the bottom of the screen. I’ve done the same for word families.